Parks & Gardens | The Official Guide to Portland

You can’t top the view from the Mt. Tabor. It’s nice up here. #ThisIsPortland

Portland’s green spaces range from flower-filled parks to polished gardens, urban forests to waterfront venues.

You can’t top the view from the Mt. Tabor. It’s nice up here. #ThisIsPortland

In a city as green as Portland, it’s only fitting that some of the top things to do are outdoor spots that appeal to home gardeners and hikers alike.

Home to the sprawling wilderness of Forest Park — one of the country’s largest urban forests — along with one of the world’s smallest dedicated parks, Mill Ends Park, Portland parks run the gamut, offering visitors a breath of fresh air wherever they are. There are more than 200 parks and gardens within city limits, from forests to marshlands, from trails to skateboarding rails, from the sprawling wilds of Tryon Creek State Natural Area to the meticulously manicured Portland Japanese Garden — which wows with its eight distinct garden styles and abundant natural beauty, making it a can’t-miss Portland attraction.

Botanical Gardens and Arboretums

Leach Botanical Gardens

The aerial tree walk at Leach Botanical Gardens complements the hillside and lower gardens near a free-flowing creek.

Situated along a free-flowing creek in outer Southeast Portland, the 17-acre (6.8 ha) Leach Botanical Gardens is an inviting, restorative urban green space. The Upper Garden features an entry plaza, an aerial tree walk, a four-season pollinator garden and a basalt stone sculptural installation. The hillside and lower garden include native plants, historic Leach plant collections, meandering wooded trails, and riparian pathways along Johnson Creek.

Restrooms and a gift shop are available. Parts of the upper garden, including the pollinator garden, the tree walk and restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Pets are not allowed.

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

Tucked between Reed College and the Eastmoreland Golf Course, Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden was founded in 1950 as a rhododendron test garden. Today, the park boasts more than 2,500 rhododendrons, azaleas and other plants spread across 9.5 acres (4 hectares). Small placards identify the flora for visitors, and self-guided tour booklets are available on-site.

One of Portland’s best waterfowl-watching spots, the garden is home to nearly 100 types of birds and other wildlife. Settle in on a bench by the spring-fed Crystal Lake and enjoy the sight of dozens of ducks and geese. Listen for the trills and squawks of scrub jays, red-winged blackbirds, sparrows, green-backed herons and many other bird species.

International Rose Test Garden

Portland is the City of Roses, and there is no grander floral display than the International Rose Test Garden (or the Portland Rose Garden, as locals call it) in Washington Park.

Roughly a century after the first flower was planted, the garden remains the oldest testing ground for new rose varieties in the country and is home to over 10,000 rose bushes representing more than 600 varieties.

Hoyt Arboretum

Roughly 12 miles of trails traverse Portland’s “living museum of trees” — which hosts more than 2,300 species from across the globe.
Oregon Zoo

Located in Washington Park, the Oregon Zoo is home to more than a thousand animals. The zoo also hosts public and private events. Every event booking helps the Oregon Zoo protect endangered and threatened species at home and around the world.
Portland Japanese Garden

This authentic Japanese garden comprises eight garden styles, a Japanese tea house, easy trails and other peaceful sites.
World Forestry Center

Learn about the forest’s many wonders through engaging exhibits and interactive attractions encouraging sustainable forestry.
Rose Garden Children’s Park

Let your little ones loose on this massive accessible playground, which features slides, swings, ramps, a sand pit and more.

Hoyt Arboretum

a person hikes through ferns and towering evergreens — A vital part of Southwest Portland’s sprawling Washington Park, Hoyt Arboretum is the city’s “living museum,” offering 2,300 species of trees and shrubs, miles of hiking trails, outdoorsy events and more.

Nearly 2,000 species of trees and shrubs are showcased on 185 acres (75 ha) of hilly terrain within Washington Park. An interpretive center offers restrooms, maps, brochures and a gift shop. The 21 trails of Hoyt Arboretum cover 12 miles (19 km); two miles of trail are suitable for wheelchairs, baby strollers, and visitors who appreciate firm footing. See a map of the trails.

Picnics and Playgrounds

Mt. Tabor Park

Mount Tabor makes Portland one of only three cities in the continental United States to contain an extinct volcano within its boundaries (the others are Bend, Ore., and Jackson, Miss.). Established in 1909, Mt. Tabor Park was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. Three municipal reservoirs are at the heart of the 196-acre (79 ha) park, which also features trails popular with both bicyclists and pedestrians. The cinder cone’s 630-foot (192 m) elevation affords views of downtown Portland and Mount Hood.

