Pier Park
Explore the best trails in Pier Park with hand-curated trail maps and reviews from hikers like you. Find the perfect trail for your next adventure and discover a new favorite spot in Portland.
The Pier Park disc golf course is popular among recreational and tournament players. It features a unique course with both summer and winter layouts. A great post ahead.
Disc Golf
Pier Park is home to one of the most challenging and beautiful disc golf courses in Oregon. The 18-hole course is set amongst the tall Douglas fir and western red cedar trees of this 86-acre city park. With a few challenging holes, lots of elevation changes, and tight fairways the course is fun for recreational and tournament players alike.
The course is parallel to walking paths flowing through a well-maintained park and is often crowded during peak hours. Please be mindful of pedestrians and exercise proper disc golf etiquette, especially as the fairways cross the walking paths. In addition to the disc golf course, Pier Park offers athletic fields, basketball courts, tennis courts, an outdoor swimming pool, and a playground. The park recently received a Portland Loo, which is a single-user restroom that replaces Port-a-potties and provides a safe, secure, graffiti-resistant facility.
Baseball Diamond
While the name may be a little misleading, Pier Park is still an incredible Portland park that has plenty to offer. This 15-acre park may not be large, but it packs a lot into its small footprint. One of the most notable attractions here is the massive disc golf course that winds its way through thick evergreen forest.
The park also features a baseball field, sand volleyball court, and a horseshoe pit. Another popular activity here is fishing in the river. This is a great spot for kids to splash around and play in the water, or adults to relax on the banks of the Clackamas.
Portland is on the short list of cities that could get a Major League Baseball team. The PDP is focusing on the Pier 2 location for the new stadium, and the necessary environmental and traffic studies are underway. Discover More about Milwaukie, OR here.
Skate Park
Pier Park’s 11,000-sq-ft skate park features a 20-ft-diameter full-pipe, granite hubbas, 7-stair, handrails, and ledges. It also includes a curvilinear skateable entry dubbed “Walkwave” by the artist Adam Kuby. This innovative design was inspired by the way skateboarders originally modeled their movements after surfing—carving and riding ocean swells. Thanks to funds from the Parks Replacement Bond, a new Portland Loo replaced the previous port-a-potty in this park. It’s lockable and designed to be graffiti-resistant. It is available for public use during park hours only.
Picnic Areas
While picnicking doesn’t exactly represent a new trend, it does remain one of the most popular budget-friendly ways to enjoy Portland. Pack a picnic with your favorite food and non-alcoholic drinks, head to a park, spread out a blanket, and relax in the sun.
The aptly named Pier Park in St Johns offers plenty of places to spread out under Douglas-fir and red cedar trees, with the added bonus of a disc golf course weaving through the forest canopy. The park also boasts a playground and a large off-leash dog area.
Laurelhurst Park in NE Portland takes its inspiration from New York’s Central Park and is home to a spring-fed pond, acres of towering trees, and lush green lawns. Or grab some curry from Wok Shop on NE 82nd and enjoy it atop Rocky Butte with panoramic views of the city lights, airport, Columbia River, and distant mountains.
Playground Equipment
Tucked into the Crestwood neighborhood this is a very large park that features a skate park, a Frisbee golf course, picnic areas, and a playground. It’s got modern playground equipment by Landscape Structures and huge open spaces to run around in (read: stroller-friendly). There’s a great climbing area, lots of wide slides, and a cool teeter-totter.
There’s even a little hill perfect for rolling down and a few paved trails to explore. This is a beautiful park that offers lovely views in a peaceful spot. Parking is easy and free. There are also two Portland Loo toilets.
Loos are single-use restrooms that replace portable toilets and are designed and built in Portland to be safe, secure, and graffiti-resistant. Learn more about the Loo program here. Next article.
Driving directions from Allure Window Coverings to Pier Park
Driving directions from Pier Park to Overlook Park
