Amazing park that makes you feel so secluded and in the middle of nowhere. Towering trees crowd out…read morethe sun, so that only small golden rays can filter through and dapple the ground. Some parts of the trail cross streams. Birdsong fills air, and you can see occasional robins hopping on the trail, trying to find a snack. Tiny songbirds flit through the air. There are some inclines and slopes on some of the trails here, but nothing too bad. Take it in at your own pace. You can elect to just sit and soak in nature. Parking can be difficult to find at times, as this area is so popular due to its proximity to downtown, as well as being a beautiful experience! I highly recommend experiencing everything this park has to offer if you have the time.

I love coming to Forest Park when visiting Portland! There are many trails to choose from, it's…read morewell maintained, and there's a lot of signage, making it fairly easy to navigate around. I've come here a handful of times and have done some easy walks, as well as the more strenuous trek all the way up to Pittock Mansion. The observation deck is always a favorite stop too since it's such a pretty area. The whole park is very lush and seems to stay that way no matter the time of year. Not sure if all of the trails are dog friendly, but we have brought a dog on some and see lots of them throughout the park.

Really chill park for a nice stroll or a bike ride along the waterfront. Crisp views of the…read moreWillamette River surrounded by seasonal foliage!

Right along the city of Portland by the Willamette river with the bridge…read more This is a busy area which often hosts events like festivals. It is also nice for walking, running, bicycling. There's also benches to sit that overlook the river. Theres so many people in the evenings and looks especially beautiful in the spring with the cherry blossoms. A landmark in the city.

TACKLING TERRIFIC TABOR…read more Every time I'm in Portland, I head to this urban oasis for a hike and some overdue forest bathing. There are plenty of different trails to explore, and the views are amazing. You'll feel like you're miles away from the city in this cool, shady enclave. Last time I was here, a couple was taking wedding photos. If you have a dog, stop at the ranger station for a free treat. There's a playground for kids, too. Time to park it!

There's so much to do and see here. It's definitely a great urban park oasis. They have a lot of…read moreevents, a great dog park and playground, and it's clean!! The view by the reservoir is lovely during sunset. We go yearly for the soapbox Derby and I love how Portland comes together as a community for it.

Tryon Creek State Park is an all-around delight in SW Portland, just off Terwilliger near Lewis &…read moreClark College. Plenty of parking is available in the lot; just be aware there's a day-use fee unless you have a State Park pass. It is WELL worth having the State Park pass! There is limited parking on Terwilliger off the shoulder, with a short walk down into the park. There are plenty of trails for every body and ability. Leashed dogs are welcome, so you can bring your bff, and there are horse trails as well. The Trillium Trail is a short, flat paved trail with fun "find a critter" sculptures as well as handy trillium signs. You'll be steeped in gorgeous trees and moss. A wonderful wooden deck platform overlooks a canyon. This dazzling option is perfect for those short on time or with limited mobility. If you have more time and are comfortable with uneven or steep surfaces, there are plenty of winding trails that take you farther into the park, deep into the trees, down to the creek surrounded by moss, and opportunities to cross several bridges. I brought my visiting bff here on a rainy Monday, and we chatted with one of the fantastic volunteers who was out and about enjoying some forest bathing. Roland was a wealth of information and made our day even better. I hope to attend his Mushroom Mania session on November 8. In addition to the wondrous natural surroundings, stop at the Nature Center to learn more about the area or chat with the friendly, helpful staff. Tryon is one of my favorite places to visit, and it makes for a memorable experience for visiting friends and family.

Enjoy the beauty of Oregon within the city of Portland!…read more Sunrise hike ~ magical. Mossy trees, creek crossings, see beavers & dams, hear woodpeckers peck at wood. Pups & horses allowed, short recreational bike path too. Large parking lot though it will get full if you don't arrive early.

Was visiting from CA and NEEDED to paddle board in the Oregon lakes. Booking was super easy and…read moreconvenient for the amount of time I needed it. And this was way more in my budget than other places I googled near Portland. Board itself was sturdy and easy to inflate, that coming from a girl that can barely fill air in her tire. Bryan was very detailed with directions which also helped. Definitely will use this company again when I come back to OR.

It was awesome! Close by! Easy to get a hold of and great prices!! They will be our go to for…read morerafting/tubing rentals! They were the ONLY place in town that would just rent me the life jackets!! AWESOME!!

Overlook Park is a park in north Portland. Located at the intersection of North Fremont Street and…read moreInterstate Avenue, the 10.93-acre park was acquired in 1930. Views of the city can be had from the park as well as of the mountain ranges. The park has many amenities for visitors such as Picnic Area Restroom Playground Dog Off-leash Area Paths (Paved) Paths (Unpaved) Track Baseball Field Soccer Field Softball Field Basketball Court Volleyball Court A nice place to spend a few hours !

