Brews & Hiking Boots: Portland Wildwood Trail & Deschutes Brewery

While stuck in Portland during a freak snowstorm one might as well make lemons into lemonade – or as I would prefer: Hops into IPA’s. Portland is city proud of both it’s green spaces and it’s concentration of microbreweries, so it it only seemed appropriate to combine the two in one epic snowy adventure.

Wildwood Trail from the Portland Zoo

Distance: As long as you want? We hiked 2-ish miles from the zoo to the Japanese gardens and then headed in to the city, but you can go so much further.
Trailhead: We entered the zoo via the light rail and then headed over to the big Hoyt Arboretum sign to look at the map and try to get on the right trail. Of course this was tricky with the snow on the trail, but I think most trails lead to the wildwood trial eventually

The path taken from the zoo to the brewery. Starting at the zoo the wildwood trail (in pink) meanders near to the Japanese gardens. Here we got off the trail and walked down to the gardens (closed during snowstorms, just in case you were wondering) and then headed towards the rose gardens, Portland city reservoir, and eventually to city streets and the brewery.

I feel obliged to say, from the wildwood trail you could just as easily walk to any number of breweries (we also hit up Bridgeport), but really enjoyed Deschute’s Portland Brewpub (click for address). Two different tastings to choose from, many bears made in Portland (not just shipped in from Bend), and I really enjoyed some some of the experimental brews. Best yet – the light rail is everywhere here so it is never too difficult to get back home!

Even in the snow there was moss!