Forest Park (Portland, Oregon)About 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.
Nearby Attractions to Forest Park (Portland, Oregon)
Best Time to Visit Forest Park (Portland, Oregon)
Late spring through early autumn offers the most comfortable hiking conditions, while winter showcases mossy, damp forest scenes but brings muddy trails and shorter daylight.
Weather & Climate near Forest Park (Portland, Oregon)
Forest Park (Portland, Oregon)'s climate is classified as Warm-Summer Mediterranean - Warm-Summer Mediterranean climate with mild summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 1°C to 25°C. Abundant rainfall (1440 mm/year), wettest in December with a pronounced dry season.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | - | 1° - 7° | 1° | 217 mm | - | - | 3.0 m/s | - | - |
| February | - | 1° - 10° | 3° | 171 mm | - | - | 2.9 m/s | - | - |
| March | - | 2° - 12° | 5° | 147 mm | - | - | 2.9 m/s | - | - |
| April | - | 4° - 15° | 8° | 102 mm | - | - | 2.9 m/s | - | - |
| May | - | 6° - 18° | 12° | 75 mm | - | - | 2.8 m/s | - | - |
| June | - | 9° - 21° | 15° | 54 mm | - | - | 2.9 m/s | - | - |
| July | - | 11° - 24° | 18° | 23 mm | - | - | 3.0 m/s | - | - |
| August | - | 10° - 25° | 18° | 31 mm | - | - | 2.8 m/s | - | - |
| September | - | 9° - 23° | 16° | 61 mm | - | - | 2.6 m/s | - | - |
| October | - | 5° - 17° | 11° | 109 mm | - | - | 2.4 m/s | - | - |
| November | - | 3° - 11° | 5° | 216 mm | - | - | 2.8 m/s | - | - |
| December | - | 1° - 7° | 1° | 234 mm | - | - | 3.0 m/s | - | - |
How to Get to Forest Park (Portland, Oregon)
By car: multiple trailheads with small parking areas along NW Thurman St, NW Germantown Rd and other forest-margin roads. By public transit: TriMet buses serve routes to the park’s edges-consult TriMet maps for the closest stop to the trailhead desired.
Tips for Visiting Forest Park (Portland, Oregon)
- Enter the park via the Lower Macleay (Stone House) or the Wildwood Trailheads-these are the easiest entry points for classic routes.
- Early morning on weekdays offers the silence and a chance to see songbirds and bobcats before trail traffic builds.
- Mountain bikers should use designated trails (the 40-Mile Loop connections) and be courteous to hikers; trail maps are posted at main trailheads.