Eastbank Esplanade

The Eastbank Esplanade runs for about 3 km along the east bank of the Willamette River, from the Hawthorne Bridge in the south to the Steel Bridge in the north, opposite Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The two parks are connected by pedestrian crossings on the Steel Bridge and Hawthorne Bridge, making a river loop walk of about 6 km possible entirely on off-road paths.

The esplanade's highlight is the floating walkway section near the Burnside Bridge, which extends over the water and gives an unobstructed view of the river and the downtown Portland skyline. The Vera Katz statue — a bronze tribute to the mayor who championed the esplanade's construction — sits at the Burnside Bridge end. The path is popular with runners, cyclists, and families; the surface is mostly paved and wide.

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The most technically challenging section of the Eastbank Esplanade is a 1,200-foot floating walkway attached to the concrete pylons of the Eastbank Freeway (I-5). It is the longest floating pedestrian walkway in the United States, held against the current by steel cables anchored to the freeway structure above. The walkway rises and falls with the river level — by as much as 25 feet between low and high water — while remaining fixed horizontally.