Mount Tabor Park

A gem of Portland.
We are SO fortunate that places like this were thoughtfully set aside by generations before us. Portland is a city of a great many parks scattered among it’s urban streets and endless residential neighborhoods.
This place is no exception. A fantastic view, lots of spots to find shade or sun, views or seclusion. It really is a park of many faces. Main access wanders you up through the park but I suggest driving up Belmont and parking on the back side and walking your way up and around… or even better, take an afternoon bike ride out and up to the top with a picnic in tow.
Big enough that even when it’s crowded there’s plenty of space for all of us to coexist!

Nice place with a great view over Portland. The picnic tables under a roof at the top is a great place for a lunch.

This is a well kept park with great views of Portland and some reservoirs. It’s a great place for exercise and relaxation.

Pretty park with great views of the city. Park is closed to vehicles on Wednesdays… Go figure. Of course that was the day we chose to visit, so if going on a Wednesday, plan to walk in, vs driving to your favorite spot.

Want a great park? You got it, lots of nice areas for… just about anything. My favorite picnic areas are all around the top. Great views up there. Drive up or enjoy the climb. its not that steep if you avoid the stairs.
There’s a lot of trees and wildlife. People watching is good here as well, I’m always impressed by the people riding their bikes UP. The dog parks are also intertaining… Dog watching is great here.
It’s not Portland’s largest park but its big enough to meet most of your park needs. Oh, and the big reservoirs are cool also. It’s a great break from the city.

What «can’t» you do here. It’s like a gateway mountain for the active community and thrill seekers alike. So… here is a list of random verbs to get your heart rate moving;
running, biking, carting, walking, bird watching, strolling, hiking, camping, reading, gazing, love making, kissing, playing, picnicking, geocaching, meeting, sledding, dog walking, exploring, drinking, eating, concert going, basketball, frisbee playing, getting lost, rock hunting, skate boarding, game playing, etc… But…
There is just one thing that is definitely forbidden: Just don’t piss in the reservoir!

Portland has the best parks ever. Mt. Tabor is at the top of the list! Sprawling beauty! Trails, tall trees and life everywhere! Water reservoirs are there for public viewing. Folks of all ages can enjoy a hike or still in this amazing gem. There is a play area for children, a few sites for bathrooms, many vista points &
Not to mention the site for the annual Adult Soap Box Derby races! (Speaking of ASBD… applications have opened for this year’s race!)
This park offers peace and serenity, exercise and fitness, recreation and relaxation!

Easily one of the top five parks in Portland. This park is on a volcano, is very large and facilitates a ton of activities including mountain biking, hill bombing, tennis and basketball. It also has a dog park. It’s a great place to take my dogs, whether or not we go to the dog park.

Love this park! Easy walks, relaxing, great views. Very dog friendly, though I did not see any poop bags or containers, so be sure to bring your own bags. Saw a play area for kids, basketball court, tons of trails, steps and even a couple of bathrooms throughout. If we lived closer, we would definitely come here more often.

I will always love Mt. Tabor. I grew up near here, and have many great memories going there over the years with people I love very much. Too much to write about…

If you’re looking for a view that overlooks the city, Mt. Tabor is it! Like other parks, it is very lush and green. There’s a small playground near the parking lot for kids to play in. You can hike/​jog up the paved trail, or just take a stroll in the grassy median. There were even some people practicing yoga and tai-​chi! There’s a water reservoir in the middle, and out past that is the view of the city. There aren’t any bathrooms, so if you do decide to do the hike, make sure you use the bathroom provided in the parking lot before you go.

Mount Tabor Park is a beautiful park (with some killer views). I didn’t realize that it’s actually a dormant volcano (thanks, Patrick W.!). The boy and I came by here on our journey through Portland, and did a quick walk-​around of the then-​empty water reservoir (I guess they were cleaning it?).
I envy the gorgeous homeowners who live literally within a stone’s throw of the park. It’s a very pro-​hiking/​biking/​dog-​walking/​relaxing area, and worth an hour of your time if you’re nearby.
Fun fact: there is no bathroom (at least that I could see), so keep that in mind before you drink a massive chai from Pip’s immediately before beginning your exploration of the park — you’ll thank me later.

Mt. Tabor is a dormant volcano. It is now a park and also has the reservoirs that provide the water to the city. I parked at one of the entrances at SE Yamhill St. and SE 69^th Avenue. However, there is plenty of parking inside the park. There are various levels of the park at different elevations. I started at the top section. There is a clearing with a lot of trees where you can relax. There is also a good view of the city but it is slightly obstructed by the trees. The best view of the city in the park is at the City of Portland Reservoir 5. Mt. Tabor Park is also a great place to exercise. There are paths to take laps at every level of the park (e.g. the reservoirs). You can also run up and down the steep staircases that connect levels.
If you are traveling the Portland area and looking for recommendations, please see

Beautiful park in Portland. There are not well-​defined trails here other than the main walkway. There are, however, beautiful views of the city from the park and you can enjoy hiking or a leisurely walk here.

