Forest Park (Portland, Oregon)

Forest Park in Portland, Oregon, is a large municipal forest reserve in the city’s northwest, established as a public park in the mid 20th century. It is one of the largest urban forest parks in the United States, preserving extensive forested slopes and stream corridors.

Land for the park was assembled through public acquisition during the first half of the 20th century and the area was formally designated as a city park in 1948, with continued expansion and trail development since then. The park has been managed for conservation, recreation and watershed protection.

Sits on the Tualatin Mountains/West Hills on Portland’s northwest side, stretching from near NW Portland neighborhoods into wooded hills above the Willamette River; main access points are along NW Thurman Street, Skyline Boulevard and the Macleay and Leif Erikson trailheads.

• Size and trails: Covers roughly 5,000 acres and contains more than 70 miles of maintained trails, making it one of the largest urban forest reserves in the United States.
• Access and trail conditions: Best entry points for visitors include the Lower Macleay Park trailhead and several trailheads along NW Thurman and Skyline Boulevard; trail conditions vary seasonally and can be muddy in winter.

What to See #

• Wildwood Trail: A long-distance hiking route that runs through the park for about 30 miles, forming a continuous footpath used for day hikes and multi-day treks within the park.
• Witch's Castle / Stone House: A well-known stone ruin along the lower Macleay Trail commonly called the Witch's Castle; it is a reinforced stone house foundation popular with day visitors and photographers.