Graham Oaks Nature Park: A Wheelchair-Accessible Park Experience In Oregon

By Guest Author: West Livaudais

On the far western edge of Clackamas County, in the southwest corner of Wilsonville, lies a quiet, ecological oasis. Graham Oaks Nature Park is a beautiful and tranquil respite just off the beaten path — and it’s still growing into its full stature. The vision for this reclaimed, logged farmland is a rich habitat under a vast canopy of mature oaks. In time, it will become one of the region's most impressive urban wilderness recreation destinations. Recently, my family and I enjoyed a day trip here and were impressed with all of its accessible features.

As soon as we parked in one of the three ADA stalls, a public bus rolled in, kneeled and offloaded several urban hikers. The ADA parking stalls are located near bathrooms and a water fountain, both of which are accessible, and bike stands near the trailhead.

A short distance from the parking lot, a stately circular pergola with benches and interpretive signs welcomed and introduced us to the story of Graham Oaks Nature Park. If you take a moment to read it, the park comes to life with its historical story and future vision. The park’s website also features audio tour files and guided walking tours in PDF format.

The Tonquin Trail is a wide, three-mile long paved path through Graham Oaks Nature Park.

My four-year-old daughter ripped down the path on her toddler bike, while the rest of us pursued her slowly, spotting camas lilies blooming, a golden hawk and enjoying the absence of the urban buzz. When we finally caught up to her, she was peering off at two deer enjoying their midday meal.

The main trail, Tonquin Trail, is wide, three miles long, paved, and undulating with a few steeper short hills. The flat sections have minimal cross slope, and there are no raised roots or bumps on the main trail. I found this path to be super easy to cruise along. It's great for wheelchair users who want to get a good “push” in, which I realized as I tried to keep up with my daughter. Please note that to protect the park, this is the only trail dogs are allowed on and they must be on a leash.

Along the Elder Oak Plaza Trail visitors see a 100-plus-year-old oak tree.

Off the arterial Tonquin Trail are multiple, well-maintained, smaller packed gravel trails that lead to lookout points. We ventured up the Elder Oak Plaza Trail to look into the massive canopy of a 100-plus-year-old oak. This was an important diversion because we got to see a tree from the original oak forest. Many of the juvenile oaks planted in the 1990s will one day grow to be this size.

Returning to the Tonquin Trail, we cruised along toward the Wetland Overlook Trail, where we watched migratory birds dance through the bushes and read about the seasons of this wetland. Looking back toward Tonquin Trail, we could see how the rolling hills behind us drain precipitation into the natural gully below. Each of these viewpoints has wonderful interpretive information that allowed me to share with my children what we were looking at and kept them engaged. The trail markers and interpretive signs throughout the park improve the experience by creating access to its story.

Located throughout the park are interpretive signs that explain the story of the area.

Back on the Tonquin Trail, in consultation with our toddler, we decided to go the distance to the path's end, where it drops into a neighborhood. We rested on a shaded bench and enjoyed our snacks before we pointed our crew back toward our car. As we neared the parking lot, our family felt connected. We were refreshed and spent. Graham Oaks Nature Park is a perfect outing for anyone looking to take a quick break from the urban beat. The wildlife, flowers and smells of nature are grounding. The drive home was quiet with our little ones zonked out. It was a gift — the peacefulness of Graham Oaks was following us home.

Each season the park offers tons to see including lupine in the spring.