Fri
18
Sep
Cloud Forest volunteer day in Washington ParkVolunteer event
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Arlington Heights · District 4 · Very large park · 243 acres
Washington Park
Developed parkPublic 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: Park; Atlas classification rules. Classification: inferred.
Source captured: 2026-06-02. Human verification: Pending.
Check current official informationConfirm the inferred property type with PP&R.
Published activities: let my kids play, play on a field, and gather out of the rain.
Hours
5:00 am - 10:00 pmClosed to vehicles at 10:00 pm
Getting there
Head of SW Park Place Portland, OR 97210
Dogs
Dogs on leash
Access
Accessible restroom
Photo from the City's park pagePark history
Originally acquired in 1871, Washington Park is one of the oldest parks in Portland. The city originally purchased the 40.78 acres in 1871 from Amos N. King for $32,624. Many people questioned the purchase given that the site was thick with brush and timber, and cougar roamed the hills.
City Park, as Washington Park was originally known until 1912, developed slowly. In 1885, the city hired Charles M. Myers as its first park keeper. A native of Germany and a seaman, Myers had no formal training but enthusiastically began to develop the park by using his memories of European parks as a guide.
By 1900, the park had developed from a wilderness to a place of drives, walkways, formal plantings, lawns, clipped hedges, and ornamental flower displays.
In 1903, John C. Olmsted toured Portland and recommended changes of lasting usefulness to the park: he advised changing the name from City Park to one of more distinction, moving the main entrance to Park Place, separating vehicular traffic from foot traffic, and restoring some of the formally planted areas to their natural beauty with native shrubs and ground cover.
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.
…stay a while
- use a restroomRestroom
- use an accessible restroomAccessible restroom
- sit down to eatPicnic table
- gather out of the rainPicnic shelter
…gather
- watch a showStage or amphitheater
- meet in a public squarePlaza or terrace
…play
- let my kids playPlayground
- let every kid playAccessible play area
…cool off
- sit by a fountainFountain
…compete
- play on a courtAny sport court
- play tennisTennis court
- play on a fieldAny sport field
- play soccerSoccer or futsal field
…get here and move
- be in a parkAny park
- walk or roll on pavementPaved path
- walk a soft pathUnpaved path
- find a published trailTrail
…be in nature
- look out over waterRiver or vista views
…remember and belong
- see public artPublic art
Potential additions to investigate
Passing the initial size-and-type screen is not a feasibility finding. Usable space, existing uses, habitat, public access, utilities, permission, construction costs, and ongoing maintenance funding require site-specific review. Missing acreage or uncertain classification remains unassessed.
Enabling assets recorded
- Evening use — Programming after dusk — leagues, classes, walks.
- Gatherings & events — Concerts, movies, cultural events.
- League play — Organized sport seasons.
- Youth drop-in — Free unstructured play with somewhere for adults to sit.
- Nature education — Environmental programs and guided walks.
- All-weather indoor — Programming that survives a Portland winter.
- Markets & festivals — Vendor events and neighborhood festivals.
One addition to investigate
- Summer water play — needs splash pad or wading pool or swimming pool or interactive fountain
Inventory-based screening only. Recorded assets do not establish opening hours, program staffing, permission, or operating funding. Potential additions require review of usable space, habitat, utilities, access, and ongoing maintenance. Unverified properties remain unassessed.
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 →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.
- use a restroom
- gather out of the rain
- walk or roll on pavement
- find a published trail
- use an accessible restroom
- sit down to eat
- +11 more
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Fewest modeled facilities
Spring
Mar–May
Fields and gardens open; showers between sun. Leagues, planting, first picnics.
- let my kids play
- play on a field
- play soccer
- walk a soft path
- find a published trail
- use a restroom
- +13 more
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Summer
Jun–Aug
Water, shade, long evenings — the season the system is built around.
- sit down to eat
- watch a show
- use a restroom
- use an accessible restroom
- gather out of the rain
- meet in a public square
- +13 more
0 programs · 0 events starts captured
Fall
Sep–Nov
Light shortens and leagues wind down; shelters and lighting carry the season.
- use a restroom
- gather out of the rain
- play on a field
- find a published trail
- use an accessible restroom
- sit down to eat
- +13 more
0 programs · 2 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 | 21 | 0 |
Fall Sep–Nov Recorded through 2026-09; 2 months still to come | 0 | 4 | 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.
Upcoming at Washington Park
All park eventsFri
25
Sep
Cloud Forest volunteer day in Washington ParkVolunteer event
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Reserve at Washington Park
This park has facilities you can reserve. Booking happens on the city's official systems — every link below goes straight there.
Picnic sites
Reserve a site| Site | Tables | Fee | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 11 | $76.50 | |
| B | 6 | $41.00 | |
| C | 9 | $59.25 | |
| D | 5 | $149.50 | Sheltered |
- · Parking fee required.
Fees and inventory from PP&R's 2026 picnic brochure. A $27.50 application fee applies. Reserve online or call 503-823-2525.
