Hoyt Arboretum is a 185-acre living museum with a collection of over 6,000 trees and plants from around the world. The Arboretum's plantings and programs promote the understanding, appreciation and scientific study of a wide variety of specimens, many of which are rare or endangered. This tranquil setting with over 12 miles of hiking trails in Portland's urban environment is free to the public and available for everyone to enjoy.
Trails are a combination of paved, packed dirt, and gravel, and some routes include stairs, steep grades, and exposed roots.
The arboretum’s grounds are open from 5am to 10pm daily and there is no admission fee to visit.
Before you explore the trails, be sure to start at the Visitor Center. It’s open daily from 10am to 4pm and trail maps are available in English and Spanish.
If this is your first time visiting, here are some suggested loops:
- 30-Minute Loop – Fir Trail (0.5 miles) – Beginning near the Stevens Pavilion across the street from the Visitor Center, this easy stroll is fairly level. Start by skirting along a dark spruce forest before heading into the Red Pine Collection, passing through dense hedges of salal and stands of fir before ending back at the Pavilion.
- 1-Hour Loop – Spruce/Wildwood/Redwood Trails (0.9 miles) – This deep forest trek begins at the Pavilion across the street from the Visitor Center. The route passes through spruce trees from around the world and meanders by the Wedding Meadow. From there, you dip into towering redwoods, stopping at the Redwood Deck for a view before you continue to the trail below.
- 2-Hour Loop – Overlook/ Wildwood/Hawthorn/Maple/Wildwood/Holly Trails (1.25 miles) – This route offers a little of everything: deciduous trees and conifers, open meadows, and varying elevations. It’s a great tour to explore the southeast quadrant of the Arboretum, and a side trip to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial is well worth it.
