Nature in the City

Created by Court

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The Portland area is home to an unrivaled number of open spaces (37,000 acres/14,973 hectares to be exact). With 288 public parks and 166 miles (267 kilometers) of trails, Portland offers visitors a breath of fresh air. Even in the heart of downtown, you're sure to see more green than gray as you invariably stumble across grassy oases.

A.

Audubon Society of Portland

5151 NW Cornell Rd
Portland, Oregon

Start your day at the Audubon Society of Portland, a 143-acre (57.9 hectare) wild life nature sanctuary with 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) of maintained trails that take visitors through a mixed-conifer forest, streams, ponds and native vegetation, all within minutes of downtown Portland.
B.

Hoyt Arboretum

4000 SW Fairview Blvd
Portland, Oregon

Next, visit nearby Hoyt Arboretum. This 187-acre (74.9-hectare) living museum of trees and plants from around the world - the largest collection of distinct plan species in the United States - is located just west of downtown Portland. A place of beauty and serenity in all seasons, the arboretum is easily accessible by car, bus or MAX light rail.
C.

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

SE 28th Ave
Portland, Oregon

Venturing just southeast of downtown Portland, you'll find Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. This gem boasts an outstanding 7-acre (2.8-hectare) collection of rare species and hybrid rhododendrons, azaleas, deciduous and coniferous trees. Best of all, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are free.
D.

Tryon Creek State Park

11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd
Portland, Oregon

The next point of interest is Tryon Creek State Park. Here you can hike, ride a horse or bicycle while appreciating the urban park's highlights, including a run of steelhead trout and iconic spring flowers known as trilliums.
E.

Hopkins Demonstration Forest

16750 S Brockway Rd
Oregon City, Oregon

The day ends at Hopkins Demonstration Forest. Enjoy a sustainable forestry tour on the tree farm bus, making stops along the way for short walks to get a closer look at reforestation experiments, forest management demonstrations, watershed and wildlife protection and wildlife habitat enhancements.