Washington Park & Hoyt Arboretum

Washington Park & Hoyt Arboretum

The urban parks that border the western edge of Portland's downtown, which includes Washington Park and the Hoyt Arboretum, are arguably the greatest urban parks you'll find in the United States. I'd go as far as saying that they are among the greatest world-wide. Portlanders really are fortunate to have what could almost be considered a wilderness within walking distance of the very core of downtown Portland. These parks and their proximity to the city are one of the very first characteristics of Portland that I fell madly in love with when I first visited years ago.

If you look at a satellite overhead view of Portland you cannot miss the massive swath of forest that butts up against downtown to the west. This dark green swath contains several of Portland's greatest "attractions," including the Oregon Zoo, Rose Test Garden, Japanese Garden, Vietnam Memorial, Washington Park, Hoyt Arboretum, an amphitheater, a children's museum, an Audubon Society learning center, and a French-Renaissance style mansion with great panoramic views of the city below and volcanoes in the distance. Believe it or not, this area is also home to nearly 100 miles of hiking trails.

Hiking trail inside Washington Park

That's right, the massive swath of forest that butts up against downtown Portland contains nearly 100 miles of hiking trails. Forest Park contains roughly 70 miles worth, Washington Park contains 13 miles worth, and the Hoyt Arboretum has 12. You could literally spend your morning browsing the shelves at Powell's Books downtown, and within one hour of leaving Powell's on foot you could be deep within a forested wilderness (in much of Forest Park there is little to no evidence or reminders that you are on the fringe of a downtown area, let alone in a city... in fact, it feels as though you are far from any city). And people wonder why I love Portland so much...

Now, this large green forested swath I keep bringing up is cut into two main sections by one of Portland's main thoroughfares, Burnside Road. North of Burnside lies Forest Park, a much wilder and pristine place containing a network of legitimate hiking trails. South of Burnside lies the more civilized, manicured, "park-ish" Washington Park, Hoyt Arboretum, and Oregon Zoo. South of Burnside you are, for the most part, in a park. North of Burnside you're in a forest. It is this park-like section south of Burnside that I will post photos from in this blog entry, specifically Washington Park and the Hoyt Arboretum.

First up, Washington Park. Here is a little info:

When the first 41 acre section of Washington Park was purchased in 1871, residents thought it odd to label the heavily forest hills beside Portland, which were infested with mountain lions, a park. However, today the park has grown to roughly 410 acres and is more than likely cougar-free. Washington Park contains the Hoyt Arboretum, the Oregon Zoo, the International Rose Test Garden, the Japanese Garden, and more all within its limits. The Rose Test Garden, which is especially fragrant and gorgeous for a few months of the year when the roses are in bloom, contains more than 500 varieties of roses. Just north of the Rose Test Garden is an amphitheater that hosts free concerts during the summer months. Outside the the summer months, the grassy seating area becomes a great place for groups of friends, readers, couples, and sun bathers to lounge. The Japanese Gardens and the Oregon Zoo are the only entities within the park that charge a fee for entry; and both are well worth the money. Washington Park also has tennis courts and an archery range. It is easily possible to spend about an entire day within the confines of Washington Park. About the only thing that it is missing is a legitimate place to grab a bite to eat (there is an overpriced snack-cart, but that's it). But then again, Washington Park is a wonderful place to have a picnic.

International Rose Test Garden in Spring right before the roses bloom

Hiking trail connecting Washington Park to Hoyt Arboretum - Portland, Oregon

a very "Portlandesque" vehicle in a very "Portlandesque" park - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon

Hiking trail inside Washington Park - Portland, Oregon

the entrance to the Japanese Gardens - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon

Statue inside the International Rose Test Garden - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon

All Aboard to the Oregon Zoo - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon

All Aboard to the Oregon Zoo - Washington Park - Portland, Oregon

Next up, the Hoyt Arboretum. Here is a little info:

Founded in 1928, and located only 2 miles west of downtown Portland within the limits of Washington Park, the Hoyt Arboretum contains roughly 1,100 different species of trees that grow within the park's 187 acres. Like I said above, the park also contains roughly 12 miles worth of beautiful hiking trails. Many of the specimens of tree you'll find within the arboretum have a metal nameplate nailed to the trunk for labeling and identifying purposes. The arboretum is open and readily accessible year-round.

