Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, on the border of Oregon and Washington, Portland is the ideal starting point for a Pacific Northwest national parks road trip. This outdoorsy, eco-friendly city offers easy access to some of the greatest U.S. national parks.
In this blog post, I talk about the most accessible national parks near Portland, Oregon. My definition of “national parks” is pretty broad here, including all kinds of National Park Service Sites.
So, whether you’d like to go for a quick drive to a historic site or a long road trip to an epic mountain park in the Pacific Northwest, Portland is a fantastic starting point and/or base.
8 Best National Parks Near Portland, Oregon
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Below, you’ll find the best national parks around Portland, located 5 hours or less by car from Oregon’s largest city.
Including both national parks in Oregon and Washington, I’ve listed them by distance / driving time from Portland.
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Oregon and Washington
Portland to Fort Vancouver National Historic Site: 10 miles / 20 minutes
Situated on the Columbia River’s northern bank in Vancouver, Washington, just across the river from Portland, Oregon, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site highlights the story of pioneers, settlers, Native Americans and explorers.
The closest National Park Service unit to Portland, it’s located at the site of the 19th-century headquarters of the Columbia Department of the Hudson’s Bay Company. This former frontier fur trading post grew into a powerful military fort.
Named after Captain George Vancouver, it was an important crossroads of multiple trade routes, including those coming overland from the East Coast, ships from places as varied as Britain and China, and several Native American trails.
Nowadays, the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site has a full-scale replica of the fort, including buildings like a carpenter shop, bakery, blacksmith shop and kitchen.
The park also includes the McLoughlin House in Oregon City, just south of Portland. This historic home was the residence of John McLoughlin, the chief factor and overseer of Fort Vancouver’s fur trading operations between 1825 and 1845.
He was also a skilled physician who offered help to exhausted and often-famished travelers who arrived at Fort Vancouver after the arduous journey along the Oregon Trail.
McLoughlin took up residence in this house after his retirement from the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1846, after which he became a community leader and mayor of Oregon City.
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Oregon
Portland to Lewis and Clark National Historical Park: 95 miles / 2 hours
Retelling the story of arguably America’s most famous pair of homegrown explorers, this multi-unit park consists of several sites along both the Pacific Coast and the Columbia River.
Along the beautiful northern Oregon coast lies Fort Clatsop, the main unit of Lewis and Clark National Historical Park.
After reaching the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Columbia River, Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery spent the winter of 1805-1806 at Fort Clatsop before embarking on their return trip.
The Fort Clatsop unit now includes a replica of the original Fort Clatsop, as well as a bookstore, theater and exhibition room.
Near Fort Clatsop, you’ll also find the Fort to Sea Trail, a 6.1-mile-long trail from the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center to the Pacific Coast at Sunset Beach.
It’s definitely worth mentioning that Lewis and Clark National Historical Park also commemorates the rich heritage of Native Americans who once lived on the majestic coasts and in the pristine rain forests of Washington and Oregon.
If you’re looking for Oregon national parks along the Oregon Coast, this is an absolute must-visit destination.
Additionally, there are also a few nearby state historical parks related to the Lewis and Clark Expedition, most notably Ecola State Park in Cannon Beach (pictured above) and Fort Stevens State Park near Astoria.
Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
Portland to Mount Rainier National Park: 140 miles / 2 hours 30 minutes
Rising 14,410 feet toward the cloudy Pacific Northwest sky, Mount Rainier dominates the landscape in central Washington State.
This is the nearest national park to Portland, Oregon and, on clear days, the mountain is even visible from Portland.
Moreover, this mighty mountain is so prominent that it’s an integral part of the skyline of Seattle (again on clear days).
Mount Rainier National Park encompasses everything from old-growth forests to gorgeous subalpine wildflower meadows to spectacular waterfalls. While Rainier might be the star of the show, I highly recommend exploring some of its other ecosystems as well.
