U.S. Army Corps of EngineersCo-manages this parkConfirmed
Intergovernmental partners
Portland.gov — Oaks Bottom Wildlife RefugeSellwood-Moreland · District 4 · Natural area · 162 acres
Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge
Natural areaPublic entry documented
The captured official page publishes visiting hours. Check the source for current closures. Public-entry status is separate from wheelchair accessibility.
Classification and evidence
Official page label: Natural area; Atlas classification rules. Classification: source-labeled.
Source captured: 2026-06-02. Human verification: Pending.
Check current official informationPublished activities: find a published trail, be in a natural area, and walk or roll on pavement.
Hours
Open 5am to midnight North parking lot closed 10pm to 5am
Getting there
SE 7th Avenue and Sellwood Blvd Portland, OR 97202
Dogs
Dogs on leash
Photo from the City's park pagePark history
Oaks Bottom is a floodplain wetland located along the east bank of the Willamette River. Part of the park is built on a sanitation landfill consisting of 400,000 cubic feet of construction waste material layered with soil. The City of Portland acquired the original 115 acres in 1959. Parks acquired the landfill property from the Donald M. Drake Company at the beginning of 1969 to block its development as an industrial park. The area was believed, at the time, to be one of the few remaining marshland areas in Portland, and local residents were strongly opposed to its development as industrial property.
Portland Parks & Recreation's Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is a 163-acre complex of meadows, woodlands and wetlands in Portland on the east bank of the Willamette River, just north of the Sellwood Bridge. The refuge is the largest remaining natural area within the lower Willamette River floodplain and provides important habitat for fish and wildlife, including threatened salmon and more than 175 bird species.
Oaks Bottom supports many wildlife species that are considered “special status” - in decline on a regional or statewide scale. These include 44 bird species, three bat species, and one type of amphibian.
PP&R manages the site as an important habitat area and an inviting place to view wildlife in the heart of the city. The Springwater Corridor Trail (part of the region’s trail network) bisects the western edge of the refuge. A hiking trail and one hike/bike trail connect the refuge with two visitor parking lots and the Sellwood neighborhood to the east.
From the City's page for this park.
Visitor amenities
Published amenities are checked separately from entry conditions. Each links to other documented locations; confirm current hours before visiting.
…get here and move
- be in a parkAny park
- walk or roll on pavementPaved path
- find a published trailTrail
…be in nature
- be in a natural areaNatural area
- look out over waterRiver or vista views
What kind of place this is
A natural area: habitat protection and stewardship guide what uses and facilities are appropriate. Classified from official page labels it a natural area; our model.
What else should this park let you do?
Something specific to this park — the thing you'd use it for if it were here.
Send an idea for this park →School grounds nearby
Public school grounds within a half mile, by straight line. What is listed is what OpenStreetMap mappers have recorded, not an inventory. The district sets public access.
- Llewellyn Elementary · Portland Public Schools · 2.9 acres0.2 mi
On record: 2 playgrounds, 1 baseball pitch. Not recorded in this property’s inventory: baseball or softball, playground.
Beyond parks explains what opening a school ground would take.
School grounds: Metro RLIS. Features inside them: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Through the year
Seasonal facilities and listings captured by the Atlas. These records do not measure attendance, utilization or all activity at the site.
Counts describe captured listings, not attendance or all activity. No listings captured does not mean the site is unused.
Winter
Dec–Feb
Dark by 5 and wet most days: cover, lighting, indoor rooms, and paths that drain.
- walk or roll on pavement
- find a published trail
- be in a park
- be in a natural area
- look out over water
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Spring
Mar–May
Fields and gardens open; showers between sun. Leagues, planting, first picnics.
- find a published trail
- be in a park
- walk or roll on pavement
- be in a natural area
- look out over water
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Summer
Jun–Aug
Water, shade, long evenings — the season the system is built around.
- be in a park
- walk or roll on pavement
- find a published trail
- be in a natural area
- look out over water
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Fall
Sep–Nov
Light shortens and leagues wind down; shelters and lighting carry the season.
- find a published trail
- be in a natural area
- be in a park
- walk or roll on pavement
- look out over water
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
What the record holds here, by season
| Season | Programs | Recurring events | One-time |
|---|---|---|---|
Winter Dec–Feb registration opens 10/08 (activities Nov 2 – Dec 13 and winter-break camps Dec 21 – Jan 3) | — | — | — |
Spring Mar–May Recorded from 2026-06-11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Summer Jun–Aug Recorded from 2026-06-11 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fall Sep–Nov Recorded through 2026-09; 2 months still to come | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Our reading of the calendar
Which facilities count as in season is our model of Portland's year (splash pads and wading pools in summer, fields and gardens spring through fall, everything else year-round) — not the City's schedule. Check posted hours for pools, splash pads, and restrooms. From 12 weekly catalog snapshots (2026-06-11 to 2026-09-07). "Programs" are distinct titles; "sections" are the catalog's individual records — a swim level at one time slot for one week is one section. Complete through 2026-09; later months fill in as registration opens. Winter counts fill in when winter registration opens.
