Hoyt Arboretum’s grounds are open from 5am to 10pm daily. There is no admission fee and is free and open to the public to visit every day of the year.

General Arrival and Visitor Center Accessibility

We recommend starting your Hoyt Arboretum visit at the Visitor Center.
4000 SW Fairview Blvd, Portland, OR 97221
Open daily from 10am – 4pm

The Visitor Center can be accessed from the main parking area via stairs or a ramp.

A concrete courtyard with stairs and a paved ramp pathway down from the parking area. There are plantings and trees in areas surrounding the path including an alpine rock garden that is roped off. — Stairs and ramp leading to the Visitor Center Courtyard from the main parking lot.

You can also enter the Visitor Center Courtyard from Fairview Blvd.

A view of the visitor cetner courtyard facing the front doors of the building from the road via a wide paved path with a large ginkgo tree to the left. — Entrance to the Visitor Center Courtyard from Fairview Blvd.

Available at the Visitor Center

Free paper Trail Maps in English and Spanish are available in the courtyard and inside the building. Please consider using our digital map during your visit, or returning your paper map once you are done with it.

Glass front doors to a building with a t-shirt rack outside to the left, a brochure rack with maps to the right, and a bulletin display on the wall to the right of the doors. There is a sign in the front door that says "open". — The front doors to the Visitor Center.

During open hours (10am-4pm), staff and volunteers are at the front desk to help you find your way and provide suggestions for where to go and what to see during your visit. Snacks, cold drinks, and nature-themed gifts are available for purchase inside. All sales support Hoyt Arboretum Friends programs.

A smiling man wearing a red hat and a green long-sleeve t-shirt with a grey beard and glasses stands behind a desk with his hands clasped in front of him. He has a name tag on that reads "John". There are shirts, bags, gifts, and decorative tree images in the shop around him. — Volunteer John at the front desk in the Visitor Center.

There are 2 all-gender bathrooms in the Visitor Center Courtyard that are unlocked by park rangers around 7am and closed around 9pm. The bathroom on the right is wheelchair accessible.

A picture in the Visitor Center courtyard of the 2 all gender bathroom doors and drinking fountains to the left of the doors. — 2 all-gender bathrooms and drinking fountains available in the Visitor Center Courtyard.

A picture of the inside of the wheelchair accessible bathroom in the Visitor Center Courtyard. It shows the area around the toilet and grab bars. — Inside the wheelchair accessible bathroom on the right side.

There are also 2 drinking fountains and 1 dog water fountain available in the courtyard. Dogs are welcome anywhere in the park as long as they are on leash.

2 drinking fountains, the one on the left is higher than the one on the right. To the right of both fountains is a rock dog bowl with a water spout above for filling. — Human and dog drinking fountains in the Visitor Center Courtyard to the left of the bathrooms.

The Visitor Center Courtyard has 2 large benches and a low wall for resting.

side-by-side images of resting areas in the Visitor Center Courtyard including a low, straight wooden bench directly across from a low rock wall, and a curved bench off to the left closer to the building next to a bike rack. — Benches and a low rock wall for resting in the Visitor Center Courtyard.

Preview the Visitor Center Amenities

For more information about trails and trail usability at Hoyt Arboretum, view our Trails Page.

Getting to Hoyt Arboretum

Located in Washington Park, Hoyt Arboretum is two miles from downtown Portland and can be accessed by car, public transit, walking, or biking. For more information on planning travel to and around Washington Park, please visit Explore Washington Park.

Arrive by Car

There are two pay-to-park lots at the Visitor Center and one by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Parking costs $2.52/hour or $15.12/day and is enforced from 9:30am to 8pm daily, including holidays. Meters take credit cards and coins, or use Parking Kitty to pay with your phone. Beware of scam parking kitty websites and download the app to keep your information safe.

Accessible Parking Spaces

The large lot on Fairview Blvd has 2 accessible parking spaces with an access aisle in between. This parking lot is connected to the Visitor Center Courtyard via stairs and a ramp.

The small lot on Fairview Blvd has 1 accessible parking space with access aisle on the right-hand side. This lot connects to the Visitor Center Courtyard via sidewalks and a crosswalk.

An accessible parking space with an access aisle on the right. There is a sidewalk path starting at the access aisle leading to a crosswalk on Fairview Blvd at the entrance to the Visitor Center Courtyard. — Accessible parking space in the small lot across Fairview Blvd from the Visitor Center.

The small lot on Fischer Ln at the Bristlecone Pine Trailhead has 2 accessible spaces with an access aisle in between. This lot provides direct access to the paved section of Bristlecone Pine Trail, but does not connect to paved trail systems leading to the Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center and other amenities.

A small parking lot at the Bristlecone Pine Trailhead with 4 total parking spots including 2 that are accessible with an access aisles on either side. — Small parking area on Fischer Lane near the Bristlecone Pine Trailhead.

General Notes About Parking

Once your car is parked, you cannot move and repark in other lots in Washington Park without repaying. Travel to other destinations in Washington Park using the Explore Washington Park Free Shuttle.

Additional parking is also available in areas along Fairview Blvd, at trailheads on SW Fischer Ln and SW Fairview Blvd, and by the Winter Garden. Please look carefully for “No Parking” signs along park roads. Parking in these areas can result in a citation.

Arrive by Public Transit

Ride the MAX light rail blue or red line to the Washington Park MAX Station, located underground, and take the elevator to the surface. From there, access Hoyt Arboretum’s trails just a few hundred yards away near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, or take the Washington Park Free Shuttle to the Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center.

