🌤 Weather at Willamette Stone State Heritage Site by season
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37–70 °F | 50–82 °F | 38–77 °F | 34–53 °F |
Each range runs from the coldest monthly average low to the warmest monthly average high in that season (1991-2020 climate normals), measured at Beaverton 2 SSW, 6 mi away, elevation 270 ft. Conditions at the park can differ from the station, especially where elevation differs — check a forecast before you go.
The Initial Point of the Willamette Meridian: every land survey and property description in Oregon and Washington is referenced to this small marker in Portland’s West Hills, first set as a cedar stake on June 4, 1851.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Off NW Skyline Boulevard, Portland, Oregon |
| Hours | Open for day use year round |
| Entry Fee | No day-use parking fee listed by Oregon State Parks (as of October 2026) |
| Size | 1.6 acres |
| Park phone | 503-636-9886 |
About Willamette Stone
Apart from parts of the eastern United States and Texas, the country is laid out in a grid of six-mile townships and ranges, and each part of that grid runs from one of 37 named principal meridians. Willamette Stone State Heritage Site protects the Initial Point of the Willamette Meridian, where the meridian crosses the Willamette Baseline. All land surveys and property descriptions in Oregon and Washington are referenced to this spot.
John B. Preston, the first Surveyor General of the Oregon Territory, had a red cedar stake set here on June 4, 1851. The Department of the Interior replaced it with a small stone obelisk in 1885. After that stone was vandalized in the 1980s, it was replaced with the marker you see today, and the site was re-dedicated in 1988 with new signs, information boards and an improved trail and parking area. The state acquired the 1.6-acre forest tract in 1945 to preserve the point.
Things to Do
This is a short stop rather than a hiking destination. From the small parking area, a short trail leads down a hill to the monument, where you can see and touch the marker and read the exhibits about how the Pacific Northwest was surveyed. Oregon State Parks lists exhibit information as the only amenity, so don’t expect restrooms or picnic tables.
The bronze plaque explains the reach of the lines that start here: the meridian runs north to the Canadian border and south to the California border, and the baseline runs east to the Idaho border and west to the Pacific Ocean.
Getting There
Located just off NW Skyline Boulevard in Portland’s West Hills, about four miles west of downtown. There is a small parking area, and the monument is a short walk down a hill from it.
Insider Tips
The original stone is gone: neither the 1851 cedar stake nor the 1885 obelisk survives at the site; the current marker came with the replacement project that ended in the 1988 re-dedication. County line: the northeast corner of Washington County sits on the marker. Pair it with a walk: Forest Park, with more than 80 miles of trails, lies less than 2 miles north of the site; drive to one of its trailheads.
Best Time to Visit
Year-round: The site is open for day use in every season. Combine: A stop here fits easily into a day of hiking in Forest Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a meridian stone?
In the Public Land Survey System, an initial point is the origin from which townships and ranges are measured. The Willamette Stone marks the initial point of the Willamette Meridian, one of 37 named principal meridians in the United States; every township, range and section in Oregon and Washington is measured from it.
Can you still see the original 1851 marker?
No. The first marker was a red cedar stake set in 1851, replaced by a stone obelisk in 1885; after vandalism in the 1980s the current marker was installed and the site was re-dedicated in 1988.
More parks nearby: Mary S. Young State Recreation Area is a short drive away. Government Island State Recreation Area, about 12 miles away in the Columbia River, can be reached only by boat.
🌲 Visit Willamette Stone State Heritage Site
Current conditions and notices from Oregon State Parks.
Wildlife & Nature
The site is a small forest tract of about 1.6 acres on a West Hills slope. For a longer walk in the West Hills forest, head to Forest Park, more than 5,100 acres of mostly second-growth forest on hillsides overlooking the Willamette River.
Nearby Attractions
Forest Park — less than 2 miles north, more than 80 miles of trails including the Wildwood Trail. Downtown Portland — about four miles east.
🐾 Dogs & Pets at Willamette Stone State Heritage Site
- Pets allowed? statewide rule
- Pets are welcome in Oregon state parks and on most ocean beaches but must be leashed except in designated off-leash areas.
- Leash rule statewide rule
- Leash no longer than 6 feet required in developed park areas
- Beaches & swim areas statewide rule
- Pets are allowed on most ocean beaches under direct control; western snowy plover nesting areas restrict pets March 15 - Sept. 15; leash required on the beach at some parks (e.g. Cape Lookout)
- Cabins & lodging statewide rule
- Designated pet-friendly yurts and cabins at many parks (South Beach has 14 pet-friendly yurts, Tugman 8); maximum two dogs and/or cats; $10 per night pet fee
- Pet fees statewide rule
- $10 per night for pet-friendly yurts/cabins; no pet fee for day use or campsites
- Statewide exceptions statewide rule
- Pets prohibited at Dabney SRA, the Trail of Ten Falls at Silver Falls, and Shore Acres; off-leash areas at Stub Stewart, Willamette Mission, Elijah Bristow, Cottonwood Canyon and LaPine
Are dogs allowed at Willamette Stone State Heritage Site?
Pets are welcome in Oregon state parks and on most ocean beaches but must be leashed except in designated off-leash areas. Individual parks can post stricter rules — check signage on arrival.
Rules verified July 2026 via stateparks.oregon.gov. More: Oregon state parks guide · Dog rules in all 50 states compared
Park Map
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