Council Crest Park

It was a nice sunny winter day free of rain.
My friends and I decided to take their dog to Council Crest Park.
It’s very dog friendly and they have a leased and unleaded area for your four legged friend.
You can drive up to the park or you can hike up.
My friends weren’t in the mood for a hike so we drove up (I will definitely be back to hike up, it seemed like it would be challenging but fun).
There is limited parking up there so try not to come during peak hours.
The park has a beautiful view looking over Portland. It’s a nice place to just relax and walk around.
They have plaques all around taking about the park and random history tidbits about the different views.
Take a stroll, snap some pictures, and enjoy your day!

Council Crest Park is a beautiful park overlooking the city of Portland. It’s a great place to just sit and take in the scenery, especially of Mt. Hood. Parking can be pretty limited, so carpool for groups. Would be great if there were some comfort stations too, especially if you plan on hiking in the area, but that’s minor.
Definitely a great place to visit any time of year for the spectacular views!

Council Crest Park is a wonderful part of Portland. It can be traveled to by bus and by car. The view of the nearby mountains is impressive. A large circle is in the center allows so much to see in such a modest space.
I went here after my Thanksgiving meal. It was a delightful experience. There’s a drinking fountain and much to hike nearby. Cars can park on the right side of the incline towards the top. Several benches are there, including one right next to a pristine westward view.
A magical view awaits you.

The hike from the Marquam Shelter up to Council Crest is one of my favorites in the city and the view from the top is absolutely fantastic. I wanted to write this review to let folks know that if you intend to hike from Marquam Shelter, you might want to think about whether/​how you leave your car. This past weekend we and our friends left our cars in the parking lot at the Marquam shelter for ~2 hrs while we were hiking. When we returned, both of our cars had been vandalized (windows broken, bags inside stolen). I would recommend making it abundantly clear to would be thieves that there is nothing in your car worth stealing (leave no bags). Alternately, there is a gas station just a few hundred feet back down the road. They have paid parking there — it may be worth it. Don’t avoid this gorgeous hike — but avoid our mistakes!

This is a very welcome stop on the 4T’s Trail. Snap some photos and then enjoy the view with your friends, family, boyfriend, or dog! :)

Great viewpoint — can see all of the major summits on a clear day. We drove up, but would like to hike next time.

I take my dog to the off-​leash dog area about 3 – 5 x per week. Because it’s not fenced in, it tends to draw better behaved dogs and more attentive owners. Plus, you get a gorgeous view while watching your pup romp/​sniff around.
To be noted: the dog park is surrounded by a road up above and down below. Cars (especially on the weekend) can go by WAY beyond the speed limit. If your dog does not have a reliable recall off leash, I would not recommend this place. It is also very busy on the weekends (during the day), and it is distracting for the ‘learning’ pup when there are picnics and excited children running around.
In a nut shell: great off leash (none fenced-​in) dog park that is best suited for dogs with a reliable recall. Bring your own poop-​bags, they don’t have dispensers here (although sometimes people will leave extra bags near the sign).

The dog and I had a great time hiking up from the Marquam shelter. The shady trail was appreciated this sunny day. Up top we marveled over the unparalleled views and did our best to avoid other dogs. My guy is a shelter rescue pit bull and working on socializing. Note that many folks here ignore the off leash area and consider the entire park (and surrounding trails) fair game. Plan accordingly.

This was a great place in Portland to see all of the mountains! The drive up was through windy roads just outside of the city area and we passed gorgeous homes along the way. Once at the top, there is a small parking area and basically a circular area to stand in. From within the circular area there are strategically placed plaques that tell you which mountain you are looking at [from that angle] and a little bit about it. It was really neat and we got some awesome pics!

This is a great place to hike, run, or bring your dog.
In the Spring/​Summer time, there are a ton of Cherry Blossom trees and a great view up top.
I think I actually prefer it over Forest Park.

Someone showed me the secret spot to stand in order to experience an acoustic phenomenon. … it echos when you talk. So cool!