An image of a big grey building with an elevator, directional signs for the MAX Red-Blue Line and a public bus pulling up on the right. — The Washington Park Transit Station.

Take TriMet Bus Line 63 to Washington Park. The route will provides direct service between Washington Park’s north end – near the International Rose Test Garden and Portland Japanese Garden – and Pioneer Courthouse Square on SW 6th & Yamhill daily on the hour, every hour from 10 am-6 pm.

The Washington Park Free Shuttle

The Washington Park Free Shuttle loops around the whole park and stops in front of the Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center.

An image of the free shuttle stop in front of the Visitor Center. The stop is marked with a post and is next to a wooden bench. — The Free Shuttle stop in front of the Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center.

Shuttles run every 15 to 30 minutes from 9:30 am – 7 pm April through September, and 10am – 4pm October through March. All Washington Park Shuttles are wheelchair accessible. Learn more about the shuttle in real time.

A small bus with a graphic that reads washington park on the back and has "washington park free shuttle" on the side pulling up the Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center. — The Washington Park Free Shuttle.

Reduced Cost and Free Transportation Resources

Our friends at Explore Washington Park offer many free and budget friendly resources to the Portland-area community for transportation to Washington Park (including Hoyt Arboretum). To learn more about these programs, please visit the Budget Friendly Resources page on their website.

Rideshare

For visitors using Lyft or Uber, a rideshare pick-up/drop-off zone is located directly across the street from Hoyt Arboretum’s Visitor Center in the small pay-to-park lot on SW Fairview Blvd.

By Walking

From the Washington Park MAX Station, it is a ½-mile walk along the Overlook Trail to reach the Visitor Center. You can also walk to the Arboretum from the Portland Japanese Garden and International Rose Test Garden via the Garden Connector Trail and the Wildwood Trail. Another option is to walk to Hoyt Arboretum from Pittock Mansion using the Wildwood Trail and the Barbara Walker Crossing.

By Biking

Both TriMet MAX light rail and buses allow passengers to transport bicycles. From the Washington Park MAX Station, ride up SW Knights Blvd to SW Fairview Blvd and turn right for the Visitor Center. From the Portland Japanese Garden and the International Rose Test Garden, head north on SW Kingston Ave and turn left onto SW Fairview Blvd for a 1 ½-mile uphill ride to the Visitor Center. Please note that bicycles are not permitted on Hoyt Arboretum’s trails.

side-by side images of blue bike racks. The one on the left shows 3 bike racks in a parking lot, and the one on the left shows 1 bike rack next to a curved bench. — There are 3 bike racks in the parking lot on Fairview Blvd across from the Visitor Center and 1 bike rack next to the curved bench in the Visitor Center Courtyard.

Things to Do

Simply hiking the Arboretum trails is an educational and visual experience, but we also offer a variety of programs to help visitors deepen their knowledge of trees and botany and meet fellow nature-lovers in the community. Guided tours and hikes are a great way to learn about trees in small portions. Take a class to hone skills in topics like conifer or bird identification, botanical illustration, or learn about plant evolution. For kids and families, we offer ongoing programs like preschool walks and Family Forest Days, as well as special events.

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Park Regulations

For an enjoyable visit and to make the Arboretum a safe place for all visitors, plants, and wildlife, please follow these guidelines:

Bikes, scooters, and skateboards must remain on roads.
Motorized vehicles are not permitted on trails, with the exception of mobility devices like scooters and wheelchairs for people with disabilities.
Dogs must always be on leash; pet waste must be removed immediately.
Hoyt Arboretum is smoke and tobacco free; alcohol at permitted events only.
To protect Hoyt’s trees, no tree climbing, hammocks, or slacklines.
No foraging; leave plants, animals, and other natural features for all visitors to enjoy.
No fires, camping, or drones.

Tips for a Safe Visit

Be Aware and Report Problems

You can help keep our parks and natural areas safe by reporting concerns or problems. Common safety tips our Park Rangers provide to our visitors, include:

Being aware of your surroundings and keeping your belongings with you.
Park Rangers can help solve user conflicts, permit issues, and more. Call Park Rangers dispatch at 503-823-1637.
Keep your cell phone handy. If yours or other visitors’ safety is threatened, call 911 immediately.

Remove Valuables From Your Car

Remove all valuables and bags when leaving your vehicle. Before reaching your destination store them in the trunk if you cannot take them with you. Please note that there is no luggage storage at Hoyt Arboretum or Washington Park.
Close vehicle windows and lock vehicle doors every time.
Keep unused chargers and accessories in your glove box.
Be observant when you exit or enter your parked vehicle, stop and take a look around the area. Report any suspicious activity to park rangers or the police.

Coyotes at Hoyt Arboretum

Hoyt Arboretum is a public Portland Park that serves as important habitat for local wildlife. Portland Parks & Recreation follows guidance from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife when addressing wildlife like Coyotes in Portland’s natural areas and neighborhoods.

It’s common to see coyotes in natural areas, even during daylight hours, because they are highly adaptable to urban environments.

You can help keep our natural areas safe for people and wildlife by following a few simple practices:

Supervise young children and keep pets on a leash.
Keep cats indoors. This also helps protect Portland’s native bird populations.
If a coyote approaches, make loud noises, such as clapping or shouting, to scare it away.
Report any coyote sightings.