Here are some photos taken from within the Hoyt Arboretum.

Having developed a thirst for a local IPA and some outstanding pub grub, I decided it was finally time to spend my Groupon at Spints Alehouse on NE 28th Ave, one of my favorite locations for consuming calories in the city. Spints Alehouse defines itself as serving "German cuisine lightened with local farmer's produce, unique locally-inspired cocktails, wines, and German and local beers." How could I not buy a Groupon for this? I happen to love both German and local food and beer, so setting my sights on Spints was an easy decision.

Not only am I a big fan of the atmosphere inside this bar, as well as the location of the bar on NE 28th, but I had one of the best meals of my whole life here. No joke. I decided on the beef cheek prosciutto and dumplings off their small but diverse and mouth-watering menu. It was absolutely outstanding. I'm no food blogger, so I'm not going to wax-poetic on the "juxtaposition of flavors," but just take a foodie's word for it: it was wicked delicious. And it got even better. To wash it down, I had one of the best IPAs I've ever tasted: the Boneyard RPM, made in Bend, Oregon. I have consumed many of the Northwest's finest IPAs (arguably among the best worldwide) and Boneyard's RPM was easily one of the most flavorful and refreshing. Many of the pubs you go to in Portland (that aren't breweries themselves) have the usual IPAs on tap: Ninkasi, Lagunitas, and Bridgeport. These are outstanding IPAs (especially the Bridgeport, in my opinion) but it is nice to see something different for a change. Some of the smaller brewers, after all, are the ones making the best IPAs in the state (but then again, some of the larger ones, like Rogue, not only make some of the best IPA around but also typically brew several different IPAs at once!, so let's not forget about them!).

Spints Alehouse was a wonderful way to end my day of hiking in an urban park. And to get an idea of how conveniently close Washington Park is to the rest of Portland consider the following: after leaving the parking lot of Washington Park I had to drive through the entirety of downtown, cross a bridge, and proceed another 28 blocks to the east. I made it to Spints in probably about 12 minutes. If I had decided upon a restaurant in Portland's trendy Northwest District (aka Nob Hill) or posh Pearl District, it would've only taken about 5 minutes. That's how close Washington Park / Forest Park is to the rest of the city. This is what makes Portland truly unique: within 30 minutes time you can go from a hike within deep woodlands to a seat at the bar at an avant garde gastropub.

I love this city.

Here's a few mouthwatering shots from Spints Alehouse:

Spints Alehouse - NE Portland - 28th & Flanders

a pint of Boneyard IPA (Bend, Oregon) at Spints Alehouse - NE Portland - 28th & Flanders

Beef cheek prosciutto, homemade dumplings, spring onion, rabe, and fresh kale flowers - Spints Alehouse - NE Portland

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge - Portland, Oregon

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

2.8 mile loop | 100 ft elevation gain

Oregon Grape and Graffiti at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge - Portland, Oregon 

Oaks Bottom: a smelly loop, half dirt - half bike path, around a shallow, swampy floodplain with scenery that includes a creepy, towering mausoleum/crematorium covered in animal murals, an amusement park/roller rink dating back to 1905, and the murky Willamette River. It is Portland's first wildlife refuge and migratory bird park, with over 185 bird species spotted within the refuge at one time or another. It also happens to be located on the edge of one of my favorite Portland neighborhoods, Sellwood.

