Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

This place grows on me each time I visit, which is pretty often. What I really like about it is the change throughout the seasons, especially since there are different little ecosystems — I don’t know the proper terms but there’s a grassy area, a marsh, and a «foresty» section and even a frog pond where I spotted some tadpoles. I’ve also seen a deer, great blue herons, and an egret maybe?
Part of it is paved (runs from Milwaukee to the Springwater trail) and the other part is a dirt path/​boardwalks.
If I a couple of hours, I sometimes like to wander into the amusement park adjacent or down to the riverfront of Sellwood Park.

Well another Winter at Oaks Bottom has come and gone. The Winter of 2015 – 16 was pretty wet and cloudy. Activity was very slow and quiet. Some bright spots were of course the resident Animals. Bald Eagles, Red-​tailed Hawks, Cooper’s Hawks, Waterfowl and the song birds were busy looking for food. Most of the mammals were bedded down along with most of the people. See pic’s…

It is worthwhile to visit Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. Chances are that it will be encountered upon entering Oak’s Amusement Park, the park being audible throughout the refuge. The trees are tall and it connects to Sellwood Park. A somewhat of a savannah setting may not impress people in the Pacific Northwest, who it would make sense that they prefer forests.
I went here through its connecting park. The path down was fun and walking quickly down the narrow path felt like some kind of psychedelic conveyor belt. Some steps took me down to what ultimately was the path to the amusement park.
Try going here to work off the amusement park food.

This is a great little urban trail that runs through Sellwood. This Sunday morning the sun was up and it was looking pretty nice out so I took the dog up Milwaukee and into the park. We walked the trails for a few miles and only ran into one or two other people. Amazing because this is like an adventure into the woods without leaving the city. Tons of birds and great views.

Running random errands and driving through the SE, I cruised past the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. On a whim, I whipped the car into the small lot and decided to take myself a little walkabout. While it turned out to be a bit less little than intended, it was a wholly pleasurable way to spend a part of my afternoon.
While I started off on the main path, I swiftly became bored with walking on pavement and ducked onto a (slightly) rougher trail that followed the line of some bluffs. I saw some birds, some ducks (which yes, I know are birds), and a caterpillar. All pretty extreme stuff, but nothing a seasoned outdoorsman like myself couldn’t handle.
Being new to the Pacific NW, I get a kick out of all the new flora and fauna that I can experience. Being new to Portland, I get a kick out of the city’s dedication to urban green space and their network of parklands. From thick forest to a pretty nice pond to open fields, Oaks Bottom has a nice variety of terrains for me to enjoy.
For me the only downside was that for how large of a park it was, there was scant information on either park logistics or the habitat that is being refuged. Some more maps and maybe an actual restroom area would both be welcome additions. I really didn’t want to be the guy that pees in a park, and I succeeded in not stooping to that level, but they certainly make it tough on a guy.
Still, that’s not enough of a negative to prevent me from returning, this time having recently used the restroom, with my husband and camera in tow. It’s a lovely park Unilocalers should make it a point to experience.

This is a great running/​cycling path. The views are great of the river and the cityscape. The growth over the past two decades has really taken shape and there’s a calming mood when you’re running through the trees with the sun peaking through.
Everyone on the path seems to be really nice. You can run, walk, ride your bike to from downtown to Sellwood. There’s places along the way to picnic, view wildlife, and I’ve even seen some fishing.

A very beautiful place to hike. In the beginning of the trail, it can be difficult to forget you’re in a tranquil place surrounded with nature with the screams from the roller-​coaster at the Amusement Park. But once you get further into the park, you don’t hear all the sounds from the Amusement Park anymore.
The park is dog and family friendly. Many kids, babies in strollers and tons of dogs (must be on leash at all times).
You can spot several types of birds. I saw many hummingbirds, too. You can see frogs at the tadpole pond, fuzzy caterpillars, and several ducks swimming around. Lots of Instagram-​worthy pictures to be taken here!
The hike is 3 miles and is very easy.

Meh… I have to say for all the beauty I’ve seen in Portland, this place was a disappointment. I went on a really nice spring day — it was 69 degrees outside and I didn’t even need my jacket! I walked for a long time with my dog and there we hardly saw any wildlife here. Sadly, I’ve been through manmade wetlands that have a TON more wildlife then I saw at this one. There were a few wildflowers spotted here, but despite the beautiful spring going on in the rest of the city, this place looked mostly dead still.
I’m sure that there CAN on other days be more wildlife here, but I just did not experience it even after spending an hour here. I also couldn’t take my dog on certain paths to preserve the wild life (which is totally fine and understandable).