This lovely bit of land has the potential to be as great as it was originally envisioned. And I…read moreimagine there was a time it was a community favorite spot for family gatherings, first dates, "that" secret retreat where you could take a breath to reset your inner peace, a trusted romping ground for your fur kids. The park's magical energy gave reason enough to grab your umbrella, Wellingtons, a friend who is willing to dance in the rain (yes, I know I'm stretching this a bit, dream with me here). Sadly, a short visit to this once bubbly land will likely leave you to go back to your favorite park and never return. I get it. It's winter and with Portland winters comes wet, muddy, and now even neglected by the city workers who's jobs are subsidized by local and state income taxes paid by hard working people from our gorgeous city. I may be new to the city, but what I do know is it rains. And it's no secret that winter brings days upon days of cold, rainy days. I personally love it! And isn't it safe to assume that this seasonal shift is no secret for the OG city folk? I'm told to expect living under dark clouds with daily rain accumulation right through spring of 2026. Again, I am new here. But doesn't it make sense to perhaps to take another look into learning what the city's resident community experts thoughts are on what seasonal characteristics determined this unfortunate decision. So like me, for example. I'm from Phoenix, AZ. Where summer temps seer to 115°- 120° with minimal breaks for weeks upon weeks. And guess what? City parks don't close up shop. They still book events for picnic spaces and other popular hidden gems. The toilets are open, clean and the park workers are eager to answer any questions you bring. And so my issue isn't with the declining state of the park. It's the blatant inconsideration for people who get outside even on the rainiest days and nights I find to be adversarial. The city has turned the parks public water source (especially convenient for your pups), closed and locked the only two toilets available to relieve the most commonly shared human function. Locking these toilets is wrong on so many levels. Doing so doesn't save the city spending budget. It doesn't keep homeless people away from the park, and it doesn't keep the park clean. Yeah. That last part. Thank you for encouraging people to make an unfair decision. Anyone reading this knows, when you gotta go, You gotta go. There is no health benefit for someone to hold it. Even leaving the park to go home is too long. Instead of promoting cleanliness and personal responsibility, you are in fact forcing people to urinate at will, anywhere. And even worse? Yes. Not all poop can be held beyond it's naturally placed emergency exit. Your decision to restrict access makes no sense. But, let's be real. This isn't to keep the budget honest. It's also not to ensure less traffic in spots where there is solid traffic. It's certainly not to use the opportunity to upgrade the facilities. It's to satisfy the early morning city park "ranger" and his personal agenda to bully anyone who wears the effects from a life of despair shown everywhere on their being. He wants to make life harder for a life that you'd think can't get worse. He is so repulsed by their presence, taking away their safety, dignity, hope and a spot to rest quietly when absolutely nobody is there. And even should someone stroll through, they don't care. The homeless folks aren't why this park has lost it's joy, it's because the people who have the powers are making decisions based on ensuring they win. How proud you must feel when you stoop to pick up your park powers and literally spew your wrongly placed toxic energy. Please reopen one of the restrooms and turn the water source back on. These park amenities belong to all the people of the city of Portland. Make your choices based on that agenda. Not your rangers. Do better!

The Esplanade is a wonderful place to get a look at the ever evolving skyline, and to take a close…read morelook at bridges and some of the working waterfront that still exists north of the Steel Bridge. Starting a stroll near the Hawthorne Bridge makes for convenient parking if you're driving to the area. The folks who planned the walkways did a very nice job of making them wide enough to easily share with 2 way traffic, both pedestrian and cyclists. In the Covid era, it also makes it fairly easy to maintain a healthy distance from everyone else. A visit makes it easy to see what some of Portland's iconic bridges look like from underneath - which I personally find to be a fun viewpoint. If you are moving northward, walkers are also rewarded with delightful views of the Steel Bridge, both from a distance and from the walkway across the lower level. The floating section of the walkway adds yet another viewpoint to this unique part of the city.

Clean walkway along the water. Great place to take your dog for a walk on a sunny day. Wonderful…read moresweeping views of Portland skyline as well as the river. Was impressed how clean the walkway was. We went midday on a January Sunday. Felt very safe. We found parking nearby under the bridges. Close to the Tilikum Crossing bridge which is a great pedestrian only bridge. This location is part of my Portland dog friendly collection. Follow here for more suggestions. https://www.yelp.com/collection/-qX6l2H98FTB7Q7kH75mtw?utm_content=Collections&utm_source=ishare

My favorite kids friendly park in sw Portland. Tons of fun activities to do! Large crowds most days…read moreat the park. Very fun!

I drive by so often I sometimes forget how freaking great Gabriel Park is. The place is huge,…read morenicely laid out, and it is IMO a lovely place to spend an afternoon or even a weekend. Plus it's got a little bit of everything; paved walking paths, or dirt trails if you like; basketball courts; lots of picnic tables; tennis courts; two baseball fields; two dog parks; a skate park; an old growth forest (no joke!); open meadows; an up to date playground, and I'm sure a bunch of other things I'm missing. There's a small parking lot and usually plenty of on street parking if you're driving here, and Multnomah Village is just over the hill. And it's all free.

After visiting the food carts on SW 4th Ave & SW Hall St we were looking for a place to eat. Just…read morea few blocks up was Keller Fountain Park. It's a small but gorgeous park in downtown Portland. 13,000 gallons of water runs through this beautifully designed fountain. This park is great for having lunch. The sound of the water was so peaceful. It somewhat reminded me of Japan. The park hours are 5am to 9pm and street parking only. I forgot to take a picture below the fountain but there's a nice tiered seating area. Note: in general Portland struggles with homelessness and vandalism. Certain parts of the park reek of urine and parts of the fountain are defaced with graffiti.

The PBOT waterways Bike Ride stopped at the Keller Fountain. It's an artistic representation of a…read morestage using cement squares and unique standing shapes. The water was not running but you can imagine how majestic this is when flowing. Going to come back in spring.

Mill Ends Park is North America's smallest park at 452 sq in (0.292 sq meters)…read more It turned 50 in March. It was recognized as the world's smallest park by the Guinness Book of World Records from 19u1 until Feb 2025, when a park in Japan overtook (or would that be undertook, in this case?) it at 370 sq in (0.24 sq meters). In 1948, it was a hole in the ground that was to become a light pole that failed to materialize. After weeds began to sprout, a journalist named Dick Fabian planted flowers and named it after his column. In 1976, it was dedicated as the only leprechaun colony west of Ireland, and became an official city park. It seems that Portland has been eccentric for quite some time.

Guinness World Record for the smallest park, count me in! It's a small tree/bush located in the…read morecenter crosswalk way of the street. It's safe enough to stand and take pictures. Worth visiting if you're sightseeing around Portland.