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Willamette Valley Road Runners (WVRR)
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Rave Runs

Lee Fields mentioned some new trails near Minto Brown Island Park recently. Being curious, Pati Swearinger, Christian Gary, Jesus Ceja, Gabriel Ceja, and Burke Schmidt set out to explore them one Saturday recently. We ran to Minto via the sewer easement, which parallels South River Road and the railroad tracks. We proceeded through Minto and along the bike path next to the river. At the junction where you would turn to go up to the Gazebo and the bathrooms, we continued straight along the river, heading upstream.

We ran along on trails until we came to a wide graveled section, which had been recently developed, presumably by the tree-planting people. This graveled area is a big oblong loop, which eventually comes back around to the trail you used along the river. If you choose to do only this loop, then you simply run back on your original trail.

As an option on your return, at a point about half way back, just past the area of the dump and near the fields, is a sort of road (use your imagination). If you turn on this—right if you’re heading back—and follow it, it will eventually bring you to the northwest part of the Minto running/cycling trail system, near the old abandoned parking lot.

Now, if you want a longer run, while you are running on the new wide gravel section at the furthermost point out, (running on the section closest to the river), as you begin the turn around, look to your right and you will see a trail. If you take this trail, it will lead to a gravel road. At the road, if you turn left, it will take you to the entrance of the gravel company and the end of Brown Island Road. If you turn right on the gravel road, it will lead you through the gravel company and near the river. Just follow the gravel road around until you come to a white gate. Pass by the gate on the left and you will find yourself on another gravel road. At a point—perhaps a third to a half mile from that gate—is a sort of long mound of dirt built up on the right. Cresting this mound reveals a trail that parallels the river even further. Follow this trail to a field, which you skirt always bearing right, and soon you will come to another road. Turning right on this road leads to the river and the end of the run. Turning left on the road leads you past a blueberry field, and eventually to a gate, which opens on to Brown Island Road about a quarter mile from the gravel company.

If you fail to locate the mound and the trail along the river, you can run along the gravel road. Watch on the left for the memorial to a young lady. Continue to the end of this road and you will be near the end of Brown Island Road.

Now, if you’ve followed this missive thus far, you have several choices. You can run back to Minto by going left and around the bend to the gate for the road which leads to the bike paths, or you can go right and run up to South River Road. You can run past the gate and on up to the end of the bike path on Homestead Road, or you can even take the brand new bike opened this past summer. Take your pick and enjoy some outstanding running.

Burke Schmidt