Raptor Trail

Measuring around 0.3 mile, this short hike packs it all in: views over the Columbia River, Mount Hood in the distance and closer afield, abundant wildflowers and the trail’s namesake raptors and vultures soaring overhead.

From Old Highway 8, this trail climbs northwest up the hillside, alternating between wide single- and double-track trails, before connecting to either the planned Bitterroot Trail (#4422) to the east or the Labyrinth Trail (#4423) to the west.

While you’ll continue to hear the rail and vehicle traffic below you, along the way, you’ll have the opportunity to marvel at nature’s resilience after wildfires in 2024/2025 in the Catherine Creek area, with partially burned trees and the meadows continuing to thrive.

WTA Pro Tip: There is no parking at the start of this scenic hike, so it may be best done as a sort of detour from more popular trails, reached from other trails that begin from the Coyote Wall or Catherine Creek trailheads.