Five thousand acres of temperate rainforest on the hills directly above Portland's west side, Forest Park is what makes Portland unusual among American cities. Eighty kilometres of trails run through Douglas fir, cedar, and bigleaf maple, with almost no road crossings once you're inside. The Wildwood Trail is the spine: a 30 km path that connects Hoyt Arboretum at the south end to the park's northern terminus near Newberry Road.
The most popular entry points are the Leif Erikson Drive trailhead in the NW 29th/Upshur area (cars allowed, but mainly used by cyclists and joggers on the gravel road) and the Wildwood Trail entrance near the Vietnam Veterans Living Memorial. In wet weather the trails become muddy but the canopy keeps much of the rain off. Wildlife is abundant — great horned owls, red foxes, and black-tailed deer are commonly seen. The park is free and has no operating hours.