Pretty great park for a day with the family, a run, a way to get the kids/​dogs out, etc. The trails are very well maintained and there is a mixture of hills and flat. There are alot of people out there so I felt pretty safe! There’s a gorgeous view over the resorvoir too, and so many different trails to choose from!

We are so lucky to have such a beautiful and accessible park smack in the middle of the eastside. I live nearby and go up here to hike/​walk around regularly. The views are spectacular (if a bit tree-​obscured) and there’s always people milling about with dogs and kids and bikes. Often on Sundays in nice weather there are people having bike/​skateboard/​rollerblade competitions on the smooth paved trails. It’s also the host of the annual Adult Soapbox Derby, of course. Huzzah for Mt Tabor, your friendly neighborhood extinct volcano!

Mount Tabor is not only a park, it is also a thrilling adventure. It is a large mountain with so much nature to be amazed with. There are more beautiful and, or centrally located parks, but this park is right near a typical neighborhood. Much of the fanfare in Mount Tabor is the result of it having a municipal reservoir. Ultimately, it is the combination of that water supply, many trails, a few drinking fountains and a wonderful view of Downtown Portland which makes this park so special.
I visited off of the number fifteen bus which landed me at 69^th & Yamhill Street. Then, I walked up the infamous stairs. Getting to the top was well worth the hassle. Right on top of that was a drinking fountain where I could somewhat easily fill my leftover tea bottle. There was a bunch of picnic benches in this calm scene which reminded me of my travels throughout this state. I dashed through and eventually I found some paths which sometimes intersect with another set of stairs.
After that, I walked down a path to the bottom. Be careful not to trip when walking on the slope downhill, perhaps you may want to turn as if you were a baseball player when you speed up too much. Then, I went near the first reservoir which I saw. It was okay, and after that, I walked near another. There was a small path past the famous reservior, our second and then it was down the steps to 60^th & Hawthorne for me. The only improvements could be some vending machines and more stairs at certain parts.
If this is par for the course of nature, we live in a wonderful world.

What a fantastic place to spend an afternoon in Portland (with a couple of books from Powell’s like my friend and I did!). It’s an easy hike up to a grassy area overlooking the water reservoir and the city. Such a tranquil and underrated part of Portland!
I highly recommend a low-​key afternoon or even morning here for Portland visitors or, for natives, a wonderful date spot.

I don’t know that there’s any other place I would want to be on a gorgeous day in Portland. Bring a blanket, a picnic, a lover, a friend, or a book! The grassy knolls are screaming for someone to lounge on them and the view of the city (while a little obstructed) is just enough to remind you you’re far from it. There was a faint sound of a drum circle above, which was quite appropriate for being at a park in Portland on a Monday.
There’s also a ton of trails to get the blood flowing, as well as a set of stairs that doesn’t look like much, but attempt to gain a little speed on those things and you’ll definitely need a second to catch your breath at the top.

Seven years and going strong. That’s how long I’ve been enjoying this park, and despite the uncountable number of times I have visited, I never seem to tire of it. There are trails and roads for hiking, walking, biking and everything in between. Large grassy areas for picnicking. Plenty of sunny spots if you want them, and a whole lot of shade from the stands of tall, massive trees that shroud the park. And a lot of green wherever you look. You can take it easy or ramp it up, with many meandering paths and quite a few steep, straight-​up-​the-​side trails. It’s a super versatile setup.
There are plenty of amenities on the hill. Basketball courts, tennis courts, a large and well-​equipped playground, dog park, benches with stunning views of downtown, and an amphitheater for summer concerts. Every Wednesday the park is closed to vehicles, so this makes it the best day of the week for enjoying the park free of annoying cars. In the summer months, there is a Tuesday night free concert series at the amphitheater that’s worth checking out and very family friendly.
The only thing this park could really use is to reopen the bathrooms up top. The lone honeybucket is not really an acceptable substitute. That said, there are other options around the park for shittin’, and plenty of trees to hide behind for doing the #1.
I’ve utilized this parking tons for walking and biking, as it provides some excellent and varied hills for hill work. For the steepest paved section, enter off the south side and snake up the road that rounds the SE corner. The pavement could use some work but that segment will get the heart pumping for sure. For stair work, the NE corner has a long staircase running from the NE entrance to the top. I see people punishing themselves on those stairs on the daily.
These days I’m in this park almost every day, and I can’t get enough.

Soooo beautiful. Best views of the city, in my opinion. Hiking trails are steep but the incline is gradual, so by the time you reach the top you feel more accomplished and less like a sweaty, out of breath, out of shape cow.