Did you know there was a giant forest at the city’s western border? Until now no company has offered a regularly-scheduled small group urban hiking tour in Portland. We have introduced that change.
— As seen on Cole Dickson‘s travel itinerary “When City Meets Wild” with Byrdli! —
When tour guests asks us, “what one thing should I not miss in Portland,” we pick the hike in Forest Park. No matter what the season, hiking in the park is entering another world right on the borders (and through the fabric) of the city. The experience is unique, as the park is the largest urban forested area in a major U.S. city.
We’re so excited to offer two departures for the Forest Park urban hiking tour. 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. (Need other start times? — just ask!) We start in front of Haven Coffee NW , a jumping-off point for the 5,000-acre forested area. We’ll start our hike up toward the quixotic Witch’s Castle. While the origins of the building itself are not very magical, it has gathered its magic in the decades since its dismantling in the early 1960s. From here we head up the hill, stopping to see streams cascading into basalt-lined pools, beautiful moss- and fern-covered Western redcedars and big leaf maples, and the stately towering Douglas-firs. We’ll arrive at the Pittock Mansion to view the city laid out before us before descending through the neighborhoods into Washington Park, where we will end at the International Rose Test Garden. Three hours, 4.5 -5.5 miles (7km). This includes between 800 to 1,000 feet elevation gain over sometimes uneven terrain.
