Fishermen and waterskiers have long since found Hagg Lake, the reservoir created in this rural Coast Range valley near Forest Grove in 1975.  But relatively few hikers have discovered the charms of the 13.1-mile footpath around the lake, even though it’s just a half hour’s drive from Portland.

Short walks along either the north or south shore lead through old-growth forests and grassy fields with lake vistas.  Visit March to June for the best woodland wildflowers.  Skip summer weekends if you’re bothered by the whine of powerboats.

From Freeway 217 in Beaverton,  . . .

This chapter is an excerpt from 100 Hikes : Oregon Coast