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John Patrick Pullen

Forest Park has 70 miles of trails for hikers to enjoy. Forest Park has 70 miles of trails for hikers to enjoy.
i
Forest Park has 70 miles of trails for hikers to enjoy.
Attractions / Parks & Gardens

Forest Park

Escape the city without leaving Portland in this massive urban wilderness that's a haven for animals and adventurers alike.

Updated Apr. 30, 2020 2 min read Northwest Portland

John Patrick Pullen

With 70 miles (113 km) of trails, aptly named  Forest Park is a popular escape for runners, equestrians and hikers alike — leashed dogs are even allowed to enjoy its splendor. Located in the city’s northwest corner, this 8-mile-long (13 km) conservancy covers 5,156 acres (2,086 ha), providing a respite from urban life, supporting more than 112 bird and 62 mammal species and acting as a natural air purifier.

One favorite course, the 30-mile (48 km) Wildwood Trail, spans the entire length of Forest Park, connecting it with to the Audubon Society Sanctuary, Pittock Mansion and Washington Park through the region’s 40-Mile Loop system of trails. The pathway can be accessed just northwest of the Washington Park MAX station, and offers endless loop options with shorter paths, so you don’t have to commit to the whole thing. The park can also be accessed from several points in the Northwest Portland neighborhood; an entrance up Northwest Thurman Street leads to Leif Erikson Drive, a favorite road for exploring the park’s wooded hills.

Washington Park

Beyond big trees and picnic tables, Washington Park offers a zoo, two museums, gardens and more.

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But one of the most popular options is the scenic 5-mile (8 km) round trip trek from Lower Macleay Park to the Pittock Mansion. Macleay Park, located at the west end of Northwest Upshur Street just past 29th Avenue, provides an easily accessible starting point. Follow the Lower Macleay Trail, which traces Balch Creek, the park’s largest stream, into a thickly wooded ravine.

One mile up the trail, where it intersects the Wildwood Trail, visit the moss-covered remains of a stone building erected by the Works Progress Administration in 1936. (Known by locals as the “Stone House” or “Witch’s Castle,” the structure is, in fact, a former restroom.) Continue straight on the Wildwood Trail, still following Balch Creek, and begin a leg-pumping ascent to Upper Macleay Park. (A smattering of picnic tables and a port-a-potty make this an ideal rest stop.) The Audubon Society of Portland, with its free interpretive center and wildlife rehabilitation facility housing owls, red-tailed hawks and more, provides an inviting detour nearby.

For the final leg, continue across Northwest Cornell Road and stay on the Wildwood Trail, which snakes upward on a .5-mile (.8 km) climb through a quiet canopy of towering firs to reach Pittock Mansion. Set nearly 1,000 feet (304 m) above the city, the 100-year-old home of 10th-century newspaper tycoon Henry Pittock features immaculate gardens and sweeping downtown views — a fitting reward for an afternoon on the trail.

Outdoors, Parks & Gardens

Pittock Mansion

High in the West Hills, the Pittock Mansion offers picture-perfect views of the city as well as a revealing insights into Portland's history.

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More Portland Parks

These public outdoor spaces are beloved spots for biking, running, picnicking and more.

Go To Parks & Gardens
The slopes of Mount Tabor Park (an extinct cinder cone volcano in Southeast Portland) is a favorite with local bikers.

Mount Tabor Park

Open reservoirs, hiking trails and an extinct volcano await at this Southeast Portland park.

The gorgeous, plentiful blooms at Peninsula Park Rose Garden present excellent photo opportunities.

Peninsula Park & Rose Garden

Discover outdoor fun for the whole family — plus thousands of blooms — at Oregon’s oldest public rose garden.

The Oregon Maritime Museum, housed in an historic steam-powered, sternwheel ship-assist tugboat, is permanently moored in the Willamette River by Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park

Once a bustling highway, this riverside gem offers more than 36 acres of strollable, bikeable and dog-walkable public park with historical and cultural monuments aplenty.

Elsewhere Online

Forest Park Conservancy

More about Forest Park

City of Portland

Map of Forest Park

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