See changing autumnal foliage from the top of Mount Tabor, in the Portland Japanese Garden, and across Oregon.
Coat? Check. Beanie? Check. Pumpkin patches and haunted houses and horror movies on the big screen? Check, check, and check. It’s officially fall, which means, with our sincerest apologies to Bob Dylan: The leaves, they are a-changin’.
Portland and the surrounding area boast incredible autumnal beauty, from the city’s oldest cemetery to the spectacular Japanese Garden to Silver Falls State Park. Here are some of our favorite places to get an annual dose of dying leaves.
Nearly three million years before it became a public park, Mount Tabor was born as a cinder cone in the Boring Lava Field. Today, the extinct volcano is home to a century-old park, three historic reservoirs, and a network of trails that meander through towering Douglas firs, western redcedars, and ponderosa pines. During the fall, the park’s deciduous black tupelos, bigleaf maples, and vine maples reveal themselves with vibrant coats of red, orange, and yellow leaves. From the mountain’s summit, take in skyline views of the city, including the autumn-hued trees adorning the streets below.
Portland’s oldest cemetery brims with beautiful trees (sugar maples, big-leaf maples, beech, chestnut) as well as carpets of leaves, mossy graves, and plenty of paths for wandering. Circumambulate the whole cemetery in 20 minutes, or spend an hour or two strolling all the paths, the historic rose garden, and the military statues. Perfect for getting your fall color fix while also prepping for spooky season.
A beach (with a new swim dock), a bridge, and bountiful views—Cathedral Park offers it all. One of the local Lewis and Clark landing sites, the park now plays host to a bevy of concerts, festivals, and community events. It’s also not unusual to see recent grads, newly engaged couples, and heart-hungry Instagram influencers posing beneath the magnificent arches of the St. Johns Bridge. Pro tip: Walk across the bridge and hit up the Ridge Trail Trailhead on NW Bridge Avenue for a picturesque view of the bridge and park below, all framed within a red-orange canopy of leaves.
Maples, magnolias, oaks, and any number of other deciduous trees are dropping leaves fast and furious. Some trees, like most ash, lose foliage early. Others, such as hornbeams, chestnut, oak, and styrax, drop later. Check in at the booth, make a little donation, and stroll the paths and lawns until you catch a view of the mighty Willamette far below. Expect to spend at least an hour wandering—easily three if you walk up the madrone trails to look down over the river.
Cradled in the hills of Washington Park, the Portland Japanese Garden is beautiful in every season, but autumn is perhaps the most dramatic. Japanese maples, Enkianthus, and other Asian trees and shrubs wear fiery colors, set off against the subtle shades of the native conifer and big-leaf maple woodland setting. The tranquil atmosphere invites deep breaths and a slow pace, and expansive views to the east showcase the trees changing color across the city.
Pick any trail inside Forest Park and you’ll be rewarded with the subtle colors and glorious variations of our native deciduous trees: various yellows from the big-leaf maple; yellows, reds, and purples from the vine maple, salmonberry, thimbleberry, and devil’s cane; and a beautiful tapestry of understory plants turning gold and orange. Take a half-hour or spend all day here—it’s up to you.
Amid Northeast Portland’s industrial expanse, the Columbia Children’s Arboretum is a quiet haven for tree lovers, surrounded by willows, birches, Douglas firs, red osier dogwoods, black cottonwoods, and maples. It occupies a piece of land once slated for a high school in the long-gone Columbia School District, and was mostly planted by middle school students in the late 1960s. The Columbia Children’s Arboretum Loop Hike is quick, easy, and beautiful, leading to a tall row of maples and American gums that offer great displays this time of year. Bring a book and some snacks and park yourself at the picnic area.
Hoyt Arboretum ranges over 187 ridge-top acres and some 12 miles of trails. Witness autumn transformation of birches, maples, oaks, magnolias, witch hazels, and more. While it could take years to explore the grounds fully, there’s plenty to see in a one- or two-hour walk.
Only a half hour drive from Portland is real-life Terabithia. Roam the park’s 12 miles of trails, which wind through mossy undergrowth and an ancient forest of Douglas firs and cedars. Wild salmon return here each year from the ocean to spawn and die in the shallows of the frigid Sandy River. Through autumn, rows of vivid yellow bigleaf maples line the river. Walk along its rocky shores and you may spot redds (spawning beds) and splashing salmon. In October, the Pacific Northwest Indigenous community and Oregon Metro gather on the banks of the river to celebrate the annual homecoming of fall chinook salmon.
Just off I-5, the Northern Clark County Scenic Drive takes you onto twisty two-lane roads through rural Washington. The 70-mile loop skirts past farmland, waterfalls, and historic sites, and during fall offers kaleidoscopic color. Don’t miss the water-powered, impossibly scenic Cedar Creek Grist Mill, which was built in 1876 and on the last Saturday of October holds a massive apple cider pressing (we’re talking 10,000 pounds of fruit).
Popular, difficult, and rewarding, the 7.5-mile Hamilton Mountain Loop in Beacon Rock State Park on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge boasts three gorgeous waterfalls and, during fall, rows of yellow maples bordered by towering green Douglas firs. From the summit, take in sweeping views of Table Mountain, Bonneville Dam, and Mount Adams.
Choose your own adventure on this easygoing hike through Mount Hood’s old growth forest. There are five different starting points along the out-and-back trail. Extend or shorten the hike as much as you want. No matter where you begin, you’ll be spending your day traipsing along the pristine Salmon River among centuries-old evergreens. In the fall, the vibrant shades of vine maple stand out from the lush green understory. From late September through early December, you may observe spawning salmon in the riverbeds.
Falling water plus falling fiery leaves add up to a wonderful autumn outing, which you’ll find at Silver Falls State Park, about 20 miles southeast of Salem. Take the Trail of 10 Falls or explore the park’s 35 miles of trails for all the fall foliage your heart can handle. It goes without saying: Bring your camera.
This 209-acre nature preserve in Eugene boasts impressive ecological diversity, with habitats including oak savanna, riparian forest, and prairie. Take in the vibrant turning of the Oregon ash, Oregon white oak, cottonwoods, big-leaf maples, and more. The arboretum’s annual mushroom festival goes down Sunday, October 26, and brings guided nature walks, educational talks, cooking demos, live music, and vendors galore.
The deciduous and ornamental trees at this Southern Oregon park deliver autumnal splendor. At the center of the park sits a Japanese garden, which dates to 1916 and reopened in 2022 after a redesign. Small but serene, find Japanese maples, a bamboo forest, and a sand and stone zen garden.
If you’re open to hauling across the state, the high desert Steens Mountain in southeastern Oregon is one of the best places for spectacular fall displays. Keep in mind, however, that harsh winds often knock down the golden aspen leaves. For tips on timing, call the Bureau of Land Management district office.
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