Skip to content
Travel Portland logo

The Official Guide to Portland

  • Things to Do in Portland
    • Close Menu
      • three women walk through rows of rosesView All Things to Do in Portland
      • Parks & Gardens
      • Kid-Friendly Activities
      • Shopping
      • Food Carts & Pods Finder
      • On a Budget
      • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • Close Menu
      • a person in bright clothes and high-heeled boots vogues in front of a park fountain, surrounded by manicured rose bushesView All Culture
      • Arts
      • Beer
      • Biking
      • Cannabis
      • Cultural Communities
      • Craft Spirits
      • Food
      • Makers
      • Music
      • Nightlife
      • Outdoors
      • Sports
      • Weird
      • Wine
      • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • Close Menu
      • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
      • Alberta Arts District
      • Belmont
      • Central Eastside
      • Division/Clinton
      • Downtown
      • Hawthorne
      • Lloyd
      • Mississippi
      • Northwest / Nob Hill
      • Old Town Chinatown
      • Pearl District
      • St. Johns
      • Sellwood-Moreland
      • Williams
      • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • Close Menu
      • aerial view of the countryside and coastal range with an old rail bridge turned bike and walking pathView All Region
      • Near the City
      • Columbia River Gorge
      • Mount Hood
      • Oregon Coast
      • Willamette Valley
      • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan Your Trip
    • Close Menu
      • a light rail train on a cobblestone road passes the historic Saturday Market entry archesView All Plan Your Trip
      • Portland Maps
      • Portland Visitor Center
      • Where to Stay in Portland
      • Portland Tours
      • Transportation
      • Accessible Portland
      • Portland Weather
      • Safety in Portland
  • Plan a Meeting
  • Events Calendar
  • Search
Primary Menu Events Calendar Near Me Plan a Meeting content loading animation Search
  • Things to Do in Portland
    • Close Menu
      • three women walk through rows of rosesView All Things to Do in Portland
      • Parks & Gardens
      • Kid-Friendly Activities
      • Shopping
      • Food Carts & Pods Finder
      • On a Budget
      • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • Close Menu
      • a person in bright clothes and high-heeled boots vogues in front of a park fountain, surrounded by manicured rose bushesView All Culture
      • Arts
      • Beer
      • Biking
      • Cannabis
      • Cultural Communities
      • Craft Spirits
      • Food
      • Makers
      • Music
      • Nightlife
      • Outdoors
      • Sports
      • Weird
      • Wine
      • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • Close Menu
      • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
      • Alberta Arts District
      • Belmont
      • Central Eastside
      • Division/Clinton
      • Downtown
      • Hawthorne
      • Lloyd
      • Mississippi
      • Northwest / Nob Hill
      • Old Town Chinatown
      • Pearl District
      • St. Johns
      • Sellwood-Moreland
      • Williams
      • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • Close Menu
      • aerial view of the countryside and coastal range with an old rail bridge turned bike and walking pathView All Region
      • Near the City
      • Columbia River Gorge
      • Mount Hood
      • Oregon Coast
      • Willamette Valley
      • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan Your Trip
    • Close Menu
      • a light rail train on a cobblestone road passes the historic Saturday Market entry archesView All Plan Your Trip
      • Portland Maps
      • Portland Visitor Center
      • Where to Stay in Portland
      • Portland Tours
      • Transportation
      • Accessible Portland
      • Portland Weather
      • Safety in Portland
  • Plan a Meeting
  • Events Calendar
  • Search
Emilly Prado

Emilly Prado

Emilly Prado is a writer, award-winning journalist and consultant living in Portland. Read More

A wooden sign reading \"Mill Ends Park Portland Parks & Recreation\" stands on a concrete ring enclosing a small planter filled with an evergreen bush and light green grass A wooden sign reading \"Mill Ends Park Portland Parks & Recreation\" stands on a concrete ring enclosing a small planter filled with an evergreen bush and light green grass
i
The world’s smallest park, Mill Ends Park, is located in the median of SW Naito Parkway in downtown Portland.
Credit: Portland.gov
Things to Do in Portland / Parks & Gardens

Mill Ends Park

Updated Apr. 23, 2025 4 min read South Waterfront
Emilly Prado

Emilly Prado

Emilly Prado is a writer, award-winning journalist and consultant living in Portland. Read More

Portland is home to more than 200 parks and natural areas spanning well over 11,000 acres (4,450 hectares). While the city is often noted for having the largest urban forest in the United States (Forest Park), it’s also home to the world’s smallest: Mill Ends Park. (Fun fact: This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it spot is often mistakenly called “Mills End Park” — even by locals!)

Cyclists and motorists zip by this urban park, located on a median strip in the heart of Southwest Naito Parkway by the waterfront, every day. It’s “disguised” as a traffic circle, according to the Oregon Encyclopedia, and occupies a tiny area — precisely 24 inches (61 cm) in diameter and 452 square inches (0.29 sq m) — between lanes of traffic and a crosswalk. Even at such a small scale, Mill Ends Park packs a big personality and has been doing so since 1946. But how did the park come to be? The answer depends on who you ask.

Parks & Gardens

With more than 200 parks and gardens within city limits the urban greens offer a breath of fresh air.

