Forest Park is one of the largest natural forested urban parks in America, with over 80 miles of trails across more than 5,000 acres and a diverse ecosystem of mixed deciduous and coniferous forests, including very old cedars, Douglas-firs, and hemlocks, that supports more than 100 bird species and 60 mammal species. The idea of a forest park in Portland's west hills was envisioned as early as 1903 by the Olmsted Brothers, and decades later civic, commercial, and recreational organizations revived the concept, leading to the park's formal creation in 1948. Since then, it has become a popular destination for people who value its wooded, tranquil setting and trails, even as increased human use has brought challenges such as trail wear, stream bank erosion, soil compaction, invasive plants spread by seeds carried on shoes, dogs, and bicycles, and harm to wildlife, fisheries, and nesting areas from free-roaming dogs.

Photo: Ian Lefkowitz

Photo: Ian Lefkowitz

Photo: Ian Lefkowitz

West Haven-Sylvan, Oregon · USA