Red Arrow Guide to Portland, Oregon
I’ve been training in Portland for over a decade, and I’m often asked about where to find great places to swim, bike, and run. No matter what you’re looking for, Portland probably has it. The city is neatly situated within striking distance of ocean, lakes, rivers, and mountains, and there is active fun to be had everywhere. While this guide is by no means exhaustive, I wanted to give folks a few ideas on where to find training opportunities when you’re in the Rose City.
Mt. Hood in the spring
Swimming
Portland is lucky to have a large number of Parks & Recreation pools that are open to the public and have workable lap swim hours. Lots of swimmers head to Matt Dishman, which is conveniently located in close-in NE. Lanes can get crowded, so consider checking out one of their farther afield locations, such as the East Portland Community Center. If you are visiting in the summer, take a look at the outdoor pools the park department operates. Mt. Hood Community College also offers public lap swim in their outdoor Olympic sized pool!
Swimming in the Willamette, not at all gross!
Open water locations are also abundant – don’t be put off by the Willamette River’s… reputation. Unless the city has had a big rainfall recently, the water is typically clean enough for recreation. The river is BUSY with boat traffic and revelry, so I highly recommend joining up with a local group for a swim. Check out The River Huggers, a very cool local group that builds visibility and awareness of the Willamette River’s revival. They hold regular swims throughout the summer – makes sure you check out their schedule and policies before attending a meetup. Other great options in the area include Vancouver Lake (go early in the summer before the algae blooms) and Hagg Lake (go early in the day before the crowds show up).
Biking
Portland is a lot of fun on two wheels
Portland is pretty much paradise for bicycles, and there are tons of options for fun on two wheels. If you have a road bike, consider heading out to the Gorge for a ride up on the Historic Columbia River Highway (do not miss the sundaes at Sugarpine Drive In for post-ride refueling). If you were hoping for something a little more unpaved, you can take your gravel bike on Leif Erickson in Forest Park or out to Scappoose for a ride on the Crown Zellerbach trail. Feeling more adventurous? Our Mother The Mountain maintains an excellent website with truly stunning routes of varying distances and difficulty. Didn’t bring your bike to town? Cyclepath has a fleet of excellent gravel, road, and mountain bikes!
Running
Running routes are also basically endless in this city, so I’ll just limit this to my favorites. For road running, I would head to the waterfront loop. You can create routes of 2-11 miles by utilizing the easy crossing over the Steel, Hawthorne, and Sellwood bridges. If you were hoping for more nature and trails, head to Forest Park and jump on the iconic Wildwood Trail, which meanders through the westside for 32 miles.
Springwater runners
Wherever you end up, we hope you enjoy the city! There are lots of adventures to be had and LOTS of places to refuel when you’re finished exploring.