Laurelhurst Park

Just north of Portland’s Belmont neighborhood sits Laurelhurst Park, one of the city’s most scenic escapes. This 31-acre (12.5 ha) park really does have something for everybody to enjoy. The central lawn is the perfect spot for an afternoon picnic, there is a duck pond, and the park hosts an array of free public events.

Splash Pads

Many local parks also feature “splash pads,” which provide the quintessential summertime experience of running through a sprinkler — but without the sprinkler! Nozzles built into the ground spray clean water upwards, which then drains back into the ground (meaning there’s no risk of accumulating water for little ones to get caught in). Check out the full list here.

Know Before You Go

Note: All city fountains and splash pads are turned on by Memorial Day weekend and operate through September.

a large fountain and splash pad in a spacious urban park — Downtown Portland’s Director Park, a European-style piazza featuring a fountain and ample outdoor seating, hosts events during the warmer months.

Director Park

This former parking lot in the Downtown neighborhood was converted into a public square in 2009. Located just a block from Pioneer Courthouse Square, Director Park features a café, ample outdoor seating and a fountain with gentle jets and bubbles that fill a shallow basin ringed by low wooden benches and plays host to occasional events in the summer.

Keller Fountain Park

The Keller Fountain is cut into the block facing the Keller Auditorium and evokes the cliffs and waterfalls of the nearby Columbia River Gorge. Splash in the pool at the bottom, wade in the shallow basins atop the “waterfalls,” or just enjoy the sound of the rushing water in the midst of downtown.

Jamison Square

On summer days, Jamison Square becomes a no-holds-barred kids’ park featuring a gentle fountain and generous space for wading. Adults will appreciate the convenience of the Pearl District park’s location on the Portland Streetcar line and the impressive public art — modern “totem poles” designed by Kenny Scharf.

Waterfront Parks and Fountains

Mill Ends Park

small sign on a street with a bridge in the background — At 24 inches (61 cm) in diameter, downtown Portland’s storied Mill Ends Park is one of the smallest parks in the world, as certified by Guinness World Records.

At 24 inches (61 centimeters) in diameter, Mill Ends Park is the world’s smallest dedicated park. Located in the median of Southwest Naito Parkway at Taylor Street, its story began when a journalist for the “Oregon Journal,” Dick Fagan, got tired of looking at the ugly pothole below his office window. He decided to plant ﬂowers in the hole and name it Mill Ends Park. To generate interest in this tiny green space, Fagan centered many newspaper stories around the capers of a ﬁctitious park resident, a leprechaun named Patrick O’Toole.

Waterfront Park

a massive crowd of people enjoying music on the waterfront — The Waterfront Blues Festival draws crowds every Fourth of July weekend.

People ride bikes on a sunny day through a park along a river with bridges and city views in the background. — This downtown riverfront park offers a 1.5-mile stretch of green along the Willamette River. It is home to many signature Portland events, Salmon Street Springs and the Japanese American Historical Plaza.

people ride a pedicab in front of a large fountain in an urban park on a sunny day — Salmon Street is a great place to cool off during the summer months in Portland. Its also steps away from the Tom McCall Waterfront park where you can bike, run, or walk the 10+ mile loop.

a boat in the river in the city — A boat streaks across the Willamette River as it passes the Tom McCall Waterfront Park, which hugs Portland’s downtown area and hosts many seasonal events, markets and art installations year-round.

Once the site of a freeway, Tom McCall Waterfront Park is a downtown riverfront park popular for jogging, in-line skating and cooling off at several fountains placed along the park, like Salmon Street Springs, a fountain whose water patterns change with the city’s mood.

The park bears the name of former Oregon Governor Tom McCall, a staunch advocate of recycling, environmental preservation and urban planning. This 1.5-mile (2.4 km) stretch of green along the Willamette River is home to many annual events, including the Portland Rose Festival and the Waterfront Blues Festival.

The Bill National Legacy Fountain at the end of the plaza built for the Portland Saturday Market incorporates two distinct play areas: a blowhole-dotted section that operates when no events are taking place on the plaza and an adjacent amphitheater that runs more frequently. The blowholes are perfect for toddlers and older kids, and the amphitheater involves a compelling sequence of water arches. A few steps beyond the fountain, every spring, you’ll find the cherry blossoms bursting near the Japanese American Historical Plaza, located at the north end of the park.

