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Around Sandy you’ll find plenty of opportunities to get outside — whether you’re a weekend warrior who’s at the trailhead by sunrise or a nature lover in search of more leisurely walks or rides.
Family-friendly adventures await along the 10-mile Easy, Breezy, Sandy, a popular bike route that begins and ends in downtown Sandy. Along the way, riders of all skill levels enjoy views from Jonsrud Viewpoint and along Tickle Creek. Much of the ride is paved, but areas along the creek are packed gravel. Pro tip: Cyclists can find a bike station stocked with repair tools and a bike pump behind Sandy City Hall in the heart of downtown.
Jonsrud Viewpoint Park offers short walks with a view of Mt. Hood from an overlook mere steps from the parking area; enjoy unfettered views of Oregon’s tallest peak while the Sandy River snakes through its namesake valley below. Interpretive panels explain Oregon Trail-era history and identify some of the sights before you. Be sure to check out the special color blind-adapted scenic viewer that enhances color-blind visitors’ experience seeing the colors of nature. It’s one of the first parks in the U.S. to offer this technology.
Sandy River Park is located almost directly below Jonsrud Viewpoint Park — and has roughly 2 miles of hiking paths through a forest of cedar and Douglas fir. In October and early November, head to Cedar Creek and the Sandy River to watch spawning salmon swim upstream and begin the magical life cycle anew.
For hearty mountain bikers, Sandy is synonymous with the Sandy Ridge Trail System. Just 13 miles east of town on Highway 26, riders love shredding nearly 20 miles of expertly designed, award-winning paths that cut through lush forests of Douglas fir, western red cedar and mountain hemlock. Some of the more challenging routes are outfitted with short jumps, berms, rock gardens and other obstacles for thrills around every bend.
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