Forest Portland Oregon Pixabay Public Domain
Forest Park Portland
Welcome to one of the country’s largest urban forest reserves available for public use, Forest Park. This park area is a major component of Portland’s regional parks and trails systems, with over 5,100 acres of wildlife, green space, and forest acreage. Mostly second growth forest, this entire area provides guests with over 70 miles of recreation trails (including the 40-mile city-wide Wildwood Trail) and over 8 miles of scenic hillsides overlooking the gorgeous Willamette River.
This park sits just west of downtown Portland, among the Tualatin Mountains. The land was discovered over 10,000 years ago, a valued Native American settlement, though the park itself was dedicated in 1948. While here you can learn all about how the first European Americans to see this land came with Lewis and Clark during their famous 1806 expedition, as well as how in 1903 the Olmsted brothers (sons of famous Central Park designer) finalized the plan to make these wooded hills above the northwest portion of the city a ‘forest park’.
The Parks and Recreation Department places heavy importance on conservation and recreation within this popular and historic park, aiming to protect local wildlife and watershed health while efficiently running the park. Embrace their motto of ‘protect, restore, and inspire’ while here while you choose between such fun recreational activities as riding horseback, bicycling, hiking, or fishing. You can wildlife spot over 112 bird species and 62 mammal species, giving your group the absolute best local ecosystem learning, viewing, and photographic opportunities!
