Fall Wandering at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve
If it's not muddy, you can follow a 1 mile trail through the meadow for fantastic views of the Three Sisters, Mt. Washington, Black Butte, Mt. Jefferson, and Indian Ford Creek.
The ¼ mile gravel trail at the entrance to Indian Ford Meadow Preserve is suitable for strollers, toddlers, and older kids alike! Watch the mountains as storms roll in, take in the autumnal colors of willows and rabbitbrush, and see the first snows fall as you dream about that first ski weekend! Find driving directions and more detailed Preserve information.
The Preserve serves as an important mule deer habitat and migration corridor as deer travel from the mountains in the summer to the more temperate winter range in the east. Also, more than 130 species of birds have been observed at the Preserve, making this a great spot for kids and grown-ups to explore nature together! See the Preserve's bird list for help identifying birds that have been observed here in the past.
Walk our 1 mile Founder’s Trail to explore the meadow and enjoy the scenic overlook with outstanding views of the Cascade Mountains. The only trail at Indian Ford Meadow Preserve, take a left or right at the kiosk and follow the loop around the first Land Trust protected Preserve. A couple of benches at a scenic overlook and along the trail make for great stops along the route.
Be sure to peek through the new viewfinding scope, installed in spring of 2024, to see our beautiful mountains up close!