Mary S. Young State Recreation Area

🏆🏆🏆🏆 128-acre forested park along the Willamette River in West Linn — old-growth Douglas fir and big-leaf maple with 4 miles of trails just 15 minutes from downtown Portland.

Visitor Information

About Mary S. Young

Mary S. Young State Recreation Area is an urban nature oasis along the Willamette River in West Linn, just south of Portland. The 160-acre park preserves one of the last significant stands of old-growth Douglas fir forest in the Portland metro area. Donated by Mary S. Young in 1941, the park offers a surprising wilderness experience within minutes of suburban shopping centers.

Things to Do

The park has several miles of hiking trails winding through old-growth and second-growth forest, with access to the Willamette River shoreline. Birdwatching is excellent — the old-growth trees attract pileated woodpeckers, great horned owls, and bald eagles. A disc golf course winds through the forest. The riverside area offers fishing access for spring chinook salmon and summer steelhead. Dogs are welcome on leash.

Getting There

Located at 19900 Willamette Drive (Highway 43) in West Linn, approximately 10 miles south of downtown Portland. Free to visit — no day-use fees.

About Mary S. Young

Mary S. Young State Recreation Area in West Linn provides 128 acres of forested parkland along the Willamette River within the Portland metropolitan area. The park preserves a significant tract of Douglas fir and bigleaf maple forest with trails leading to river access. Bald eagles nest in the tall firs along the river.

Things to Do

Hiking through the forested trails, birdwatching for bald eagles and ospreys, fishing in the Willamette River, disc golf, picnicking, and enjoying a wild forest park within Portland’s metro area.

Insider Tips

Urban nature: Mary S. Young offers 160 acres of old-growth Douglas fir forest inside the Portland metro — one of the last remaining old-growth stands in the urban area. Pro tip: The trail to the Willamette River bluff offers views of Mount Hood on clear days. Birding: The old-growth attracts pileated woodpeckers — look for rectangular feeding excavations in dead trees.

Best Time to Visit

Spring: Trilliums carpet the forest floor. Fall: Big-leaf maple turns golden. Summer: Cool forest shade. Winter: Quiet birding — owls are more vocal in winter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there old-growth forest in Portland?

Yes — a few small stands survive, including Mary S. Young and Forest Park’s Balch Creek area. These urban old-growth fragments are irreplaceable — the 200-500 year old trees support species (pileated woodpeckers, flying squirrels, red tree voles) that cannot survive in younger forests.

Wildlife & Nature

Mary S. Young State Recreation Area — 128 acres of forested bluffs and trails overlooking the Willamette River — provides nature access within the Portland metropolitan area. The park’s second-growth Douglas fir and bigleaf maple forest demonstrates how quickly Pacific Northwest forests can recover from logging. The park supports populations of pileated woodpeckers, Cooper’s hawks, and great horned owls — large predators that have adapted to suburban-adjacent forest fragments. Native wildflowers — including trillium, bleeding heart, and Oregon grape (the state flower) — carpet the forest floor in spring. The Willamette River through this section supports spring Chinook salmon runs returning to upstream spawning grounds. River otters are occasionally seen from the bluff trails.

Nearby Attractions

West Linn offers Willamette Falls — the second-largest waterfall by volume in the US (after Niagara). Oregon City — the “End of the Oregon Trail” — has a free Municipal Elevator connecting upper and lower towns. Camassia Natural Area (The Nature Conservancy) preserves camas meadows. Maddax Woods provides old-growth forest hiking. Lake Oswego offers shopping and dining. Portland — 10 miles north — has world-class food, craft beer, and cultural attractions. Tryon Creek State Natural Area in Portland provides urban forest walking.