READ MORE

History of Mill Ends Park

One tale suggests that journalist and World War II veteran Dick Fagan was gazing out of the window of his new Portland office at the concrete vista below when he noticed a small hole right in the middle of the busy thoroughfare. At first, Fagan ignored the unsightly hole, knowing a light pole would soon be installed in the unsightly place. But then, plans for the light pole were stalled. Weeds and trash gathered in its place, so Fagan took matters into his own hands, cleaning and planting flowers instead.

Another legend says Fagan, who is of Irish descent, witnessed a leprechaun digging the hole. Intrigued by the promise of three wishes, Fagan reportedly captured the fellow and wished for a park before letting him free. Because Fagan did not distinguish the size of his desired park, the trickster erected a leprechaun-size park.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Oregonian (@theoregonian)

Origin stories aside, Fagan named the park after his “Oregon Journal” column, “Mill Ends,” which — like its namesake for leftover lumber — detailed odd and irregular tidbits of information and interesting stories. For decades to come, Fagan would provide updates about the park, including those from the perspective of Patrick O’Toole (resident and head leprechaun of the park). According to Fagan, the park was home to the only colony of leprechauns west of Ireland. He was the only person who could see them.

Best Irish Pubs in Portland

For a leprechaun-worthy St. Patrick’s Day celebration

READ MORE

World’s Smallest Park

In 1971, the park earned an official listing in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s smallest park (though Fagan had billed it as such since its beginnings). Fagan passed away in 1969, just two years prior, but his family and Portlanders collectively kept his legacy alive, hosting ceremonies and St. Patrick’s Day festivities at the park. Naturally, the City of Portland declared Mill Ends an official city park on St. Patrick’s Day in 1976. It has been jointly maintained by Portland Parks and Recreation and enthusiastic community members ever since.

In 1971, the park earned an official listing in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s smallest park.

Mill Ends Park has thrived through many changes — much like the community around it — in the more than half-century since its founding. Its topography continually morphs depending on its most recent visitors. Mill Ends Park has hosted snail races and oddities such as UFOs, a tiny swimming pool and a charming miniature Ferris wheel. It’s often decked out with themed décor around major holidays.

The park survived a short-term move while Naito Parkway was under construction in 2006, landing in its new home just seven feet from its original location. In 2021, Mill Ends Park closed again for sidewalk and bike lane construction in Naito and has since reopened in another new location — this time six inches away from its previous residence. These days, it bears its very own official Portland Parks sign.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Travel Portland (@travelportland)

In 2025, Mill Ends Park was dethroned in the Guinness Book of World Records by a park in Nagaizumi, Japan measuring 372 square inches (0.24 sq m). The leader of the Nagaizumi park project, Shuji Koyama, said that the park was created in 1988 after a Japanese visitor to Portland saw Mill Ends and was inspired to create their own, even smaller version of the park back home. Portland maintains a special relationship with Japan: many PDX businesses are represented in Japan, and there is plenty of Japanese culture in Portland to enjoy, from the beautiful Portland Japanese Garden to Afuri Ramen + Dumpling, which opened its first restaurant outside of Japan in PDX.

Still, despite the challengers to its title, Mill Ends Park remains number one in the hearts of Portlanders and visitors alike. Stop by on St. Patrick’s Day, or any other day, to see what’s in store. Whichever new monument or leprechaun has arrived, a trip to Mill Ends is sure to be a wonderfully curious and majestic visit.

Attractions, History, Parks & Gardens, Weird
Related Content

More Portland Parks

There's green spaces, urban parks and nature places all around the city.

MORE PARKS & GARDENS
three cyclists ride on a muddy gravel path in Forest Park

Forest Park

Escape the city without leaving Portland; with 70 miles of trails within Portland city limits, 5,156-acre Forest Park is a popular escape for runners, equestrians and hikers alike and supporting more than 112 bird and 62 mammal species.

a person sits on a bench overlooking Portland at Mount Tabor Park

Mount Tabor Park

Mount Tabor Park, a century-old public space, is known for its open-air reservoirs, forested hiking trails, sunset picnics, epic city views, its annual Adult Soapbox Derby, and, yes, its volcanic cinder cone.

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.

Weird

Keep Portland Weird is a local mantra, as Portland stands alone, offering unique tastes, sights and experiences you won’t find anyplace else. Do as locals do and embrace the city’s quirky vibes.

Get Weird

Was this page helpful?

Expedia logo

Find your stay.

Book Now

Visitor Information

visitorinfo@travelportland.com
1-888-503-3291 (toll free)
503-427-1372
Monday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

Portland Visitor Center

1132 SW Harvey Milk St #104,
Portland, OR 97205

Monday–Sunday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.

an image of Portland surrounded by a purple frame and the words "Portland your official guide to the city"

Free Visitor Guide

100 pages of tips, must-sees and more.

Get the guide

Screenshot of hand holding mobile phone with Near Me Now Map on the screen

Near Me Now App

An app to explore Portland like a local.




Newsletter Signup

Get your guide to Portland's events, attractions and news.

Follow Us

  • TikTok
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • LinkedIn

Information For

Local Businesses
Media
Meeting Planners
Travel Industry Professionals
Event Organizers

Brought to you by

Travel Portland Logo

We are a promoter and steward of this evolving city and its progressive values, which have the power to transform the travelers who visit us.

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Jobs
  • Español
  • Français
  • Deutsch
  • 日本語
  • 汉语
  • 漢語
  • 한국어
Copyright © 2025 Travel Portland
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Copyright Policy
Visit The USA Logo