• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
This Northwest Life

This Northwest Life

Great things to do in the Pacific Northwest

  • Walks
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home/Walking Portland/Walking Portland: Lower Macleay Trail, Wildwood Trail, Willamette Heights

Walking Portland: Lower Macleay Trail, Wildwood Trail, Willamette Heights

Every day is a great day to walk Portland, Oregon. North to south, east to west, 95+ interesting, diverse, evolving neighborhoods–waiting to be explored.

PicMonkey Collage

Along with the river valley that bisects westside and eastside communities, Portland’s neighborhoods share many commonalities, as well as differences that ensure endlessly engaging walks.

WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS 9

This 5-mile, moderately challenging walk loop–including Balch Creek Gulch Bridge high above Lower Macleay Park– meanders uphill to one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Portland–Willamette Heights.

WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS 79

A sequestered, early twentieth-century neighborhood, Willamette Heights is a showcase of stunning homes, both historic and contemporary, with numerous entry points to Forest Park, one of the largest city parks in the country at 5000+ acres.

WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS 52

Forest bathing? This walk delivers.

WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS 20

Plus, the miles of well-loved perennial gardens in this neighborhood are otherworldly.

2019 06 12 07.54.46 1024x1024 1

There’s plenty of evidence of family life here too. Sidewalk drawings and playful art installations abound.

2020 04 14 16.16.35 1

And to our knowledge, Willamette Heights is the only Portland neighborhood with a Dinosaur National Park.

WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS 128

Here’s our custom-curated, well-tested, regularly updated map with walking directions. Bookmark the Shared Map and follow the route on your iPhone as you walk.

Distance

The main route is about 5 miles–with two options to extend the walk back; one deeper into the Northwest District and one deeper into Slabtown.

Time

At a moderately fast pace of 20 minutes per mile, plus a little time for gawking, allow 2 hours for the main route. Plus time for coffee. ?

Terrain

Rolling hills with all too common Portland-style sidewalks (uneven and in need of repair).

Difficulty

Moderately challenging with rolling hills. One particularly steep decline is noted on the online route map.

Coffee & Pastries

On the way up to Willamette Heights, on NW Thurman, you’ll encounter three excellent coffee outposts, Dragonfly Coffee House, St. Honore Bakery, and The Clearing Cafe.

Shops

NW Thurman is host to several local shops, plus a collective artist’s workspace and shop. Our faves include Solabee, Betsy & Iya, Homebody, and Oxalis.

Portland Walkabouts

The SkyBlue Real Estate Team hosts monthly group walks through some of Portland Metro’s most beautiful and interesting neighborhoods.

For info on our monthly group treks, check out our Facebook page, Women Who Walk  (@pdxwomenwhowalk). And join our meetups at PDX Women Who Walk and/or West Linn Women Who Walk.

SkyBlue Portland Walking Portland Posts

  • All Walking Portland Posts

Willamette Heights Photo Gallery

Walking Portland Lower Macleay Trail 2
Walking Portland Lower Macleay Trail 3
Walking Portland Lower Macleay Trail 4
Walking Portland Lower Macleay Trail 5
Walking Portland Lower Macleay Trail 6
Walking Portland Lower Macleay Trail 7
Walking Portland Lower Macleay Trail 8
WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS KINGS HEIGHTS 2019 08 28 6
WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS KINGS HEIGHTS 2019 08 28 9
WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS KINGS HEIGHTS 2019 08 28 10
WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS KINGS HEIGHTS 2019 08 28 14
WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS KINGS HEIGHTS 2019 08 28 19
WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS KINGS HEIGHTS 2019 08 28 23
WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS KINGS HEIGHTS 2019 08 28 29
WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS KINGS HEIGHTS 2019 08 28 31
WILLAMETTE HEIGHTS KINGS HEIGHTS 2019 08 28 33

Homes for Sale

  • Homes for Sale Portland: Pearl District
  • Homes for Sale Portland: Northwest District
  • Homes for Sale: Willamette Heights

Written by:
Susan S. Bradley
Published on:
August 26, 2021
Thoughts:
No comments yet

Categories: Walking Portland, WalksTags: Willamette Heights

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Welcome to This Northwest Life

https://www.thisnorthwestlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/This-Northwest-Life-Intro.mp4

This Northwest Life is a celebration of all the reasons we call Oregon and Southern Washington Home. There’s adventure at every turn, from hiking, running, biking, boating, paddle boarding, and kayaking to top-notch restaurants, thriving coffee scene, and award-winning beer and wine culture. Add entrepreneurial fervor, artisan/craft everything, botanical gardens, glorious parks, long stretch of coastline, a whopping big river, and temperate climate and it’s easy to see why.

Search Our Site

Homes for Sale in Portland

Portland Market Summary

The Real Estate Market Has Shifted

More Portland Walks

Willamette Greenway

Walking Portland: Willamette Greenway, Eastbank Esplanade, Inner Eastside

If you’re an intrepid Portland walker and looking for a long, easy walk with a wide diversity of landscape and neighborhood, this Willamette Greenway walk is made for you. This gorgeous walk on the Willamette Greenway begins in the North Pearl District, moves quickly across Naito Parkway to the Willamette River Greenway Trail, skirts the […]

Willamette Heights View Ridge

Walking Portland: Iconic Northwest Loop + Willamette Heights

This mostly easy 3-mile walk traverses four NW Portland neighborhoods (Pearl District, Northwest District. Nob Hill, Slabtown), with a 2-mile extension into the Arlington Heights neighborhood, plus jaunts along iconic NW 21st and NW 23rd streets.

South Willamette Waterfront

Walking Portland: Johns Landing, Gibbs Street Pedestrian Bridge, South Willamette Greenway

This 5-mile Walking Portland loop features multiple close-in SW Portland neighborhoods–Corbett-Terwilliger-Lair Hill (with Johns Landing) and South Waterfront (along South Willamette Greenway Trail).  

Walking Sellwood-Moreland: Oaks Bottom Overlook, Westmoreland Park, Garthwick Loop

Walking Sellwood-Moreland. So close to downtown Portland (doable distance along the Willamette Greenway Trail) and yet it’s own distinct world. You’ll feel it as you walk the older neighborhoods, ogle the private gardens and public parks, explore the indie shops, and treat yourself to local coffee and eats. You may not want to leave.

Portland Moving Into Fall | SkyBlue Portland

Walking Portland: Alameda Ridge & Beaumont-Wilshire

Stunning homes (many historic), breathtaking views, and ELEVEN staircases—ranging from 30 to 127 steps—give Portland’s otherworldly NE Alameda Ridge neighborhood its special vibe.

Walking Portland: Lower Macleay Trail, Wildwood Trail, Willamette Heights

This 5-mile, moderately challenging walk loop–including Balch Creek Gulch Bridge high above Lower Macleay Park– meanders uphill to one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in Portland–Willamette Heights.

Walking Portland: Woodstock

This scenic walk showcases one of Portland’s most distinctive, vital SE neighborhoods–an eminently walkable community with a vibrant core and abundance of beautiful older homes, many boasting stunning views.

Walking Portland: NW Pearl District, Nob Hill & Kings Heights Loop

This scenic walk features three adjacent Northwest Portland neighborhoods–two of which are undergoing major building spurts and one of which is a showcase of stunning view homes with million dollar price tags.

Homes for Sale in Portland

Footer

SkyBlue Portland Real Estate Group

Premiere Property Group, LLC

5000 Meadows Road. Suite 150

Lake Oswego OR  97035

Copyright © 2023 · Navigation Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

  • Block Examples