A trip around Oaks Bottom is not a hike but a walk. Half of this walk is down a paved bike path that parallels railroad tracks. Here you are constantly at risk of getting murdered by a bicyclist, but all in keeping with the Portland spirit. The other half is on a dirt path with a bluff on one side and swampland on the other (see photo on left). Here you are constantly at risk of running into a group of hobos sitting by a campfire cooking beans, or at least so it seems.

Mausoleum / Crematorium as seen from the Oaks Bottom loop trail

You'll probably speed up your pace once you reach the mausoleum/crematorium. I'm not even remotely superstitious, but the place is sort of creepy, not to mention it looks like a Soviet apartment project.

Oaks Amusement Park

Throughout most of the hike you will hear children hooting and hollering (and screaming) while being whipped around on carnival rides at Portland's answer to Coney Island: Oaks Amusement Park. At the same time, you will smell a distinctly swamp-like, stagnant-pond-water smell. Odd but true, this is one of my favorite smells, solely for nostalgic reasons. It reminds me of the musty, murky ponds and lakes I visited as a kid in the Midwest, as well as those humid summer nights after a good hard rain. (But then again, having grown up in a small farm town, the smell of cow manure has the same nostalgic effect on me, so maybe it's best that you, reader, do not listen to a word I say about odors being pleasant or otherwise)

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge as seen from the loop trail

Looking out over the Willamette River, I realized how much it reminded me of the river I grew up near: the Rock River in northern Illinois. In fact, the whole park reminded me of the Midwest. If I was kicking around Oaks Bottom and didn't know any better I would think I was in Chicago, Des Moines, Omaha, etc. All the quintessential pacific northwestern elements are missing from this park. Where are the mountains in the distance? Where are the doug firs? What are these oak trees doing here? What is that motorboat doing out there on the river? Where are the canoes and kayaks?

Motorboatin' on the Willamette River | Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon

Sidewalk Art | Oaks Bottom

But it was the occasional sleeve-tatted hipster flying by me on a fixed gear bicycle that looked as though it was retrieved from a dumpster, as well as the giant bird mural on the side of the mausoleum reminding me of the infamous "put a bird on it" Portland maxim made famous by the IFC television show Portlandia, that at last made me realize where I was. Oaks Bottom may not look, feel, sound, or smell like other typical Portland area parks, notably Forest Park, Washington Park, Mt. Tabor, etc -but it is most certainly a Portland park.

Mausoleum? Put a bird on it.

Mausoleum / Crematorium covered in bird murals | Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon

Side note:
Sellwood is one of Portland's neatest neighborhoods, I think. No, it isn't hipster and trendy like Alberta, Hawthorne, Belmont, Mississippi, Division, etc. And no, it isn't posh and spendy like Nob Hill or the Pearl. It is chiefly an antiquing district. It's quiet, historic, sophisticated without being pretentious, bookish, down-to-earth, residential, quaint, grown-up without being too stuffy.

If you're headed to Oaks Bottom save some time to explore Sellwood, especially 13th ave, its main strip. If its antiques you're looking for, this is one of the best spots in Portland (if not the best). If you're looking for one of the best cups of tea you'll ever have, stop at Tea Chai Te, located in an old red boxcar! If you're looking for a damn good Oregon microbrew look no further than the aptly named Oaks Bottom Public House, owned and operated by one of Portland's best brewers, New Old Lompoc. If you're looking for great food you have several Italian options including a Cena and Gino's, as well as one of Portland's highest rated Asian restaurants Jade Bistro, Teahouse and Patisserie. If you'd prefer something more decadent there is There are also some outstanding bicycle shops, coffee shops, and comfort-y food restaurants in the area.

Here are some photos from SE Portland's Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge.

