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

Brian Barker

a small group of adults and children walk down a path in a forest
i
Tryon Creek State Natural Area is mere minutes from downtown Portland.
Credit: Ashley Anderson
Things to Do in Portland / Parks & Gardens

Tryon Creek State Natural Area

Spend a day walking a lush, flower-filled canyon in Oregon’s only urban state park.

Updated May 12, 2025 4 min read

Brian Barker

Set within a deep, forested ravine just 7 miles (11 km) south of downtown Portland, Tryon Creek State Natural Area is Oregon’s only state park within a major city. More than 330,000 people explore the free-to-visit park’s 658 acres (266 ha) annually, making Tryon Creek one of Portland’s most popular and accessible nature escapes.

History of Tryon Creek State Natural Area

Sculpted through a prehistoric series of cataclysmic floods and lava flows, Tryon Creek State Natural Area occupies the original homeland of several indigenous Chinook tribes, including the Clackamas Chinook, Multnomah and Wasco-Wishram. The creek was eventually named after Socrates Hotchkiss Tryon, a doctor who settled in the area in 1850.

By the 1870s, abundant stands of massive old-growth trees attracted logging activity, and timber was harvested there as recently as 1961. Forest renewal efforts began in the 1970s with the formation of Friends of Tryon Creek. This nonprofit group partners with state park officials to safeguard the area as a public park.

Sights and Sounds of Tryon Creek

Filled with girthy second-growth Douglas firs, western red cedars, hemlocks and a thick carpet of ferns, Tryon Creek is a haven for wildlife. The dense forest canopy is alive with song sparrows, belted kingfishers, stellar jays and five species of woodpeckers. Snags and stumps throughout the natural area bare the telltale chiseling of the latter. (Keep an eye out for the Pileated woodpecker, easily identifiable by its large stature, black-and-white body, and crimson, wig-like crown.) Resident mammals include blacktail deer, red fox and even a nocturnal species of flying squirrel.

a patch of tri-pedaled white trillium flowers
Trilliums typically bloom in late February and peak in April. Photo by Ashley Anderson.

At the center of the canyon, the park’s namesake creek trickles steadily, acting as a year-round tributary to Portland’s Willamette River. A series of eight wooden bridges crisscross the waters, providing a vantage point to scan for Pacific tree frogs, rough-skinned newts, great blue heron, beaver and river otter, as well as a small population of native cutthroat trout.

Wildflower lovers, take note: Tryon Creek boasts one of the region’s most reliable showings of trilliums. Eggshell white with canary-yellow stamens, these tri-petaled buds are a harbinger of spring, adding pops of color to the evergreen hills. As the bloom season progresses, the flowers gradually shift hues to a deep burgundy. (Blooms begin in late February and peak in April.)

Hiking Trails at Tryon Creek

Eight miles (12.8 km) of paths lace through the park, with most leading down to the banks of Tryon Creek. Trails are well-signed and open year-round for hiking, but multiple junctions can make navigation tricky. (Be sure to grab a free printed park map available at the nature center.)

For an informative park primer, stroll the Trillium Trail adjacent to the nature center. This 0.3-mile (0.5 km) paved, universal access path offers a pair of overlooks and displays noting characteristic flora and fauna. To observe the creek, follow the Old Main Trail, a wide dirt and gravel path. It dips 100 feet (30 m) into the heart of the park to meet the rustic footbridges over the stream. (Tip to remember: What hikes down, must hike back up!) Don’t miss a side trip up the 0.3-mile (0.5 km) Lewis & Clark Trail to a wobbly suspension bridge above a fern-filled gulley.

A 3-mile (4.8 km) bike path skirts the park’s eastern border, leading cyclists into the community of Lake Oswego. Several trails are also open to equestrian use.

Activities and Events at Tryon Creek

A staffed nature center serves as the hub of Tryon Creek’s activities. Inside, peruse informative exhibits, chat with park rangers, grab free park maps and purchase area guidebooks. You can also shop for postcards, local arts and crafts, nature-themed kids’ toys and, of course, Junior Park Ranger vests. Family-friendly guided nature walks with themes like “Slugs: More than Slime” are offered most Saturdays (no reservation needed). Feeling adventurous? Join guided seasonal evening walks in search of bats, owls and other critters that go bump in the night.

woman teaching children about nature at Tryon Creek Park
A volunteer explains the life of a trillium plant during the Tryon Creek Trillium Festival. Photo by Ashley Anderson.

Credit: Ashley Anderson

Friends of Tryon Creek host numerous park events, including the annual Trillium Festival, celebrating its 40th year in 2020. This beloved event takes place each April and features a native plant sale loaded with plenty of trilliums. Experts are also on hand to answer questions and discuss wildflowers and other native plants’ role in the ecosystem.

Outdoors, Parks & Gardens

Hikes in and Near Portland

With easy access to the great outdoors, Portland is a perfect destination for hikers — explore the city’s urban walks, verdant parks and lush gardens, or escape to the nearby gorge and mountains.

More Hikes

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