This was a great trail. Good workout and good trail for your dogs. Starting at Council Creek Park stay on the Marquam Trail down until you get to the Marquam trail shelter. You will find a 0.6 mile trail to OSUH. We didn’t follow it but it’s an option. The return trail to Council Creek park is 1.6 miles uphill! Enjoy :)

SO… we ATTEMPTED to go to this park yesterday (Sunday, Feb 22) to watch the sunset. It was beautiful!!! (We used the address Unilocal gives on their page for this park… it brings you to a residential street right next to the park. There are several trail entrances near as well just a little walk.) We brought our sweet pups. Who are not the best with other dogs when on a leash (Husky, mostly.) Thats why I emphasize attempted because we did not make it to the park but did 2 mi. of the trail near by but had to turn around due to it being so crowded…
The trails that we ventured on were very narrow and I wouldn’t recommend having your dog off leash unless they are super duper well behaved (several trails are right next to the road, end right before opening up to a road and are very narrow and have sharp turns and bends that you can’t see around) Also if your dog is semi aggressive I would highly suggest avoiding these trails during busy hours. However, you should not be limited to taking your pup adventuring just be responsible and hold your dog close to you when other dogs are near or approaching. As you hike deeper into the trail you run into less people and more room to let your pup roam freely just have them check back every so often.
The neighborhood is beautiful and for the most part, majority of the people in this area are very friendly.

The top of the world during the Portland Or 4T urban hike and it is worth it. The views are incredible, the journey to make it to the top is breathtaking and the journey down is just as fantistic. If you want a great experience find this location along the 4T urban hike. You won’t be disappointed.

Breathtaking views of the mountains and the sunset.
We took our dog for the off leash dog park and really enjoyed everything.
The #51 bus takes you right up there but make sure to leave by 7 when the last bus goes back down the hill. We ended up having to walk all the way back to Goose Hollow. Nice walk, just unexpected.

I searched the web for a good place to view a sunset in Portland and this came up. We are visiting from MN and love the sunsets there. We found this gem of a park on a clear summer evening and were not disappointed! You can see Mt Hood, Mt St Helens, Mt Adams, and I think Mt Rainier was also peeking out at the time. It was a very peaceful and rewarding evening.

This place is gorgeous.
According to the parks website, this is the highest point in Portland. It boasts an absolutely beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.
I came across this place the first time while doing the 4T trail through Portland when I was new to the city. Recently I was inspired to make any early drive out to check out the view during a sunrise. I would definitely recommend it. It was suuuuuper cold out (I guess we are in the middle of Fall), but the view with the colorful sky over the mountains made it worth it. If you’re coming out for the view, make sure it is on a clear day, or you won’t see much.
There is also an off-​leash area for dogs. The park opens at 5 AM, but the gates don’t open until 8 AM. Even though the gates are closed, the signs near the entrance state that you can park in the neighborhood streets after 5 AM, so you just have to walk a little farther.

I’d imagine this provides a beautiful sight at the top, but I couldn’t tell you because there was nothing but fog covering the scenery. What I can tell you is that plenty of people bring their dogs here and there are hiking trails for all you outdoorsy types out there. I was able to hear a woodpecker, but unfortunately, never saw it. Few bugs, few birds, few people. Peaceful, green, and refreshing.
Just be warned, it can be a little confusing to find the place. And once you get to the top, there are several «No Parking» signs. However, if you keep driving, you’ll feel like you’re driving in a circle. This is because you ARE driving in a circle! Not too sure where everyone parks…
There are NO public bathrooms along the trail, which is odd since the trail can stretch to approx. 4 miles (according to a sign). There are no trail markers that indicate how many miles you’ve trekked. Nor are the signs clear regarding which path you should take to continue on your current path when the trail is interrupted by roads. Also, watch out for fallen trees and super excited dogs.
If none of this bothers you too much, then check out the park! It’s great if you want to take a break from life and breathe in nature, or if you want to let your dog run loose and can trust your dog to return on its own.

ONE OF MY FAV PLACES IN PORTLAND
i wouldn’t suggest walking here since its SO HIGH UP. but as long as you can find a car you’ll get here to enjoy the beautiful view!!! (although there are a lot of trees so you don’t quite get a panoramic view)
i wish we had more time to walk through the trials in the pristine forest, but i don’t know where people park their cars if they walk these trails since there’s no real parking lot up here… we just parked on that one street that loops around this park, which was okay for the short term

To sum up Council Crest Park: Beautiful.
Definitely has the best view.
Definitely easy to get lost when driving there… kinda…but getting back can be a doozy as well. I’ve gotten lost a few times taking wrong turns on streets through the hill and ending up clear on the other side of Terwillager. Oh well.
Council crest isn’t a big park (or at least the main area on top of the hill isn’t) but you can use it as a starting or end point to a glorious hike.
Parking can be iffy as it’s in a round-​about and will certainly get crowded on the weekends.
Most recently some friends and I had a BBQ up here and had a great time.
Never found a bathroom though? Is there one? We finally found one lone trash can.
It can get windy up there. After all, you’re on one of the tallest hills… lots of trees.
The view is unbeatable though. It makes it all worth while!