The huge, ancient trees in the Grove of the Patriarchs are absolutely worth seeing, while the summer wildflowers at Paradise in Mount Rainier National Park are nothing short of breathtaking.
Hiking the Skyline Trail Loop is the best way to explore this wonderful alpine area. This spectacular trail offers unobstructed views of Mount Rainier, beautiful meadows, wildlife sightings and passes by gorgeous Myrtle Falls.
The drive from Portland to Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park may take about 2.5 hours, but it’s oh-so worth it—even for a day trip. It’s also a key destination on an epic Pacific Northwest national parks road trip!
If you’re spending the night, which you really should, you’ll have much more time to explore other areas in the park and hit some of the Mount Rainier trails.
Also make sure to visit Tipsoo Lake, which is amazing in the fall, and the Sunrise Area, home to a wide variety of hiking trails.
More About Mount Rainier National Park
- Park Website
- Travel Guide
- Topographic Map
- Best Mount Rainier Hikes
- Best Wildflower Hikes at Mount Rainier
- Top Things To Do in Mount Rainier National Park
- Best Views of Mount Rainier
- Accommodation
Olympic National Park, Washington
Portland to Olympic National Park: 180 miles / 3 hours 30 minutes
Olympic National Park in northwestern Washington State is exceptionally diverse, both in terms of natural scenery as well as fauna and flora. In fact, it encompasses three distinct ecosystems—“three parks in one.”
This extraordinary biodiversity is why it’s been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve.
Even though it is only 3.5 hours north of Portland and even closer to Seattle, Olympic is one of the last truly wild areas in the continental U.S. The park comprises of nearly a million acres of mountains, rain forests and coastline, which are its three main ecosystems. Several easy hiking trails allow you to explore these gorgeous places at your own pace.
There are numerous highlights and places of interest in this large national park. Because there’s no road through the park—you basically have to travel around it on U.S. Highway 101—, it takes a while to see Olympic National Park’s main attractions.
I recommend spending at least three days and three nights in this epic park, which is probably my favorite of all U.S. national parks.
If you’re visiting Portland and you only have time to visit one of the national parks near Portland, Oregon, I suggest Olympic National Park.
The nearest part of the park to Portland is Lake Quinault, which is surrounded by gorgeous rain forest scenery and lots of accommodation options, in the amazing Lake Quinault Lodge.
More About Olympic National Park
- Park Website
- Travel Guide
- Topographic Map
- Best Olympic Hikes
- Top Things To Do in Olympic National Park
- Accommodation
Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Portland to Crater Lake National Park: 235 miles / 4 hours
Oregon’s only national park, Crater Lake National Park lies about 4 hours south of Portland. An awe-inspiring, glorious park, it’s centered on eponymous Crater Lake.
This water-filled caldera was created after the massive eruption and collapse of Mount Mazama, once a mighty volcano in the Pacific Northwest, about 7,700 years ago. Although its origins are undeniably violent, Crater Lake is now a prime example of peacefulness and tranquility.
Dependent entirely on rainfall and snow melt as its water sources, the lake has some of the cleanest, and clearest water of any North American lake.
Additionally, it’s also the deepest lake in the U.S.—it’s average depth is 1,943 feet (592 meters). The water surface is usually perfectly still, too, which results in stunning reflections of the caldera walls around it.
That ripple-less water often reflects a blue sky, making it “the bluest lake on earth”, while at night it twinkles with the lights of a thousand stars.
Major highlights include driving the scenic Rim Drive, doing some amazing Crater lake hikes along the rim, and having lunch at Crater Lake Lodge, one of the greatest national park lodges.
This national park near Portland, Oregon is ideal if you’d also like to explore the rest of the state. By driving down the spectacular Pacific Coast Scenic Byway and swinging back north via Bend, Smith Rock and Mt. Hood, you can create an epic Oregon road trip.