A very unique trail filled with plenty of uphill and downhill sections along with plenty of twists and turns. The marshland below is an exquisite sight along with the faint view of the river in the background along the entire trail. I do not recommend going down the whole trail though unless you are prepared for a complete journey.

This is one of my new favorite spots in SE Portland. I love coming here for a nice run or walk.
It seems a little off cause Oaks Park is just a hop, skip, and a jump away but I think that adds to the charm of this place. While you’re trekking through Oaks Bottom you really feel like you are miles away from town.

Oaks Bottom WR is a great place to take a walk; and, if you’re a photographer, take some great bird/​insect/​amphibian shots. It’s really great that the city has preserved this area and kept it natural.
Alas, not everyone cares about the preservation of nature. Here’s my horror story from yesterday. I was taking macro-​photos of tiny frogs. etc. back at the «frog pond» wetland area. This place is clearly marked: no bikes, no dogs, tread lightly, etc. I was seated on the ground in the grass, getting some good shots of a baby frog, when three women-​friends with four kids showed up at the frog pond. There are chains on each side of the wetland area, making it clear that you are not supposed to disturb the wetlands. Did that stop ‘em? No way.
Suddenly I heard splashing and screaming. When I stood up and walked over toward the preserve area, I was appalled to see ALL FOUR kids SWIMMING in the water, picking up logs and throwing them around, and just generally treating the wetland preserve like it was an above ground pool out back of Bobby Joe’s mobile home!
And did the three Moms stop them… tell them to get out of there? Of course not! They were ENCOURAGING this behavior. They were just hanging out, taking photos of their sweet little monsters destroying the wetland preserve.
I don’t normally tell strangers what they should or should not do, but I had to say something… so I walked up to the three Moms and told them that this was not appropriate, that it was a nature preserve, etc., etc… they just stared at me and said nothing. Finally, one of them said (sarcastically) «Well, thanks for letting us know.»
For about an hour or two after this event, I lost all hope in humanity. These were seemingly normal-​looking Portland-​esque professional Moms, and this is what they’re teaching their kids!
Anyway, thanks for reading my rant. I LOVE Oaks Bottom WR. We’re lucky to have these few natural areas left. Let’s treat them with respect!

I cannot believe this trail is minutes from my house. It’s a gem. Truly magical. We’ve walked this trail (which is probably about a mile or so end to end), a few times and it always looks different. It’s quiet and peaceful, full of birds and trees.

My favorite walk!

A little confusing to get to it but if you’re willing to just explore and have good walking shoes you don’t mind getting wet or muddy, then this is great.
Went on New Year’s Day for my first visit and have been back several times. Beautiful murals on side of industrial building along one of the paths. Deer hung out nearby. A few minor options for elevation but mostly a flat, level path.

Amazing! I love this place. Park on Milwaukie Avenue to start at the top entrance and work your way through for maximum scenery and potential to see varied wildlife. Though just blocks from the main Sellwood area, it’s so serene and quiet in there, you’d never know it.
Great paths and trails to run, plus it connects with the Springwater Corridor (
), so if a workout and/​or travel further into Sellwood are what you’re after, you’re all set. A former rail corridor, you can walk straight down to Oaks Park, right to the train stop that still exists outside of the park down there. That’s one old-​ass train stop, and tell me, where else can you see our city birds, the blue Heron, within spittin’ distance of a rollercoaster?!
Grabbing a bench in the refuge for a bit will yield some awesome voyeur opportunities: both bird– and people-​watching alike. If you dip down into the corridor, keep going to end up at Sellwood’s Riverfront Park, another amazing spot in the gorgeous city of ours.

Oaks Bottom is a low key Portland style refuge which is ultra easy to get to. I often reach it from the Oaks Park parking lot. You can also find it from the Springwater Corridor, by foot from SE Portland, or from the parking area above or connections near the Portland Mausoleum.
There is a trail around a pond with plenty of wetland areas between the higher ground and the pond. I would suggest on leash in the more crowded times.
There are a few steep banks to the Willamette. Just note that there is a submerged culvert which brings water from the Willamette into the Oaks Bottom area. A friend was sucked in and died. We all think we are immortal, but that is a great reason to avoid swimming or sending your dogs in the Willamette River by Oaks Bottom.