Tennis & pickleball courts
Reserve outdoor courts through PP&R's registration system.
Athletic fields
Permit sports fields through PP&R's customer service center.
Reserve on Portland.gov503-823-2525
Partners & friends
The whole ecosystemCommunity organizations that steward, fund, operate, or run programs at Washington Park. Labels show what is confirmed and what is still being filled in.
Friends of International Rose Test GardenStewards this parkBeing confirmed
Friends groups
Portland.gov — Washington ParkExplore Washington ParkPartners at this parkConfirmed
Programmatic nonprofits
Named in PP&R’s FY2025–26 site-partner roster for stewardship, operations and/or maintenance; individual responsibilities are not specified.
PP&R FY2025–26 Partnerships & Volunteerism report, p. 7Support this park
Real ways to help Washington Park 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 226 assessed assets at this park, 8% 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 · 22Above fair · 118Fair · 68Poor · 14Very bad · 4
Assessed asset families here
Amenities & furnishings2007 (2007–2026)Buildings2018Fences2022Playground equipment2020Sport fieldsSport courts
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
Each row is one record from PP&R's public asset layer. No itemized repair cost is published for these records, so none is shown. Dates are the source's last published assessment; treat older ones as unverified.
| Asset | Condition | Status | Replacement | Assessed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Bench Condition rated poor (code 4); status is Removed. Priority high. Record 1065 | Poor condition code 4 | Removed | no | 2007-07-12 |
Bench Condition rated poor (code 4). Priority high. Public note: Bench is in gated area Record 3593 | Poor condition code 4 | Active | cannot determine | 2007-07-12 |
Bench Condition rated poor (code 4). Priority high. Record 4190 | Poor condition code 4 | Active | no | 2007-07-12 |
Bench Condition rated poor (code 4). Priority high. Record 7214 | Poor condition code 4 | Active | no | 2007-07-12 |
Drinking Fountain Condition rated poor (code 4). Priority high. Record 0841-DF-5 | Poor condition code 4 | Active | no | 2007-07-12 |
Drinking Fountain Condition rated poor (code 4); status is Removed. Priority high. Record 0841-DF-9 | Poor condition code 4 | Removed | no | 2007-07-12 |
Permanent Bollard Condition rated poor (code 4); status is Removed. Priority high. Record 6920 | Poor condition code 4 | Removed | no | 2007-07-12 |
Picnic Table Condition rated poor (code 4). Priority high. Record 128 | Poor condition code 4 | Active | no | 2007-07-12 |
Showing all 8 public repair candidates.
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 261Furnishings the City inventories here, with each item's condition score — 1 is good, 5 is very bad. Asset photos aren't public yet.
Bench×72
4×43×102×391×4–×15
Permanent Bollard×48
4×13×62×111×3–×27
Picnic Table×43
4×13×142×191×6–×3
Permanent Trash Can×26
3×32×21–×2
Bike Rack×18
2×81×3–×7
Drinking Fountain×17
4×23×62×31×1–×5
Flag Pole×13
2×12–×1
Memorial×13
2×5–×7–×1
Art Work×5
––1––
Telescope×3
111
Kiosk×1
–
Litter Bag Dispenser×1
3
Stage×1
–
Related capital projects
WaPk Wayfinding
Washington Park
ActivePhase pending$200,000
Official Portland.gov profile
From the City's park page
Washington Park on Portland.gov
Washington Park is the crown jewel of Portland. This 410-acre park is home to the Oregon Zoo, World Forestry Center, Hoyt Arboretum, International Rose Test Garden, and the Portland Japanese Garden. Washington Park brings in 3.5 million visitors annually.
Washington Park is pay to park and parking is very limited, especially during warm, sunny weekends. To avoid paying to park and congestion, consider riding TriMet. The MAX Light Rail Red and Blue lines arrive every 15 minutes to the Washington Park station. Once you’re in the park, use the free seasonal shuttle to get around!
For maps, travel information, attraction information, parking information, and other details and helpful tips, please visit Explore Washington Park.
Car prowls occur throughout the City of Portland including within Washington Park. Please see Tips For a Safe Park visit to learn more how you can help reduce the chance of your vehicle becoming a target.
City label
Park
Year acquired
1871
Official acres
241.447
City section
Downtown
Neighborhood
Arlington Heights
Hours
Park hours: 5:00 am - 10:00 pmClosed to vehicles at 10:00 pm To reserve a sports field, picnic area, or amphitheater, please call 503-823-2525.
Amenities and activities
Accessible play areaAccessible restroomHistorical sitePay to parkPicnic shelterPicnic tablePlaygroundPlazaStatue or public artVisitor attractionVista pointStage (outdoor)Paths (paved)Paths (unpaved)Trails (hiking)Soccer fieldFountainTennis court (lighted)
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/washington-park-841?utm_source=park_qr&utm_medium=sign&utm_campaign=park_841
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.