Lovejoy Fountain Park

Hidden away just five blocks from Keller Fountain Park is another fountain designed by Lawrence Halprin’s acclaimed firm. The Lovejoy Fountain takes its inspiration from mountain lakes and streams.

Wallace Park

Only a short walk away from Northwest 23rd Avenue, this park is a great place for a picnic, a game of Frisbee, and includes a designated dog area and playground for children.
The Fields Park

The Fields Park offers green space, an accessible play area and restrooms, off leash dog zone, picnic area and other amenities to go with its striking view of the Fremont Bridge.
Delta Park

Located near the Portland Expo Center, this North Portland park offers sports fields, paved paths, a fenced off-leash dog area, picnic tables, a playground and more.
Gabriel Park

This 87-acre park has two small creeks and offers paved and soft-surface trails meandering through open and wooded areas. Facilities include sports fields, dog off-leash areas and a skatepark.
Brentwood Park

Woodstock neighborhood park with fenced dog off-leash area, along with plentiful picnic tables, a playground, soccer and softball fields, tennis and volleyball courts and paved walkways.

Wildlife Preserves and Natural Areas

Tryon Creek State Park

woman teaching children about nature at Tryon Creek Park — Children can engage in nature lessons at Tryon Creek Park.

Located 15 minutes south of downtown, Tryon Creek State Natural Area is Portland’s only state park and features miles of trails under a mixed forest canopy. The 658-acre (266 ha) park’s namesake, Tryon Creek, is home to a run of steelhead trout. In addition to 3.5 miles (5.6 km) of horse trails and a 3-mile (5 km) paved bicycle path, the park has 8 miles of hiking trails, including the .35-mile (.6 km), fully accessible Trillium Trail, with paved pathways, drinking fountains, resting benches and viewing decks. The park’s nature center provides interpretive displays and restrooms. Dogs are allowed on leashes.

Tanner Springs Park

Tanner Springs Park is a living example of Portland’s eco-consciousness: a thriving wetland in the heart of the urban Pearl District neighborhood.

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

birds on logs in water on a cloudy day — Waterfowl at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

The 140-acre (56.7-hectare) Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is a wetland just east of the Willamette River in Sellwood and a birdwatchers’ paradise. Many species are attracted to the marshes of Portland’s first wildlife refuge, including the city’s official bird, the great blue heron.

people enjoy a picnic at sunset looking out over a reservoir

Portland’s Extinct Volcanoes

Portland is home to four extinct volcanoes — some dating back millions of years. Here’s how to enjoy hiking, shooting hoops, picnicking and more on these natural wonders.

a girl in a wheelchair on nature trail with a man and a dog

Accessible Trails

Portland and the Columbia River Gorge are filled with hiking opportunities for everybody, many of which have Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessible trails.

Bird Alliance of Oregon

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

Wildlife Preserves Near Portland

At the northernmost point of Portland, along the Columbia River, you’ll find Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area, the largest protected wetlands within a U.S. city. With a 205-acre (83 ha) waterway, it’s a haven for many animal species and for nature-seeking hikers, bikers, and kayakers. Composed of two lakes, the Smith and the Bybee, this public parkland is home to beavers, black-tailed deer and even bald eagles, which can be seen from two wildlife-viewing platforms.

This 650-acre (263 ha) wildlife preserve west of Portland in Hillsboro, Oregon features expansive wetlands and an abundance of wildlife viewing opportunities. Jackson Bottom Wetland Preserve amenities include a community center with interpretive displays and restrooms, a wheelchair-accessible wildlife-viewing platform and additional trails. Free and open from dawn to dusk.

a woman and a child walk through garden at a pick your own vegetable farm — When they’re in season, picking your own fruits and vegetable on Sauvie Island, located minutes from Northwest Portland, is a favorite local activity.

On the outskirts of Portland in the Columbia River, Sauvie Island is a rural oasis where visitors can pick seasonal fruits and vegetables or sample local treats from field stands and farmers’ markets. Parks, beaches and wetlands attract wildlife and nature lovers alike. Fall brings bright colors, pumpkin patches — even a corn maze to weave through.

Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is a place to discover an ever-changing panorama of wildlife. As the seasons change, so do the wildlife viewing opportunities. Located on the Pacific Flyway, the Refuge is an important stopover where migrating waterfowl, songbirds, and shorebirds stop to rest, refuel and raise their young.

a flock of Canadian geese 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.

two people enjoy a picnic beneath a tree with a scenic city view

Portland Picnic Guide

With more than 275 parks within city limits, there’s no shortage of parks around Portland to spread out a picnic blanket and feast on local eats.

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