Miller Woods Conservation Area

Miller Woods is a small, privately-run natural area a few of miles outside of the city of McMinnville in the northwest part of the Willamette Valley. A trail traces the perimeter of this L-shaped, 130-acre area, and there are additional connecting trails and service roads throughout the area. While there is no single waterfall or vista that is remarkably impressive, Miller Woods is a great destination for more intimate and interactive natural experiences or for groups learning about forest ecosystems and management or riparian areas. The land was donated to the Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation District in 2004 by Frieda Miller, who had settled it with her husband, K.T. in 1967. It is a well-maintained and aesthetically pleasing area of Yamhill County that few people know about, offering a surprising amount of solitude, despite its proximity to McMinnville.

The trails that lead from the parking lot through a small grassland area are fairly poorly marked, though maps are available. Once you reach the abundant wooded areas of Miller Woods, however, various numbered and colored posts will easily guide hikers throughout the area on much more well-defined trails. The outer loop trail is roughly 3 to 4 miles long in full with very gradual elevation gain and loss throughout the area. Most of the wooded areas are quite pristine and lush, but some segments of the outer loop trail pass near areas that were clear-cut years ago.