Forest Park has an impressive trail system, featuring nearly 70 miles of trails, firelanes and gravel roads. The expansive and varied terrain, marked by countless ridges and ravines, holds great appeal for hikers, runners, bicyclists, and equestrians. Due the abundance of native plants and wildlife, Forest Park also draws a large number of nature photographers, birdwatchers and other naturalists.

Forest Park serves more than one million people from the surrounding metro Portland area. This increasing population is using the Park more and more, stretching the limits of the Park's current capabilities and posing a number of challenges.

• Increased recreational pressure and extreme winter weather have taken their toll on the trail system. There is great need to increase trail management efforts, to repair and improve existing trails and develop new trails as appropriate.
• More public education is needed to prevent inappropriate Park uses such as allowing dogs off-leash, leaving pet or human waste in the Park, off-trail activity, and bicycling too fast or on hiking-only trails.
• Invasive weeds, housing development, logging, and rock quarrying on lands adjacent to the Park are just a few of the threats to the Park's continued health and biodiversity.
• The need to improve existing park entrances, and to develop new ones.

Protecting, maintaining and enhancing Forest Park for the enjoyment of everyone for years to come is an ongoing challenge.

Getting out there

Forest Park Maps

Trail Management

Volunteer Trail Crew

All Trails Challenge

Park Entrances: The Forest Park Conservancy has raised more than $129,000 for improvements to the Lower Macleay entrance to Forest Park, including replacing the old stairs entering the park from Thurman Street. Currently we are working on new trailhead signs that will have updated and improved trail and park information.