Forest Park
Forest Park is located in northwest Portland and is bordered by the Northwest Heights, Nob Hill and Linnton neighborhoods. Forest Park is an urban neighborhood and is on the border of downtown Portland which means a quick five to ten minute commute into downtown proper in most traffic conditions.
Forest Park Reviews
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Features of Forest Park Neighborhood
The Forest Park neighborhood lies adjacent to our famous and beloved Forest Park, and on the southern end actually incorporates it into the neighborhood boundary. On a map it appears to suggest a covetousness, which would be understandable; who wouldn’t want such a vast and beautiful woodland for his or her very own? Its proximity to the park and the fact that its residents’ homes seem nearly always to peek at passers-by from the surrounding veil of trees lends it a rustic quality. If you’d never traveled the Portland area, you wouldn’t suspect that the city was only minutes away.
Forest Park by John K.
People don’t visit this neighborhood to shop, they come here to see, to walk, to pedal. The Audubon Society of Portland, near the southern boundary of the neighborhood, is of particular interest to the area’s bird enthusiasts, who visit the society’s Audubon House and then hike the trails to the Nature Sanctuary. Many residents of the Portland area head to Quail Creek Ranch at Christmastime, to select their trees for the holiday.
Audubon Society of Portland – Photos by Michael Barton
At the end of a good hike or ride, some like to rest and have a burger, pint, and a nosh at Skyline Tavern, which provides outdoor seating and great views of the Tualatin Valley.
Forest Park is not only a defined Portland neighborhood, but an urban city park as well. The park itself is truly a slice of lush green heaven. 5,155.75 acres sit smack dab in the middle of Portland. Popular for its many foot and bike trails, equestrian trails and intoxicating natural beauty, the park is a destination spot for many locals looking to relax, exercise and enjoy the outdoors. Residents can walk or bike to close-by northwest neighborhoods and downtown Portland. Forest Park neighbors many major Portland attractions such as the Oregon Zoo, the Forestry Center, the Children’s Museum, the Japanese Gardens, the Rose Gardens, the Vietnam and Holocaust Memorials.
Down the hill, you’ll find the Bethany shopping plaza for dining and shopping options. Just a little further on, you’ll find the hip and popular Nob Hill neighborhood. The close proximity to downtown and other popular neighborhoods makes Forest Park a highly coveted area. Live in the forest and be minutes from the city– sounds pretty good, huh? Nob Hill is equipped with all the urban amenities one could ever wish for– great restaurants, shops, food markets, tons of coffee shops– you name it, Nob Hill has it.
Washington Park – Photo by Rachel Carlson
Neighborhood and Area Parks
Forest Park – One of the most beautiful parks in the country, Forest Park offers miles of hiking trails through lush green woodland. This park truly personifies the Pacific Northwest. Starting at NW 29th Ave and Upshur and spanning all the way to Newberry Road, Forest Park sits smack dab in the middle of Portland, literally neighboring downtown Portland. Enjoy hours of foot, bike and equestrian trails all while relaxing in the intoxicating natural beauty. Forest Park is dog friendly- your four-legged friends will love it here!
Washington Park – Playground, soccer field, lighted tennis courts, hiking, wedding site
Portland Heights Park – Basketball courts, lighted tennis courts, playground, soccer and softball fields
Macleay Park – Hiking trails
Holman Property – Natural area
Marquam Nature Park – Hiking
Hillside Park – Basketball court, soccer field and tennis courts
Washington Park – Playground, soccer field, lighted tennis courts, hiking, wedding site
Hoyt Arboretum – Hiking and picnic site
Portland Japanese Garden – Stunning authentic Japanese garden
Washington Park- International Rose Test Garden
Portland Japanese Garden – Photo by Faith Smith
Neighborhood Schools
Portland schoolsOregon schoolsI want this widget for my site
Community Resources
Multnomah County Library – Northwest Portland
Religious Organizations (churches, synagogues, places of worship, private schools)
Neighborhood Public Transit – bus routes, train stops, etc.
Forest Park Neighborhood Association
Upcoming Neighborhood Events
Feel free to post your Hillside neighborhood events directly to the Portland Events Calendar on our community site. We regularly feature member-added Portland events in our weekly Portland events blog newsletter and feature your events on Twitter and Facebook. Get more coverage for your local events: it’s free and easy to use. Just join our Portland community site, and click the +Add button under Events. You can also post questions about Portland or share information about your neighborhood on the community forum.
Forest Park Neighborhood Vibe
Community focused. An appreciation for the natural beauty and scenery that the Pacific Northwest Portland neighborhoods have to offer. A good mix of young folks, singletons, and established families. More well-to-do than not. A little yuppy, a little hippy, image and health conscious, dog walkers, joggers, bicyclists are Forest Park staples.
Forest Park / Linnton
Car-Dependent
Walk Score®
12
out of 100
Forest Park / Linnton is the 89th most walkable neighborhood in Portland.
Find Forest Park / Linnton apartments on Walk Score
Stats
Forest Park Zip Code 97229
Average Commute Times to Downtown Portland:
By car, about 10 miles, 20-30 minutes depending on time of day and traffic conditions.
By bus, 38-51 minutes.
By bike, (part of this trip is less than ideal due to few bike lanes, narrow/steep or twisting roads with auto traffic), 1.5 hours.
What’s Nearby?
Closest Grocery Store: QFC at Bethany, 2.4 miles
Closest Gas Station, ARCO, 1.6 miles
Closest Coffee Shop: Starbucks at Bethany, 2.4 miles
Closest Brewpub: Golden Valley Brewery at Bethany, 4 miles, or head over river to McMenamins St. Johns
Closest Restaurants: 2.3 miles; head to Bethany, or over the river to St. Johns
Closest Movie Theater: Over the river, St.Johns Theater, 2.9 miles
Closest Day Care: Little Green Apple Daycare, 1.7 miles
Closest Library: Cedar Mill Community Library at Bethany, 2.3 miles, or head over river to St. Johns Library, 3 miles
Closest Dog Park: Try Wallace Dog Park, 6.3 miles, or head over river to Chimney Park, 3 miles
Closest Gym: Curves, 2.3 miles, or head over the river to St Johns, West Coast Fitness 3.3 miles
Closest Hospital: Providence, 2.3 miles
All distances are approximate and should be used as a general reference only.
Forest Park Real Estate
The neighborhood consists of mostly older style Portland homes. Homes run the gamut of 20th century architecture, from classic Bungalow, to Old Portland, to Cape Cod, Four Square and more. There is also a smattering of apartments and condos in the area.
If you are interested in buying or selling a home in this Portland neighborhood, visit our Portland Real Estate Page for more information, or visit our Portland Real Estate Map to search the RMLS for neighborhood homes for sale.
Forest Park Rentals
Visit our Portland Apartments page to find NW Portland Apartments. Below are some Northwest Portland rentals. Also try HousingMaps.com Northwest Portland Rentals
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