Kar Discover: June 2025

Carefree Time In Portland
6.7 South Portland Sunday 28 April, 2024

South Division

South Portland is a slim strip of land on the west side of the Willamette River, located south of downtown Portland. Bound by Interstate 5 and the Marquam Bridge to the north and the Sellwood Bridge to the south, South Portland encompasses the South Waterfront and Johns Landing neighborhoods.

Willamette Park is a 26.9-acre (10.9-ha) waterfront property.
Elizabeth Caruthers Park, named for an early pioneer woman who settled in the area, provides amenities including a rolling hill, a bocce court, public art, a "splash pad" and walking paths.

South Waterfront Greenway which is an urban walkway hugs the west bank of the Willamette River, offering a pleasant place to stroll along the water while enjoying public art and taking in city views.

Hop on the Portland Aerial Tram for bird’s-eye views of Bridgetown. Operated by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU), the tram runs daily between Marquam Hill and the South Waterfront. The trams — Jean on the north side and Walt on the south — are named in honor of Jean Richardson, the first female engineering graduate student at Oregon State University, and Walt Reynolds, the first Black person to graduate from the University of Oregon Medical School (known today as OHSU).

South Waterfront

The South Waterfront is a high-rise district under construction on former brownfield industrial land in the South Portland neighborhood south of downtown Portland, Oregon, U.S. It is one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in the United States. It is connected to downtown Portland by the Portland Streetcar and MAX Orange Line (at South Waterfront/SW Moody Station), and to the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) main campus atop Marquam Hill by the Portland Aerial Tram, as well as roads to Interstate 5 and Oregon Route 43.

The redeveloped South Waterfront is home to high-rises, Oregon Health & Sciences University buildings and Tilikum Crossing, a car-free bridge that lights up at night. The Portland Aerial Tram, which connects the waterfront with the OHSU campus, offers panoramic views. Dining options in the area include modern global eateries and local fast-food chains. Walking and cycling trails line the South Waterfront Greenway.

Portland Aerial Tram

South Waterfront Lower Tram Terminal
3303 S Bond Ave, Portland, OR 97239, United States
Portland Aerial Tram - Upper Terminal
2-16 SW Campus Dr, Portland, OR 97239, United States

https://www.gobytram.com/

The Portland Aerial Tram or OHSU Tram is an aerial tramway in Portland, Oregon, that connects the city's South Waterfront district and the main Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) campus, located in the Marquam Hill neighborhood. It is one of only two commuter aerial tramways in the United States, the other being New York City's Roosevelt Island Tramway. The tram travels a horizontal distance of 3,300 feet (1,000 m) and a vertical distance of 500 feet (152 m) in a ride that lasts three minutes.

A round-trip ticket costs US$8.50 but is free for OHSU patients and certain visitors; OHSU employees and students ride free by showing their ID badges.

South Waterfront Greenway
848 SW Curry St, Portland,
OR 97239, United States

https://www.portland.gov/parks/south-waterfront-greenway

The South Waterfront Greenway is a linear park and urban walkway along the Willamette River in the South Waterfront district of Portland, Oregon, in the United States.

South Waterfront Park
2001 S River Dr, Portland,
OR 97201, United States

https://www.portland.gov/parks/south-waterfront-park

South Waterfront Park is a 4.52-acre (1.83 ha) park in Portland, Oregon, United States. The park was acquired in 1999. Unique along the downtown riverfront, South Waterfront Park provides direct public access to the river throughout the year.

Marquam Hill

Marquam Hill is a populated hill located just south of Downtown Portland, Oregon, United States in the Homestead neighborhood. It is also called Pill Hill because it is home to Oregon Health & Science University, Portland VA Medical Center and Shriners Children's Portland.

Elizabeth Caruthers Park

3508 S Moody Avenue
Portland, Oregon

https://www.portland.gov/parks/elizabeth-caruthers-park

Caruthers Park, officially Elizabeth Caruthers Park, is a park located in South Waterfront, Portland, Oregon. Acquired in 2009, the park is named after Oregon pioneer Elizabeth Caruthers. The park includes a bocce court, public art, "splash pad", and unpaved paths.

Willamette Park
6500 S Macadam Ave, Portland,
OR 97219, United States

https://www.portland.gov/parks/willamette-park

Willamette Park is a city park of about 26 acres (11 ha) in south Portland, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located at Southwest Macadam Avenue and Nebraska Street, the park includes a boat dock and ramp, paved and unpaved paths, picnic areas, restrooms, a dog off-leash area, playground, soccer field, and tennis courts.
The park is an important regional destination with a variety of recreational functions. In addition, the park offers an un-programmed open lawn area for informal passive recreation and is a destination for cyclists on the Willamette Greenway Trail. The park is also an important component in the mosaic of habitat along the Willamette River, providing a valued greenspace experience.

Willamette Moorage Park
7720 S Macadam Ave.
Portland, OR 97219
https://www.portland.gov/parks/willamette-moorage-park

The park is situated at the confluence of Stephens Creek and the Willamette River. The confluence provides important rearing and refuge habitat for endangered chinook and coho salmon, steelhead trout, rainbow and cutthroat trout, and Pacific and brook lamprey. Major restorations efforts on the 3.5-acre Stephens Creek Confluence Habitat Enhancement Project were completed by the Bureau of Environmental Services in December 2008.

Butterfly Park Naturescape
7720 S Macadam Ave, Portland,
OR 97219, United States
https://www.portland.gov/parks/butterfly-park-naturescape

Butterfly Park is a city park of about 1 acre in Portland, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located at 7720 South Macadam Avenue, the park includes a natural area and walking paths near the Willamette River. The natural area provides important habitat for butterflies, including mourning cloaks and orange sulphur butterflies.

▲ Mourning cloak

▲ Orange sulphur

Duniway Park
SW 6th Ave &, SW Sheridan St, Portland,
OR 97201, United States
https://www.portland.gov/parks/duniway-park

Duniway Park is a 14.03-acre public park in southwest Portland, Oregon. The space was acquired in 1918. The highlight of this park is its running track. New lighting and other improvements will continue to make this a great place to run, walk, jump and play.

Duniway Park Lilac Garden
SW 6th Ave & SW Sheridan St,
Portland, OR 97201, United States
https://www.portlandpf.org/the-lilac-garden-at-duniway-park

The Lilac Garden in Duniway Park is a landfill over what was originally Marquam Gulch. The garden is surrounded by steep hillsides covered with fir and cedar - a wonderful backdrop for lilacs in bloom. There are currently about 225 plants in the garden. Included are over 125 varieties, mostly hybrids of Syringa vulgaris which bloom from late March to early May. Of special interest is a large Japanese Tree Lilac which blooms in June.

Sellwood Bridge
SW Sellwood Bridge, Portland,
OR 97202, United States
https://multco.us/info/sellwood-bridge

The Sellwood Bridge is a deck arch bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The current bridge opened in 2016 and replaced a 1925 span that had carried the same name. The original bridge was Portland's first fixed-span bridge and, being the only river crossing for miles in each direction, the busiest two-lane bridge in Oregon.

The Sellwood Bridge links the Sellwood and Westmoreland neighborhoods of Portland on the east side with Oregon Route 43/Macadam Avenue on the west side. At its east end it leads to Tacoma Street. The bridge is owned and operated by Multnomah County. The original span of 1925 was a steel truss bridge, while its 2016 replacement is a deck-arch-type bridge.