Continued from Page 8
Photos by Alyssa Evans
TOP LEFT: A view of the trail. ABOVE: A bee and some flowers, seen off the trail.
TOP RIGHT: A hawk flies above the trail.
leads to one of Astoria’s water facilities. The
road, which is also a paved trail, features
many twists, turns, dips and hills — all of
which make the distance feel like it’s a lon-
ger length. The same goes for the off-road
trails. Many of them feature an increasing
incline, followed by either looping down-
ward or heading back the direction you came
from.
Along the way, the trail’s views mostly
consist of forest so trees, flowers, bushes and
other plants are visible every step of the way.
Depending on which path is taken, there is
some variety to what views you can see.
If you stick to the paved path, you’ll be
able to view CMH Field (bring binoculars
and you might be able to tell who is win-
ning), Youngs River and Saddle Mountain.
And of course, along the paved trail, you will
be able to see several pipes, as well as other
urban features, like staircases and manholes
covered with overgrown plants.
The off-trail paths have more variety in
views. At some points, you can view the
Astoria Column, a radio communications
tower and other unique sites.
Keep in mind, the road is technically a
connector road, not a trail. Though, you’re
OK to walk along the road since it is closed
to non-authorized vehicles. Aside from hik-
ers and walkers, the trail is also popular
for cyclists and people who ride ATVs and
motorized bikes.
The road measures about 1.3 miles,
according to the city. Although that length is
what portion of the trail is within city lim-
its. The road reaches between James Street
and Market Road in Svensen. Outside Asto-
ria, the road intersects with even more off-
road trails and logging roads. With the road’s
actual length in mind, plus its various off-
road trails, it’s easy to get more than a 1.3
mile hike (or bike ride) while visiting Pipe-
line Road.
If you decide to visit the trail and stick
to the paved path, you should be fine in any
type of footwear but if you’re interested in
exploring some of the off-road trails, I rec-
ommend wearing sturdy shoes or hiking
boots. Many of the trails get muddy after
rainy days or are filled with gravel, both of
which can be hard to navigate if your foot-
wear isn’t solid. Also keep in mind to visit
the trail when it’s light out — since there are
several trails to choose from, the area can
be confusing to navigate if you’re unfamil-
iar with it.
To access the trailhead, drive east on
Niagara Avenue, then south toward Shively
Park and finally, east to James Street. Shortly
down the road, there is a white gate and a
small area where visitors can park off-street.
To get to the trail, just walk past the white
gate and start following the road.
THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021 // 9