Paved Bike Path | Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon

Roller-rink at Oaks Amusement Park | Oaks Bottom | Portland, Oregon

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge | Portland, Oregon

Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Mt. Tabor Park

~ 3 miles | 400 ft elevation gain

Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

When I first lived in Portland, I lived much closer to Forest Park / Washington Park on the west side of the city than I did Mt. Tabor on the east side. And, having lived so close to such a massive park with so many corners yet to explore, I didn't put visiting Mt. Tabor high on my list. Now, I live closer to Mt. Tabor than I do Forest Park; and this last Saturday, trying to take advantage of a few brief hours of rainlessness and sunlight, I made a break for Mt. Tabor because it was close to home and if it started to pour again I would've been close enough to home where I could resume doing my laundry and the various off jobs I promised myself I would finally do.

To be honest, I was really surprised by Mt. Tabor. It surpassed my expectations. The first thing I felt when entering the park was a sense of awe at how pretty it was inside. Old turn-of-the-century reservoirs with beautiful "stone-work" gatehouses registered on the National Registry of Historic Places stand high atop a hill with wonderful views of downtown Portland in the distance. Quintessential northwestern woods mingle together with antique lampposts dating back to 1911 and twisty roads. Dirt hiking trails intersect with paved walkways. A wide-open area at the summit is dotted with large old conifers. Bicyclists, families, bands of hipsters, couples, frat boys, joggers, and all sorts of others dot the park doing their things. Flowers are all around. The park has a sort of New York-y, Central Park-y feel to it, especially given it's historic and antiquated feel, but yet at the same time it is truly a Portland city park. And to add to the beauty, the Mt. Tabor neighborhood, which surrounds the park, is home to beautiful old architecture.

The park's allure becomes even stronger when you realize what Mt. Tabor is: a dormant volcanic cinder cone. It's a mini volcano that just about lies in the middle of the Portland Metropolitan Area- granted, one that's been extinct for hundreds of thousands of years. And funny enough, it became a park long before anybody knew it was a volcano.

One quick note: you can get a really good work out here if that's what you're looking for. Some of the make-shift hiking trails are downright steep, and the park's summit is basically surrounded by a circle-track perfect for jogging, biking, or speed walking. But even just a tromp around within the web of trails that cover the sides of the "mountain" will give you a pretty darn good work out.

Here are some photos taken from my time walking around Mt. Tabor this past weekend.

Reservoir at Mt. Tabor with original wrought iron fence - Portland, Oregon

Flowers in bloom - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Historic 1911 Gatehouse at Reservoir #5 - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Historic lampposts - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Hiking trail within Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Flowers in bloom - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Hiking trail intersection - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Essential Portland, Oregon: a bearded hipster riding an obscure, homemade bicycle in a park.

A seat with a view of Downtown Portland in the distance - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Mt Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Wide open space at Mt. Tabor's summit - Portland, Oregon

Flowers in bloom 

Historic lamppost - Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

Mt. Tabor Park - Portland, Oregon

One quick recommendation: Mt. Talbert is located right at the end of the Belmont and Hawthorne Districts: two of Portland's hippest and most entertaining neighborhoods. There is some excellent food & drink to be had around here, not to mention legendary Portland hotspots like Bagdad Theater, Movie Madness, Belmont Station & Biercafe, Horse Brass Pub, Apizza Scholls, Slappy Cakes, Pine State Biscuits, the cheapo movie theater / nickle arcade Avalon-Wunderland, and the Sapphire Hotel. A typical Portland food-cart Pod, aptly named Good Food Here, is basically walking distance from Mt. Tabor's boundaries and includes award-winning and nationally notable Lardo and Viking Soul Food. 

I haven't gotten a chance to try Lardo yet, but I did finally make a much desired stop at Viking Soul Food. I for one think that their Scandinavian wraps are among the best food items I've ever tasted. They put either savory or sweet Scandinavian comfort food inside of lefse wraps (lefse is a Norwegian potato flatbread). I had both a savory wrap (Norse meatballs, gjetost sauce and pickled cabbage) and a sweet wrap (lingonberries and house-made cream cheese) and both were so good I almost ordered another round.

Viking Soul Food - Good Food Here Food-Cart Pod - SE Belmont