A Walk Through History on the New Stretch of the Tualatin River Greenway

"More than three decades ago, parks planners started talking about and planning for the Tualatin River Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Shared Use Path," according to an article by Allan Brettman. "In all the years since, a grand total of 4.7 miles of trail have been developed along the river, stretching from Tigard to Durham and Tualatin."

Last April, a three-quarter mile section of the Tualatin River Greenway Bicycle and Pedestrian Shared Use Path opened to the public. The new stretch "not only provides a smooth, wide path next to the river but also offers a lesson on the geologic history of the Willamette Valley," according to Brettman. That history lessons spans an 18,000-year "geologic journey from the Ice Age to pioneer settlement in the Willamette Valley, with creative use of crushed blue glass, and footprints representing mastodon's and the first native Americans to settle the area."

"Geologic time is also marked by black granite bands that label the years of eruptions for Mount St. Helens and Mount Mazama – predecessor to Crater Lake," adds Brettman.