Portland Stair Walks: Explore Portland, Oregon's Public Stairways
by Laura O. Foster Author
18 walking and biking adventures from 2 to 17 miles
Why is it so satisfying to walk up and down stairs? Maybe it's the new layer of discovery with each step up—a new far-off view and a new close-up look at the plants and buildings. Maybe it's the fleeting proximity one has to passing strangers. Maybe it's the great feeling of propelling yourself upward and then floating downward. Maybe it's the best workout you can get without putting on gym clothes. Whatever the reason, stairs are an excellent way to get yourself up or down a landscape, and Portland, Oregon has a whole lot of them built into our public sidewalk and trail infrastructures.
With Portland Stair Walks as your guide, you'll have 18 urban adventures on foot (or even bike) with:
- 142 staircases
- 22 hidden paths
- 26 bridges
- 2 tunnels
- 1 island
- 1 floating sidewalk
- 1 aerial tram
- and several beaches
And you'll enjoy views of:
- 2 rivers
- 16 river bridges
- 4 volcanos
- 3 creeks
- many city vistas
- and innumerable small details that make the city and its history come alive
Stair-loving pedestrians rejoice!
Watch our live interview with Laura about exploring Portland safely on foot during the pandemic:
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Comments & Reviews
"Any Portland hiker worth their Danner boots knows their way around Columbia River Gorge, Mount Hood, and Forest Park. But the wild areas tucked under Portland bridges, up stairways, and between office buildings? That’s the domain of Laura O. Foster, a longtime chronicler of urban hikes and the author of eight guidebooks set largely around the city."
https://www.pdxmonthly.com/articles/2019/3/26/an-expert-urban-hiker-shares-the-portland-parks-bridges-and-landmarks-you-need-to-see
Foster, who lives in Portland, shares plans for 18 walks that make the most of “Portland’s hundreds of public staircases, hidden pathways, and pedestrian/bike bridges.” Along these walks, ranging from 2 to 17 miles, readers will learn some local history, too.
https://www.booklistonline.com/Travel-Roundup-Spring-Travel-Guides-2019/pid=9716374