Evergreen Cemetery

«It doesn’t even feel like we’re in Portland!» I kept saying the deeper and deeper we walked into Evergreen Cemetery. This beautifully manicured space, steeped in rich history feels otherworldly… and, yet, busy traffic arteries of the city lie just outside the walls. I’ve only ever felt this way one other time before: walking from the streets of Dublin into the Trinity College grounds. The insanely busy world outside falls to a hush, and there’s this sense of peace and stillness. If you haven’t enjoyed Evergreen Cemetery yet… you are missing out. As one of my friends said, «If you love fall in Portland as much as you claim, you will walk Evergreen this week. Or it’s all lies.» (Looking at you, Cookie T)
There’s really only one way to describe Evergreen during foliage season: stunning, breath-​taking, inspiring. I guess that’s three ways, but you get the point. It’s obscene the amount of natural beauty happening here among the sad stories of death. There’s poetry there.
We weren’t quite sure how or what to explore when we came here until we found a sign near the office by the entrance that suggested points of interest. Snapping a photo of that and of the map of the grounds next to it, we spent hours walking around looking at The Valley of the Kings, the Baxter Family Monument, the Monolithic Rock, the ponds, and on and and and on.
I agree with what others have said… despite being a cemetery, this is an undiscovered gem in the city.

Yes, walking in a cemetery can be creepy but I choose to make it even creepier by compiling a list of future baby names from the headstones. And my dog really likes staring at the ducks. What can I say? We know how to have a good time. While we have gotten a little lost on the trails (not marked the greatest) we always have a good, brisk walk here.

I’m surprised I haven’t written a review yet… here goes:
This is a GORGEOUS place to walk, walk your dog on leash, enjoy some quiet time at the duck pond and you get to check out some cool headstones at the same time.
I recently started working on Warren Ave and I am sure anyone who knows that area know is it not friendly to foot or bike traffic. The sidewalks randomly start and stop and there is traffic whizzing by you stirring up dust and debris. Also, I had a woodchuck jump out at me under the overpass which caused me to jump to my left almost in to the line of 18 wheeler traffic. No thanks, I would like to get a walk in during my lunch break and come refreshed, not dead.
So speaking of the dead, I happened to stop at Evergreen one day as I was headed to Baxter Woods. I had heard friends talk about how nice it is to walk in there and well… it covers more ground and so I gave it a try.
Some of the roads are paved, some dirt and some are grass. Some of the street signs are being swallowed up by the trees they are attached to. Most people follow the dogs on leash rule, so if you are nervous around dogs, I recommend coming here instead of Baxter Woods. You will find more dogs off leash in the evening than the day time. Safety… There are people all over in this place, walkers, joggers, runners and employees. It is difficult to be completely out of sight of anyone as you walk through here during the day. Some UNE students lounge in the cemetery on breaks as well.
I try to get some miles in, but sometimes my attention is totally drawn to a headstone, like the one with Yoda on it, or the one that looks like a tractor trailer, or the ornate ones with names seen all over the city, Drinkwater, Baxter, etc. Then there are the markers for soldiers, ones that simply say BABY, and I have come to start looking and paying attention to the stones. It actually has me with a website already pulled up on my phone to help distinguish the meanings of a flower or symbol. It’s also interesting to see the names that are not very common anymore.
Friends of Evergreen have walking tours all Summer and I am very sad that I have not made it to one yet. I would really like to go to the next walk that they have on symbols… there are more than a few that I don’t know yet.
Best time to visit I think is the Fall. The trees are gorgeous with the fire oranges and reds and lovely yellows mixed with evergreens.
The perimeter of the paths will take you approximately 2.5 miles but you can certainly make this a much longer or shorter walk depending on your time. Time well spent I might add.

Evergreen cemetery is a mixture of national park and time capsule. It’s a mecca of dog walkers, joggers, walkers, hikers, bikers and of course mourners.
Similar to the valley of kings in Egypt rolling landscape prevents urban arrangement of graves. No right angles prevents predictable vistas. Around each hiill is a new neighborhood of memorials. Their are fire bells, pillars, chapels, above and below ground crypts. Each one with a snapshot of someone’s life.
Some parting thoughts.
The gates close at by 630, don’t get locked in!
Please pick up after your dog.
And please be respectful of all those resting here and those visiting them.

I discovered this place because of Ingress. Seriously, if you are Enlightened right now — this place is a sweet sweet green farm of goodies.
In between hacking portals, I would stop and just wander. This place is winding and gorgeous. The stones and monuments are old and weathered and lovely. And right now — oh boy, the fall colors are breathtaking. The place is on fire with fall. It’s a great place to walk and stroll — or even run and get a more serious work out (you do that, and tell me how that goes…).
This is one of the gems of Portland that I never heard anyone talk about. It took an augmented reality game for me to find it, and I am so glad it did.

It seems creepy to write a review about a cemetery. If you’re looking for a good place to walk and you don’t mind being surrounded by dead people, this is the place for you.
Evergreen Cemetery is huge! I had no idea how big it was until I got out of my car with my walking shoes on and began exploring. It just keeps going and going. There are a combination of paved roads and gravel paths. With no traffic and very few living people around, it’s perfect for talking a pleasant stroll. Down at the back of the cemetery, there are a series of small ponds that are currently housing a shit ton of ducks. The ducks don’t even seem afraid of people. I saw them crowding around a woman with a stroller and she wasn’t even feeding them.
Behind the cemetery are a series of walking trails that go out through woods. I wandered around back there for awhile until I got myself turned around and tried to find my way out. The trails are well marked and maintained.
Normally, I go for walks around Back Bay but lately I’m just not in the mood to deal with parking and crowds. The cemetery is peaceful and there are plenty of routes to take. I think it will become my go to walking place at least until the snow starts.