What's on
No current listings were captured and matched to this property. This does not establish that no activity takes place. See the citywide calendar and programs.
Partners & friends
The whole ecosystemCommunity organizations that steward, fund, operate, or run programs at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Labels show what is confirmed and what is still being filled in.
Bureau of Environmental ServicesCo-manages this parkConfirmed
Intergovernmental partners
Portland.gov — Oaks Bottom Wildlife RefugeFriends of Oaks BottomStewards this parkConfirmed
Friends groups
Portland.gov — Oaks Bottom Wildlife RefugeSupport this park
Real ways to help Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge and parks like it. This site does not process donations; every link below goes to an official giving or volunteering channel.
Donate via Portland Parks FoundationThe independent nonprofit philanthropic partner for Portland's parks. Gifts support parks and programs citywide.Volunteer with Portland Parks & RecreationJoin official PP&R volunteer and stewardship programs, from work parties to ongoing roles.Find park partners and friends groupsDozens of community organizations steward specific Portland parks. See who works where.
How it's holding up
The City's own inventory of what is here and the condition it last recorded for each item. Dates are the source's; old dates mean no newer public assessment, not that nothing has happened since. PP&R does not publish itemized repair costs, so needs appear without dollar figures.
Condition across all assets
Citywide condition atlasAcross 41 assessed assets at this park, 51% are in poor or very-bad condition (rated 4–5). Pooled from the City's public assessment layers — buildings, bridges, playgrounds, courts, fields, fences, paths and amenities.
This count comes from the City's rated asset layers; the “Public assets” list below is a separate furnishings inventory, so its items and scores are counted separately and the two totals need not match.
Good · 0Above fair · 4Fair · 16Poor · 15Very bad · 6
Assessed asset families here
Bridges2021Pathways & trails
Condition is rated 1 (good) to 5 (very bad); no score means not yet assessed and is excluded. Park trees are inventoried separately and not counted here. No repair costs — those aren't published.
Repair ledger
Public data does not currently flag repair candidates for this park. Additional PP&R maintenance exports can be added without changing the page structure.
Know this park?
Seen something here that's broken, fixed, or missing from this list? Records are updated periodically; tell us what you see.
Send a condition note →Public assets
All 47Furnishings the City inventories here, with each item's condition score — 1 is good, 5 is very bad. Asset photos aren't public yet.
Permanent Bollard×32
–×32
Bench×12
–×12
Bike Rack×2
––
Drinking Fountain×1
–
Official Portland.gov profile
From the City's park page
Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge on Portland.gov
This page contains information about Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, a beautiful mix of meadows, woodlands, and wetlands right in the heart of Portland on the east bank of the Willamette River.
Tucked on the east bank of the Willamette River, Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is a natural area in Southeast Portland. Spanning 163 acres, its home to over 175 species of birds, including bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and red-tailed hawks. You'll also find river otters, beavers, and even deer roaming the landscape.
The refuge offers a variety of habitats, from meadows and marshes to wetlands and forests. As you explore, you'll appreciate the seasonal lake, open grassy areas, and mixed woodlands. The Springwater Corridor, a popular hiking and biking trail, winds through the park, providing visitors with great views and lots of opportunities to spot wildlife in their natural habitat.
Oaks Bottom is perfect for nature lovers of all ages. Whether you're an avid bird watcher, a casual hiker, or just looking for a peaceful retreat, this refuge has something for everyone. The efforts to control invasive species and promote native plants have created a thriving environment for wildlife and a beautiful backdrop for your visit.
City label
Natural area
Year acquired
1959
Official acres
161.582
City section
SE
Neighborhood
Sellwood-Moreland
Hours
Open 5am to midnight North parking lot closed 10pm to 5am
Amenities and activities
Visitor attractionRiverfront viewsPaths (paved)Trails (biking)Trails (hiking)
All dogs must be leashed in this park.
This page, on a sign
The QR label for this park points here. Print labels →
https://parks.portlandciviclab.org/parks/oaks-bottom-wildlife-refuge-490?utm_source=park_qr&utm_medium=sign&utm_campaign=park_490
Where this comes from
Facilities from the City's amenity pages and asset layers; hours, photo, and history from the City's park page; programs and events from its catalogs; condition from PortlandMaps public records. Where the City publishes nothing, this page says so instead of guessing.