Summary:
Spending time outdoors is enriching for both Padme and me, offering her new scents and sights while providing me with peaceful escapes. On the Wildwood Nature Loop, a flat and scenic trail, Padme enjoyed exploring safely on-leash, though I wish she could run freely. While an unsettling encounter at the end of the hike shook my sense of security, I still found the trail beautiful and enjoyable overall.
Grade:
| Padme’s Paws | (Out of 4) |   |
| My Grade | (A to F) | B |
Trail Stats
- Trail: Wildwood Nature Loop
- Location: Welches, OR
- Distance: 2.8 miles (AllTrails.com) – I think the mileage is closer to 4 miles in reality / 4.67 miles (side quests)
- Difficulty: Easy
- ADA Accessible: Several parts
Directions
Parking – Easy Peasy:
Parking is not a problem at all. There are a few of parking lots.
You will need a pass:
- $5 Wildwood Recreation Site Day Pass.
- BLM Northwest Oregon District Annual Pass
- Interagency Passes
- Golden Passes
Why It’s Good for Padme
Just being outside is good for Padme. The more smells and landscapes I can introduce her to in the PNW, the better.
One of the things I always consider when hiking with Padme is whether it’s safe to let her be off-leash. To be clear, 99% of the places I visit require dogs to be on a leash, usually 6 feet or shorter.
To stay safe in the woods, keeping dogs on a leash is often the best choice. With bears and big cats around, a running dog can trigger a predator’s prey instinct. Without realizing it, your dog could lead a dangerous animal straight back to you. This is an important factor to keep in mind.
Another consideration is whether other people are on the trail. Some people have biases against big dogs, especially those that resemble Rottweilers. I want Padme to be safe—not just from wild animals but from “wild” people as well.
The Wildwood Nature Loop is a fun trail, but it’s incredibly popular, so Padme has to stay on-leash. While she misses out on running, she still gets plenty of sniffs—other dogs, and even other animals.
This trail is flat and easy to navigate, with few boulders or downed trees for her to use as an obstacle course. That isn’t as fun for her. On the upside, it also offers access to streams, creeks, and the river. Padme had a great time, but I want even more freedom, fun, and challenge for her.
Why It’s Good for Me
I chose to do this trail this weekend because I had done it earlier this year and knew it was gorgeous. After my run-in with the guy with the gun the week before, I decided to do a well-populated, less remote trail.
A friend had told my partner and me about this trail a couple of years ago, but only about a portion of it. It has a sunken observation window for the stream where people can watch salmon spawning.
I didn’t see salmon there, but I did see them in a small creek early on in the hike. I was really surprised—they were in water that didn’t even fully cover them, flipping around as they headed upstream. I’d never seen that in real life, and it was incredibly cool.
The trail was flat for the most part, but I appreciated that a few sections were paved so people with mobility issues could enjoy them.
There are also several plumbed bathrooms, though some were closed for the season. Pleasant surprise? The bathrooms have heating!
One section I particularly enjoyed was called “The Wetlands Loop.” It features a nice arched bridge and several boardwalks that angle off the main trail, leading to specific points of interest.
It was an easy, fun, and beautiful hike.
One of the most satisfying things about this hike for me was seeing my progress. The trail is over four miles long, and the first time I did it, I was so tired, and my feet and knees were so sore (because I was out of shape) that I couldn’t do much of anything for the rest of the day. This time, it wasn’t a problem. Four miles is an easy hike for us now, and that makes me so happy and proud of myself.
Warning: Discussion of Potential Violence
For the last year, I’ve hiked with Padme almost every weekend. During all that time, nothing worse than painful blisters had happened to me—until recently. Last weekend, and again on this hike, I encountered the potential for violence.
Last weekend, a man on the trail took my announcement that my dog was reactive as a challenge. He got into my space until Padme stopped him. When I asked him if he was trying to be an asshole, he started grunting at me and cussing me out. At one point, he threatened me, saying, “I’ll take you and your dog on.”
I stayed as calm as possible, acting as if he was annoying and beneath me as I walked away, but it scared me. I’ve never been threatened on a trail with physical violence before. Two scary weekends in a row have taken it out of me. I’m so grateful to have friends who let me call them crying and help me untangle the mess of emotions I was feeling.
It was a weird mix of fear, anger, and some leftover childhood trauma, I think. Part of me felt like I should’ve done something more—said something different, pepper-sprayed him, or even punched him. But I’m too old, smart, and sane for that kind of nonsense—or at least I tell myself that.
I’m fine. Nothing happened other than an old man yelling mean things at me. But it reminded me of how vulnerable people can be, and how easy it is for some entitled individuals to try and steal someone else’s joy.
Wrap Up:
Hiking with Padme is one of my greatest joys, even when challenges arise. Despite an unsettling moment at the end of the hike, the Wildwood Nature Loop reminded me why I love exploring the outdoors—beautiful trails, new discoveries, and meaningful time with my dog.
Get out there and take your dog on a hike!