Lobelia Path

Lobelia Path is on an Unimproved Right of Way - an impractical extension of Lobelia. It meets Boones Ferry Road at a steep angle and is unsuitable for traffic. It evidently looked good on paper when the area was platted, but it's too steep to drive on.

Lobelia Path connects nicely between Boones Ferry Road and SW 5th, joining east and west Collins View neighborhoods.

• From Boones Ferry Road the path akes you to Terwilliger Blvd and the commercial district, including Tryon Creek Grill, Chez Jose, and TriMet stops.
• Beth Israel Cemetery is on the north side of the path, and two residences are along the south side.
• A number of 'volunteers' have improved and maintained the path over the years.

It may seem like a redundant path. But in fair weather, it's nicer to use Lobelia Path than to use Primrose — with its high traffic count and speeding cars.

The path was really useful when Burlingame Market and Market of Choice were at the corner.

Where is the Path!?

Find the small GREEN path segment in the middle of this map.

Unpaved Lobelia Street extends from Terwilliger to SW 5th. At 5th, there is a DEAD END sign, but the gravel continues 50' providing access to a garage and two ADU's. From then on, Lobelia is a footpath down to Boones Ferry Road.

SWIM

This path was documented, recognized, and added to the SW Trail inventory during the SouthWest In Motion (SWIM) project. [LINK]

Images of Lobelia

Here we are at the top of the path, where it departs from street and avenue. (The fence is gone now, in 2026.)

Erosion!

Up until recently, water coursed all the way down from SW 5th Ave during heavy rains, then flowed into the ditch on the side of Boones Ferry Road.

Pure Beauty

One year, some lovely mallow appeared along the top of path, and survived for several years.

2014

By 2014, a wider path was opened through the berries. In earlier years, blackberry vines often made passage difficult, so one learned to carry clippers to go to the store! An access driveway was put in for a garage below the remodeled house at the corner.

2015

Loads of bark 'dust' were dumped and moved onto the patch to keep weeds down and improve traction.

Attempts were made to stanch the runoff from 5th Ave down Lobelia.

Here's the Man and his machine!

2016

Various plants native or otherwise made their homes along the path. (Note the Mallow by the rock to the right of the path!)

2017

This is the clematis phase... growing up onto the holly. But the path stayed open!

2025

Big gap in photos during pandemic evidently. Work was still done clearing the whole right of way. Then somebody seeded some grass!

Two potential improvements: a few steps at the lower end, and erosion control. Read below for an improvement Volunteer C made in 2026 that may have reduced the need for said improvements!

2026

The cemetery cut their Hollies back and installed a wire fence along the length of Lobelia Path and Lobelia Street! Then Volunteer C regularly mowed the grass.

Volunteer C made a wonderful meandering path down the hillside, which should be good to avoid erosion. The mulch made a nice soft, safe path down onto Boones Ferry.

What a transformation! Check it out in person.

References

A link appears with each reference, to the source.

• Portland Pathways - allows community groups to permit, build, and maintain trails with technical support from PBOT [LINK]
• Community Initiated Neighborhood Trails on city website [Missing lost LINK] Help!
• Collins View footpaths inventory for SWIM [LINK]
• SouthWest In Motion (SWIM) project [LINK]
• Neighborhood Sense - George Lakoff [need a good LINK]
• Jesse Boone Natural Area [LINK]
• Guide to Unimproved Right-of-Way [LINK]
• I-5 On-Ramp Sunflower Park [LINK]
• annotated link, parked [NULL]

Editor's Note

Lobelia Path is shown on the SW Portland Walking Map as a dashed green line, indicating it is a Pedestrian off-street path or trail.

The author (and others) began using Lobelia as a cut-through many years ago, using clippers and loppers to keep the path passable for all to use.

Photo credits, J Miller. Editor, J Miller

Questions for Our Readers

Discuss.

• Does anyone remember Lobelia Path before 2014? Was completely grown over for awhile? before that?
• Is there any liability for adjacent property owners? (This has been addressed thanks to SWTrails, Right?
• Volunteer F thought the Right of Way might be used as a Community Garden, with terraced beds. (Non-local gardeners parking on 5th or Lobelia might disturb neighboring properties.)
• A neighbor on 5th Ave wondered if it would be permitted to have a coyote-proof chicken coop on the property. We think that such a structure would not be allowed. Chickens might become dinner for Coyote!
• ?

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New Collins Viewers, Portland, Oregon.