Portland has arguably the most beautiful landscape and backdrop of any city in the United States. With 9400 acres of parks, Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Hood as a backdrop and a downtown situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, Portland has a landscape that rivals any major US city.

*2000 US Census Bureau

*2000 US Census Bureau

*Sunset Magazine

Portland is located at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. When looking at a state map of Oregon you will find Portland at the upper left corner of the map, bordering Washington.

Portland City Layout -
Four Quadrants/Sections

Portland is laid out in quadrants. The north and south are divided by Burnside Street, while the east and west are divided by the Willamette River. So if you are North of Burnside and West of the Willamette River you are in “Northwest” Portland. The only exception to this rule is North Portland which is on the east side of the Willamette, but West of Northeast Portland.  You can get a good picture by viewing my Portland Neighborhood Map which breaks out the entire city by color coding each section.

Southwest Portland Geography
Southwest Portland is characterized by sloping hills running from the base of Downtown Portland (flat) to adjacent relatively flat suburbs such as Beaverton. If you prefer a network of curving roads which occasionally meet at a few larger thoroughfares the majority of which bring you up or down an incline of varying grades, Southwest Portland is for you. If you prefer a grid network of streets on a more flat geography, the east side of the Willamette is more to your taste.

Northwest Portland Geography
Northwest Portland like Southwest Portland runs from the flatter area adjacent to the Willamette River on to the West to a much hillier region as you move westward. Northwest Portland claims a portion of the “West Hills” as does Southwest Portland, however Northwest Portland runs both westward and northward at a higher, more constant elevation. Areas of Northwest Portland west of the “West Hills” feature more densely populated forests and the Country’s Largest City Park (Forest Park).

Northeast Portland Geography
Northeast Portland is on the east side of the Willamette and North of Burnside Street running up to PDX (The Portland Airport). The geography is characterized primarily by flat lands with homes and streets laid out on a grid network. The only exception to the flat geography of Northeast Portland is the Alameda Ridge which is about a 100 foot grade change featuring some of Portland’s most beautiful homes. The Alameda Ridge is one of the only areas on the east side where one can have a city view.

Southeast Portland Geography
Southeast Portland is very much like Northeast Portland when considering its geography and layout. The main exception is Mt. Tabor which is a beautiful Portland landmark rising above the flat eastside landscape. In Southeast Portland, Mt. Tabor is home to the only other city views on the eastside.

North Portland Geography
North Portland is adjacent to Northeast Portland and runs the course of the Willamette River north to Sauvie Island and the Columbia River. North Portland, unlike the other sections of Portland is bordered on two sides by water. The elevation of North Portland gradually rises moving north, however it is flat for the most part.

Suburban Geography
(Lake Oswego, Tigard, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Gresham)
Traveling south on the west side of the Willamette River you enter Lake Oswego, West Linn and further west, Tualatin and Tigard. All of these suburbs are, to some degree, composed of hills and a landscape inclusive of flat areas, meandering hillsides and a network of streets, thoroughfares and highways crisscrossing each other at numerous directions. The trees, as you move south, are plentiful in some areas growing into lush forests as far as cities like Oregon City.

Traveling west and northwest, you enter into Beaverton, Hillsboro, Forest Grove, North Plains and Banks. These areas are located in the Tualatin Plains which today includes less dense communities, more industrial areas and, in some cases, crops. If you were to continue on from these cities, you would enter into the Coastal Range which is nothing short of breathtaking.

If you were to travel east from Portland you would enter into cities such as Gresham, Milwaukie, Happy Valley, Troutdale, Damascus, Boring and Sandy. Moving eastward the elevation increases amidst primarily flat lands until you pass Sandy where you enter into National Forests and the Mt. Hood area.

The Bridges and the Mountains
Because a waterway intersects the city of Portland, we are home to a number of bridges. The exact number is often immediately apparent to anyone traveling through Portland from North to South or vice versa. Each bridge is, in its own way, very unique in both appearance and function. The overall aesthetic of Portland is something that I feel is unrivaled in almost any other city in the United States. At the backdrop of our bridges facing East and North are two of the most beautiful snow capped mountains in the lower 48 states. Mt Hood is an almost perfect example of natural symmetry and together with Mt. St. Helens, a giant volcano whose top alludes to its past, serves as a jaw dropping, natural landmark of Portland. In addition to these amazing mountains are Mt. Adams and Mt. Rainer to the North which on clear days complement the backdrops of the others.