About SideTracked Caches
This cache belongs to the SideTracked series. It is not designed to take you to a magical place with a breathtaking view. It's a distraction for the weary traveler, but anyone else can go and find it, too. More Information can be found on the SideTracked Website.
This cache also qualifies for the Disappearing RR Blues bonus cache. This series highlights the railways of NW Oregon.
About Merlo Road/SW 158th Ave MAX Station
Welcome to the Merlo Road/SW 158th Ave MAX Station. The MAX Blue and Red Lines run along the former Oregon Electric Railway (OE) interurban route, which once connected Forest Grove and Portland. Based on historic OE maps and timetables, this area appears to be near the former Santa Rosa stop—located between Elmonica and St. Mary’s on the original line.
This station sits just steps from TriMet’s Merlo Bus Garage, the only bus garage on Portland’s westside, and close to the eastern end of the Elmonica Light Rail Yard, a major operations hub for the MAX system.
Station Artwork
Artist: Fernanda D’Agostino (1998)
D’Agostino created a visual and physical link between the station and the nearby Tualatin Hills Nature Park, blending natural imagery with the built environment.
Highlights include:
- Glass windscreens etched with contrasting natural and man‑made imagery
- A 1994 aerial photograph of the site and a map of regional bird migrations
- Flagstone “rugs” that frame the seating areas
- The Merlo Path, featuring trail markers, perching poles, and boulders engraved with images from the natural world
Station Facilities
- No Park‑and‑Ride
- Bus service: TriMet Line 67
The best access to this cache is on foot from the MAX station. There is a quick‑drop parking by the cache, but you'd better be quick.