Forest Park Conservancy’s Discovery Hikes are a great opportunity to explore Forest Park and learn about Forest Park’s history, recreational opportunities, and the restoration and maintenance efforts within the park.
Discovery Hikes are led by knowledgeable Forest Park Conservancy staff, and local experts who volunteer their time to share their knowledge. This year, FPC will be hosting some in-person, in accordance with Oregon Health Authority guidelines, as well as some virtual options.
Learn about the history of the land, nature photography, and about habitat restoration efforts in the park this summer by signing up below. All Discovery Hikes are free thanks to the support of our 2021 sponsor, Prometheus. We will be adding new hikes throughout the year, so be sure to sign up for our newsletter or check out our event calendar to see if we have anything new scheduled!
- History Hike: The Life of Lafe Pence
- What: Discover some history of Forest Park with FPC and local artist and researcher Gabriel Liston. Learn about the brief time spent by former sweet-talking congressmen Lafe Pence in Portland, his attempts to prevent the expansion of public parks, and the damage he did to the environment to try and get his way. The hike will feature the remnants of some of his works on the Wildwood, Wild Cherry, Dogwood, and Leif Erikson trails and the impact he made in Portland.
- When: Saturday, July 3rd, 10:00am-1:00pm
- Where: Wild Cherry/Dogwood Trailhead
- Sign up or learn more about this event here!
- History Hike with Tanya March
- What: Go for a discovery hike with Tanya March, a local researcher, business owner, and historian. We will learn about how Forest Park came to be, the early development efforts, and how the park’s landscape has changed over the years.
- When: Saturday, August 7th, 11:00am-1:00pm
- Where: Lower Macleay Trailhead
- Sign up or learn more about this event here!
- Discovery Hike: Park Restoration with FPC Staff Member Katrina Montoya (virtual)
- What: This virtual discovery hike will have you exploring the trails with FPC staff members who will be showing some of their restoration efforts within the park. Join us as we discuss maintaining the health of Forest Park and our restoration efforts. Following the hike, staff members will discuss where they will answer your questions about the park.
- When: Saturday, September 25th, 10:00am-12:00pm
- Where: This Discovery Hike will be hosted through Zoom. All participants will be emailed on the week of the Discovery Hike with more information and how to access the event.
- Sign up or learn more about this event here!
- Discovery Hike: Winter Photography in Forest Park (virtual)
- What: Join FPC as we explore Forest Park and discuss nature photography with photographer Bruce MacGregor, a longtime patron of Forest Park. We will focus on some of the highlights of photography during the winter and potential pitfalls for photographers to look out for during this season. Participants will also be given a prompt to hike a route in Forest Park before the event and are encouraged to take some photos on their excursion and submit their work to receive feedback and get some nature photography tips as part of the event.
- When: Saturday, November 20th, 10:00am-12:00pm
- Where: This Discovery Hike will be hosted through Zoom. All participants will be emailed on the week of the Discovery Hike with more information on how to participate and access the event. Two weeks before the event, participants will receive a prompt to hike a specific route in Forest Park as part of the event.
- Sign up or learn more about this event here!
If you want to keep up to date on some of the exciting events FPC hosts throughout the year, sign up for our newsletter or check out our event calendar!
We hope to see you join us to learn a little more about Forest Park.
Thank you to our longtime supporter and Discovery Hikes Presenting Sponsor, Prometheus.
