Urban Hiking in Portland

Nicknamed Stumptown, Portland, Oregon was an old growth forest when it was initially settled in 1843. Civic leaders with great foresight sought to preserve an area of forest in the city in the 1860’s… thank goodness for their prescience! Decades later, 4,000 acres of forest were formally dedicated as a preserve and today it’s known as Forest Park, one of the largest urban forest reserves in the United States. Now encompassing 5200 acres and a swath 8 miles long by 1 mile wide, along the hills just west of downtown Portland, Forest Park is crossed with more than 70 miles of trails, including the 27-mile-long Wildwood Trail, a favorite for joggers. With an average of 43 inches of rain each year in Portland, these emerald forests are dense, moss-laden and abundant with ferns. As you winds along these trails in the dense woodland, it’s difficult to believe you’re within Portland’s city limits.

Hoyt Arboretum, situated in Washington Park and adjacent to Forest Park, is another treasure laced with forest trails. Founded in 1928 to conserve endangered species and serving as a refuge to 2300 species of trees and shrubs from six continents, this is a personal favorite in every season. In spring I love the Magnolia Trail, lined with many varieties of magnolia trees with a profusion of pink and white blooms. In summer, the trails are lined with wildflowers, such as sweet peas, and berries. Autumn brings a rich array of fall foliage and the scent of wet earth. In winter, the wet and misty forest seems ethereal. You’ll find lenten roses in the Winter Garden. The 27-mile Wildwood Trail passes through the arboretum as well. From these trails you can walk to the historic Pittock Mansion on one end of the arboretum, with its lovely gardens and gorgeous views of the city of Portland and Mt Hood in the distance, and the International Rose Test Gardens and Japanese Garden at the other end, two of Portland’s must-sees. The arboretum is also home to a wedding meadow (yes, people actually hold small weddings here) and a small bamboo garden in the arboretum. So much to explore and enjoy throughout these jewels of Portland’s urban forest!

Websites:

Forest Park – portland.gov/parks/forest-park

Hoyt Arboretum – hoytarboretum.org

Rose Gardens – portland.gov/parks/washington-park-international-rose-test-garden

Japanese Garden – japanesegarden.org

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