I saw and identified my very first bald eagle in flight from Oaks Bottom. I looked up and said, «Wow, look at those two crows kicking that… eagle’s…ass.» It was such an exciting moment.
I also saw an osprey returning to its nest one day while its chicks squawked relentlessly, each hoping to get some of whatever was on the nest-​delivery menu that night.
Oaks Bottom is a natural treasure amidst our urban existence. There are so many song birds, birds of prey, and mammals to observe. I love that I can be in such a great place so quickly without leaving town. How have we managed not to screw this up?

Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is many things. A 140-​acre natural flood plain wetland existing within city limits. An ornithologist paradise. A quiet meditative car (e)-free stroll where the soul can commune with its surroundings. A hidden getaway just blocks away from Sellwood’s vibrant 13^th Ave.
Saved by the City of Portland from further development, this once (and still) landfill is now home to hawks, quail, pintails, mallards, coots, woodpeckers, kestrels, widgeons, and great blue herons (official city bird). Looming above the refuge’s far end, pictures of these avian inhabitants decorate the walls of the crematorium, a beacon of blue amidst the sea of green.
So go, enjoy this wonderful escape without escaping. Walk, bike, hike, relax, and still be home in time for dinner.

As I watch the TLB physically morph into a beautiful baby manufacturing lab, I’ve noticed a mental shift in my own psyche and a significant swing in my typical day to day activities. Weekends full of debase debauchery and depravity are now replaced with preparation for the future. Beer, bimbos and blow have been replaced with baby, birthing classes and boy names. Instead of staying up until 7 in the morning, I find that it is the time I tend to wake up. VIP lists have been replaced with to do lists.
Even the weekend long group sex sessions with Transylvanian adult movie stars, lubed up one legged midgets swingers and rabbit costumed furries, are sadly now a thing of the past.
Someone is all growns up. Or at least slowing traversing down that path of mature enlightenment.
Yet despite the slight drop in personal popularity and trips to the free clinic, I’ve taken this metamorphic stage in stride and started embracing the simple joys of life. You know, those pleasures that don’t involve hangovers, runny noses, chaffed body parts, police reports or lapses in memory.
So during the middle of a day scheduled for furniture shopping, selecting paint colors and getting in some yard work, the TLB and I took time out to enjoy the sun with a quick walk down by Oaks Park. We decided to head into to the Oaks Bottom Wildlife refuge, and for an peaceful hour forgot about of our hectic schedule and impending responsibilities, navigating the trails while being serenaded with the singing of the countless birds that make this refuge their home.
We wandered down by the water, quietly watching a pair of geese watch over their furry newborns taking their first swim. Time spent together exploring the trails, walking hand in hand and discussing the future. A time for getting back to the basics, while appreciating the beauty of this city we live in.
The Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is the perfect oasis of nature, centrally located and readily available to transport you from the mundane repetition of life’s minutia.
And as we headed out of the Oaks Park area, I noticed that for the first time in ages our urban hike didn’t involve stops at the Muddy Rudder or Oaks Bottom Public House. Yet on that day, no cold pint could replace the childhood joy of a perfect snow cone at Oaks Park after a summer hike, or the look of happy contentment beaming from the face of the TLB.
Crazed antics of depravity might not be completely gone, and certainly not forgot, but at this stage they are fewer and far between. There are new adventures to plan and new responsibilities to undertake.
Well, at least until those Transylvanian hookers can get their visas approved. Then all bets are off.

Just another reason why you’re lucky to be in Portland! This wetland area is so beautiful, and it is so rare to find a wetland like this in the middle of a city!
There are a variety of trails, take your pick! Be ready for muddy trails from time to time.
Some of the trails have been improved, there are now cool walkways and viewing areas! I see many trail improvements have been goin’ on here.
Watch for birds! You’ll often see Portland’s official bird, the Great Blue Heron! (Check the photos) Also there are mallards, woodpeckers, quail, geese and many others.
Two great things about this park…
1. There is an amusement park next door, just hike on over! Oaks Amusement Park is on the south side of the wetland area, on the river!
2. This trail area changes in appearance all thru the year! Every few months Oaks Bottom will shift to a completely different look! Truly an amazing place!
Here’s a link for more information: