Forest Park’s trails offer fun all year long.

Forest Park

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

Updated Oct. 9, 2024 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, cyclists, 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.

the light green st. johns bridge seen through trees — From trails in Forest Park, catch this view of the historic St. Johns Bridge.

Wildwood Trail

A favorite route is the 30-mile (48 km) Wildwood Trail, which spans the entire length of Forest Park, connecting it with 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.

roses bushes, climbing roses in large lush rose garden

Washington Park

Beyond picnics and verdant strolls, Washington Park offers up a zoo, two museums, a spectacular rose garden, an arboretum, one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in the world, all lined by one of the largest urban forests, Forest Park.

A couple sits viewing a serene flat rock garden surrounded by trees and shrubs.

Portland Japanese Garden

The Portland Japanese Garden offers visitors year-round serenity at a woodland sanctuary in Northwest Portland, spanning 12 acres of botanical gardens inspired by the flora and fauna of Japan.

A woman holds a camera to her eyes in a traditional Chinese garden with a pond, pavilion and trees.

Lan Su Chinese Garden

This year-round wonder houses an authentic Ming Dynasty-style garden built by Suzhou artisans, offering a peaceful escape in Portland's historic Chinatown.

a path leads toward a large observation deck among ferns and towering trees

Hoyt Arboretum: Portland’s Museum of Trees

Hoyt Arboretum is Portland’s “living museum of trees” — and is home to 2,300 species of trees and shrubs, as well as 12 miles (19.3 km) of hiking trails in Washington Park near downtown Portland.

Bird Alliance of Oregon (formerly Portland Audubon)

The Bird Alliance of Oregon (formerly Portland Audubon) is a great starting place for hiking Forest Park and (of course) bird-watching.

people amble through a rose garden in full bloom

Visiting the Portland International Rose Test Garden

Since 1924, the International Rose Test Garden has grown beautiful roses from around the world. Today, over 10,000 bushes, representing over 610 varieties, dazzle with colorful blooms in Washington Park, just west of downtown Portland.

tall bridge with circular bracing above a pond with ducks amid a forested park

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

Round out your floral explorations of the Rose City with a visit to Southeast Portland’s lush Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. The park boasts more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas, with blooms from late February – June.

The Grotto

This serene woodland sanctuary in Northeast Portland features 62 acres (25 hectares) of lush botanical gardens. No matter what time of year you visit, the Grotto offers calm, peace and introspection, transcending boundaries.

Macleay Park Trail

The most popular trail in Forest Park 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.

three cyclists ride on a muddy gravel path in Forest Park — Forest Park's trails offer fun all year long.

person walking among tall evergreen trees in a wooden trail — Forest Park has miles of trails to walk, hike, or bike in Northwest Portland.

hikers on bridge among foliage in wooded park — Hikers pause on a bridge overlooking the canopy at Forest Park.

biker on wooded trail — Cyclist on one of the shared trails in Forest Park.

a family is standing on a bridge over a stream in Forest Park — A pause while hiking with the family in Forest Park.

stone building covered in green moss and colorful fall leaves — The Stone House, also known as the Witch's Castle, is a two-story structure a half-mile hike from the Upper Macleay Parking lot in Forest Park.

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 Bird Alliance of Oregon, 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