Going Out No. 16: Dog Walks
Leisurely strolls in and around Portland.
Welcome! This is the Going Out edition of Riley’s Recs, where I review a restaurant, bar, or activity here in Portland. Every Sunday, I also share Staying In recipe recommendations for your week. Don’t forget to check out pdxrecs.com for even more recommendations and follow RR on Instagram at @rileysrecs. Enjoy!
I haven’t done any genetic testing on my dog, but her breed is easy to guess. Dad = German Shepherd. Mom = Corgi. Pretty certain it’s not the other way around.
Although most of her story is a mystery, the rescue agency did provide me with three pieces of information about her past. She was:
Born in West Texas (Terlingua, specifically).
Surrendered because her former owners were incarcerated.
Arrived with the name Hooker.
Since adopting Hooker (now Mia, after the hooker in White Lotus…) two years ago this month, I’ve learned more about her. She hates skateboards and middle school boys, loves licking the inside of the dishwasher, knows the command “paw,” isn’t a big cuddler unless you’re her favorite person and then she’ll lie on top of you, and….she is leash reactive.
You wouldn’t think this small dog would have it in her, but my god. Get within 30 feet of another dog, and she uses those surprisingly swole legs to pull as hard as she can and bark with the intensity of a police dog.
After a particularly frustrating walk the other day, a guy on a scooter passing by shouted, “Cute dog!” and I wanted to shout back, “Take her!”
When I first realized she was leash reactive, I cried. And I continued to cry about it for months after. I vented about it to friends and obsessively researched solutions. I was upset because I always dreamed that I could take my dog on casual walks in my neighborhood while mindlessly looking at my phone in one hand and holding the leash in the other.
That’s not at all how I look when I’m walking her these days. If you see us out and about, you’ll see Mia in a harness and me with a fanny pack full of treats, saying things like “Back to me” and “Touch” and “Yes.”
The weird thing about Mia is that as soon as she’s off leash, it’s all good. At home, she’s an angel who sleeps all day. At parks, she keeps her distance and occasionally plays with other dogs. So I’ve learned to find places in Portland where I can take her off leash or that are relatively low traffic.
If you’ve continued reading this far, thank you! I could go on about sweet Mia all day, but I don’t want to alienate any non-dog owners. Just to clarify, these park trails are enjoyable for everyone—pets or not.
I’m sharing these “leisurely strolls” as my first post of 2025 because I’ve found long walks to be a therapeutic start to a new year. I don’t think you need to have big ambitions or vision boards. Just go for a nice, long walk. And then maybe you’ll get a little momentum.
Sandy River Delta
Address: Thousand Acres Rd, Troutdale, OR 97060
Parking: Northwest Forest Pass or $5; you can pay on-site with a credit card.
Distance: 1-5 miles
Sandy River Delta is one of Portland’s only off-leash parks where dogs can roam for miles. The park runs along the Sandy River, making it a prime destination during the summer months, but I find the wide open spaces to be equally appealing in winter. There’s something romantic about the bucolic grassy fields and aspen-lined trails. Maybe I grew up watching too many Jane Austen movies, but it feels like a meadow where I’d find Mr. Darcy. If he owned a Doodle.
The park has a series of meandering walking paths, meaning there’s no set loop and you can choose your ideal distance. From the parking lot, exit South (towards the freeway) to take the long route or exit East and take the shortest path to the beach.
Once you near the beach, you can either go down to the water or take a left or right to follow the tree-covered trails. You could stretch this out into a full 4-5 mile loop or you can turn around and make the walk shorter.
You’ll see mountain bikers and runners here, but dog owners seem to be the primary demographic. Sometimes dogs are on leash, but you should expect 80% of dogs to be running free.
I’ve been going to the Sandy River Delta since before Mia. I’d recommend these trails to anyone who wants a long, flat walk with views of the Columbia River Gorge, all within 20 minutes of downtown.
Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge
Address: 10830 SE Oaks Park Way, Portland, OR 97202
Parking: Street parking near Oaks Park
Distance: 3.1-mile loop
Oaks Bottom is a wildlife refuge, meaning you’ll see lots of birds, especially herons. On a good day, you might be able to spot owls, hawks, and woodpeckers. Despite all of this wildlife, dogs are allowed on leash. But I’ve found that most people don’t bring dogs, so it tends to be manageable, even with the narrow trail.
That being said, this is where I walked on New Year’s Day, and because of the holiday, there were upwards of 15 dogs. So maybe avoid weekends if you’re concerned.
In a strange turn of events, Mia apparently decided on “new year, new dog” because she did really well yesterday. I lived out my dream of walking my dog with my phone out—at least for a little bit.
Even though you’re right next to Sellwood and an amusement park, Oaks Bottom feels somewhat remote and is a great hour-long walk if you’re looking to sneak something in on a weekday. The walk loops around a small lake/marsh and is relatively flat, so it’s not challenging. You’ll see a few wooden walkways, a lookout point, and you can choose to either follow the wooded trail or exit at the Springwater Corridor and walk by Oaks Park on your way back to your car if you prefer something a tad longer.
Milo McIver State Park
Address: Milo McIver State Park, Estacada, OR 97023
Parking: $10 or Northwest Forest Pass; pay at the booth upon entry.
Distance: 6-mile loop
This park, located in Estacada, is mostly a destination for campers and disc golfers, but there’s a really nice 6-mile loop around the state park that provides exceptional views of the Sandy River, a small waterfall, and lots of forested walkways.
I’ve always loved Estacada. It’s a beautiful rural escape 20-30 minutes outside Portland with a surprising number of hikes, swimming holes, and things to do. This park showcases all of that, and is worth the drive (and $10 admission). You’ll see a handful of dogs, but I find that it’s fairly easy to navigate around them.
Also, maybe it’s irrational, but I’ve always been fearful of the Clackamas River. So even though you’ll see dogs off-leash, I feel safer with Mia on-leash here in case she bolts toward the water because she sees a bird or something.
When you enter the park, follow signs with the hiking symbol (aka, take a left at the fork). Then park anywhere and start your walk.
Looking for a walking buddy? Are you thinking about adopting? I recommend going through One Tail at a Time.
There are lots of rescue options out there—some shady, some good. Before finding my dog, Pet Finder was part of my social media rotation. I was constantly on the lookout. I tried fostering through one of the organizations I found, but ended up not moving forward with the adoption after the dog arrived from Mexico with more than 50 ticks and a contagious tick-borne illness that I was not prepared to handle as a first-time owner.
I’m so happy that I finally found OTAT. They’ve become a well-known and respected Portland institution because of how seriously they take on the responsibility of rehoming dogs. They have an adoption site on NE Sandy (next to the Liftoff Lounge!) where you can schedule meet-and-greets, and their foster and trainer network is always there to support you through challenging training, medical, or other situations if needed.
Aren’t sure if you’re ready to adopt? Sign up to foster. OTAT hooks you up with everything you need.
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Be careful at the Sandy Delta (aka 1000 acres). If you wander too far west there’s tons of homeless campers. Super sketchy.