Tryon Creek State Park

Location : Portland OR
Tryon Creek


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Type of Terrain : Gravel trails

Difficultly: 4 ( large elevation changes, wooden bridges to cross and lots of foot traffic)

Fee: 5.00 unless you have a yearly state park pass

Today was a great day! My daughter and I went out close to home and found a nice little park hidden away in Lake Oswego. All the trails are gravel so it seems like it would be usable all year but bring boots or horses with hard feet if you go barefoot. The two main trails are probably about 3.5 miles in total so it is not a large park. But it is a windy trail with lots of elevation changes so I didn't find it boring. I wouldn't bring someone who is scared to go up or down hill. There were also several wooden bridges to cross.

 We found it very scenic and my daughter wants to go back again. I loved how the fall leaves crunched under our hooves. There was lots of foot traffic but we were the only horses. The parking area was small but easy to get in and out of.

L.L. Stub Stewart

Location: Near Vernonia OR
Stub Stewart home page


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Type of Terrain: Maintained gravel and dirt trails
Horse camping is available

Difficulty: 3 (elevation changes)

Fee: 5.00 unless you have a yearly state park pass

Stubs is a lot of fun and close to town. It is a fairly new park so there are many trails that are still under construction. The trails I have explored have been well maintained either gravel or wide dirt trails. I haven't found any water crossings much to my friends dismay! Stubs is supposed to be ridable year around, I will let you know if that is true once I get a chance to try the off season. So far it has not been busy at all and I love the beautiful high mountain views.

Fort Stevens State Park

Location: Just south of Seaside OR
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_179.php

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Type of Terran: Beach, Sandy Trails

Difficulty: 1 (easy)

Fee: State Park fee 5.00 unless you have a yearly pass.

Ft Stevens is a lot of fun. Miles of beaches! We have been there twice and it has never been busy so there is lots of room to run. We have also explored off beach trails a little. I have to say I think this is one of my favorite places to go. Be prepared for some wind!

Intention

I wanted to start this blog because I love trail riding but I can't seem to find a nice list of trails in my area. I hope as I try more areas and blog about them, I can fill some of the gap. I will start with a few of the places I have already ridden.

Forest Park

Fort Stevens State Park

Stub Stewart

Wilkerson

Introductions

Well not exactly the beginning but the beginning of my blog....

As the title suggests I am a Canadian, but surprise I actually live in the US. I have always wanted a horse just like any young girl out there but that desire never left. It has taken a long time (and no I am not going to say exactly how long) but I finally got one. He is my baby and I love him like any ten year old girl would.

This is Turbo about a week after I got him home.
        

Turbo is a 10 year old sooty buckskin quarter horse and I have had him for about 3 months now. He has already taken me many places and taught me a lot. He is the best first horse and I love his unusual colour.

Since I actually have a 10 year old daughter I couldn't get a horse without getting one for her. We got brownie while she was in Canada and he is a 16 year old Appaloosa/Arab cross. He is a stubborn little horse but he is perfect for her. Shhhhhh, don't tell her but I thought he was totally ugly when we first got him.

We also have a third horse Tango that stays here he is an 11 yo Thoroughbred that belongs to a friend.



There are also a couple of boys in th mix, my husband and my 12 year old son. They like to ride horses but are not horse crazy like the girls in the family.

Just writing about them makes me happy. There is nothing like the smell of a horse!