Skip to content

The Official Guide to Portland

  • Attractions
    • View All Attractions
    • Attractions Open Now
    • Museums & History
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • View All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • View 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
    • View All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • View All Plan
    • Maps
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • International Resources
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search
Primary Menu 31 Events Near Me Search
  • Attractions
    • View All Attractions
    • Attractions Open Now
    • Museums & History
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • View All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • View 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
    • View All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • View All Plan
    • Maps
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • International Resources
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search
フォレスト・パークには113キロに及ぶ縦横無尽なトレイルがあります。
i
フォレスト・パークには113キロに及ぶ縦横無尽なトレイルがあります。
Culture

The Outdoor Trailblazer’s Guide to Portland

You can find lots of outdoor adventure inside Portland city limits.

Updated Apr. 30, 2020 3 min read

Part of Portland’s particular charm is how green the city is — literally. With 200 parks, including the nation’s largest urban forest, you’re never too far from a trail, viewpoint or garden bench. Blaze a trail this winter at these favorite green spaces located within the 145 square miles of Portland.

Hoyt Arboretum

More than 2,000 species of trees and plants have roots at Portland’s Hoyt Arboretum. Tucked serenely in Washington Park, its 21 trails cover 12 miles (19 km) of greenery to wander. Pick up a free map at the visitor center and head for the evergreen Holly Trail or the Winter Garden, where fragrant viburnums and wintersweet bloom in January and February.

Portland Japanese Garden

After tree-gazing through Hoyt Arboretum, nature-lovers should visit the peaceful Portland Japanese Garden, also in Washington Park. This haven of tranquil beauty spans 5.5 acres (2.2 ha) and offers five separate garden styles, koi ponds, an authentic Japanese Tea House, babbling streams, beautiful walkways and — on clear days — an unsurpassed view of Mount Hood. The garden’s first expansion since its 1963 opening was complete April 1, 2017; the original garden is untouched and was open to visitors during the project.

Portland Japanese Garden

An authentic example of Japanese landscaping, the Portland Japanese Garden is a haven of tranquil beauty with an unsurpassed view of Mount Hood.

Read more

The Grotto

Perched atop — and carved into — a Northeast Portland cliff, the Grotto is a peaceful oasis in the city. Constructed in 1924 as an outdoor Roman Catholic sanctuary, the nonprofit center now hosts 300,000 people of all faiths each year. Admission to the lower garden is free; for $5, take the elevator to the top of the cliff where botanical gardens bloom in every season.

Forest Park

In Portland, you can escape the city without leaving city limits. In fact, visitors can go from a shopping spree in downtown to the quiet peace of dense wilderness in just a few minutes. Walk, hike or jog along the 70 miles (113 km) of trails in Forest Park, the largest urban forest in the United States (and a local haven).

Forest Park

With 70 miles of trails within Portland city limits, 5,156-acre Forest Park is a popular escape for runners, equestrians and hikers alike.

Read more

Mt. Tabor Park

How often does a walk in the park also entail climbing an extinct volcano? That’s just what you can do at Southeast Portland’s Mt. Tabor Park. From the 630-foot (192 m) summit, you can take in some of Portland’s most jaw-dropping skyline and Mount Hood views. The 196-acre (79.3 ha) park also boasts three glittering reservoirs and peaceful, tree-lined trails.

Go To Mount Tabor

Powell Butte Nature Park

Want to see every mountain surrounding Portland, but don’t have enough time to leave town? From the loop at Powell Butte, you can see four Cascade Range mountains from this Southeast Portland park: Hood, St. Helens, Adams and Jefferson (weather permitting, of course). The 608-acre (247 ha) natural area is crisscrossed by over a dozen trails, including great options for mountain bikers and equestrians.

Smith & Bybee Wetlands Natural Area

Tucked away in North Portland, you’ll find the largest protected wetlands within any American city, Smith & Bybee Wetlands Natural Area. This beautiful hub for canoeing, biking and nature-walking is one of the region’s best-kept secrets. As you stroll the paved pathway, keep an eye out for black-tailed deer, osprey, bald eagles, river otters, beavers and Western painted turtles, all of which have been known to frequent the area.

Related

Wildlife Preserves

Experience nature not far from the city's hustle and bustle at these wildlife preserves.

Read more

Cathedral Park

Now a popular spot for picnics, sunbathing and gorgeous photoshoots, Cathedral Park was once a landing site of the Lewis and Clark expedition and a fishing spot for many Native American tribes. Named for the cathedral-like arches of St. Johns Bridge (which tower over the park), the park offers a boat ramp, canoe launch, off-leash dog area, paved paths, stage and picnic tables.

Outdoors, Parks & Gardens
Related

Get Outside in Portland

More outdoors
Portland\'s pet parents love hitting the trails in Forest Park.

Favorite Hiking Spots in Portland

Put on some comfortable shoes and start walking — you’ll be surprised how easy Portland makes it.

The Eastbank Esplanade is a popular destination for walkers and cyclists.

Where to Walk

In addition to Portland’s many pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, your feet can take you to some fantastic places around town.

Waterfowl take flight at the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge

Bird-Watching in Portland

Catch sight of 200+ types of birds at the Portland area's dozens of prime bird watching destinations, including sanctuaries, refuges and urban parks.

Was this page helpful?

Visitor’s Guide

cover of Travel Portland's visitor guide, 2019-'20, featuring a woman walking through Portland Japanese Garden

Get the Guide

 

Newsletter Signup

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

Follow Us

  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Twitter
  • 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 © 2021 Travel Portland
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Copyright Policy
Visit The USA Logo