After Saturday's exploring in Portland proper, we took a slight detour and visited one of its largest outdoor getaways: Forest Park.
Throughout the morning I was thinking "park" would be equivalent to an open, grassy area with scattered trees, park benches, and people running around with kids and dogs. Perhaps a few hiking trails would venture into more forested areas, but for the most part, a park is a park, right?
Once again Portland seeks to surprise me. Forest Park is much less "Central Park" than it is "Olympic National Park." Forget open spaces and domestic families.... think mossy, tall trees, babbling streams, runners with dried mud on their calves and sweat on their foreheads, secluded walkways and hidden, mossy stone buildings. Though barely out of downtown, Forest Park felt far removed from the real world and I couldn't help but take photos at every turn. (This is part of what makes me a very slow hiker.)
A veritable fairy wonderland, we could have been plunked in the middle of Washington wilderness, but instead we were in downtown Portland and enjoying a beautiful day amid lush, mossy surroundings.
Take a walk with me.