More About Crater Lake National Park
- Park Website
- Travel Guide
- Topographic Map
- Best Crater Lake Hikes
- Top Things To Do in Crater Lake National Park
- Viewpoints
- Accommodation
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon
Portland to John Day Fossil Beds National Monument: 230 miles / 4 hours 30 minutes
Just like Crater Lake National Park and the Columbia River Gorge, John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is one of the Seven Wonders of Oregon.
It’s unlike anything you might imagine when you think about Oregon—which is most likely wild coasts, thundering waterfalls, rain clouds and pine forests.
There’s also an entirely different side to this large state in the American West, though.
Located in north-central Oregon, 4.5 hours by car from Portland, this landscape of canyons and cliffs, desert plains and multi-colored badlands is spectacular.
As its name implies, it’s preserved mainly for its phenomenal fossil collections. Its fossil record spans no fewer than 40 million years and includes fossils of countless plants and animals, as well as evidence of ancient climate change.
The most famous unit in John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is the Painted Hills Unit, which features stunning colored hills.
Other units are the Clarno Unit and Sheep Rock Unit. Each unit has trails that allow you see these amazing landscapes from up close and learn more about the fossils found here.
There aren’t too many national parks in Oregon, but places like John Day Fossil Beds and Crater Lake are nothing short of extraordinary.
Tip: If you’re driving to John Day Fossil Beds from Portland via Bend and you have a couple of extra days, I highly recommend exploring Deschutes National Forest, too. Especially the Cascade Lakes area and Newberry National Volcanic Monument are spectacular!
Oregon Caves National Monument, Oregon
Portland to Oregon Caves National Monument: 290 miles / 4 hours 45 minutes
Located deep within southern Oregon’s Siskiyou Mountains lie the renowned Oregon Caves.
This is a great side trip if you’re visiting Crater Lake National Park or other national parks or forests in southern Oregon. Additionally, it’s also part of the “Circle of Discovery” driving route, an amazing national parks road trip that includes all NPS sites in southern Oregon and northern California.
These “Marble Halls of Oregon” are home to spectacular marble formations and passageways, a major tourist attraction in this remote part of the Pacific Northwest.
Cave tours are the obvious top attraction here. They range from Discovery Cave Tours and Candlelight Cave Tours to Kids and Family Tours. Experienced speleologists can go on off-trail cave explorations, too.
North Cascades National Park, Washington
Portland to North Cascades National Park: 280 miles / 5 hours
Located five hours north of Portland (and a couple of hours from Seattle), North Cascades National Park is one of the wildest and least-visited national parks in the contiguous United States.
Here, wild rivers cut their ways through steep and narrow valleys, while countless glaciers flow down mountain peaks. Wildflowers carpet alpine meadows in the short summer season, while wildlife, such as marmots, wolverines, pikas, mountain goats, black bears and the occasional grizzly bear, roam the slopes.
The North Cascades National Park Complex consists of three adjacent National Park Service units: Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area and North Cascades National Park itself. No less than 94% of this spectacular complex is designated wilderness.
The two national recreation areas are the most popular and easiest-to-access parts of the complex. They are home to paved roads, campgrounds and visitor facilities.
The national park, on the other hand, is a truly wild place. Accessible via just one (partially) unpaved road, this is where you’ll find epic hiking trails, magnificent alpine landscapes and abundant wildlife.
In addition to the wilderness, the North Cascades also have several man-made features. The most visible are the hydropower dams on the Skagit River, which have created Gorge Lake, Ross Lake and spectacular Diablo Lake.
The remote lake town of Stehekin, on the other hand, sits on the north shore of Lake Chelan and is only reachable via boat, floatplane or on foot.
More About North Cascades National Park
- Park Website
- Travel Guide
- Topographic Map
- Top Things To Do in North Cascades National Park
- Accommodation
Map of the Best National Parks Near Portland, Oregon
The following map shows the general locations of all the National Park Service sites, including national parks, near Portland, Oregon, that are mentioned above.
Have You Ever Been on a National Parks Road Trip from Portland, Oregon? Which National Parks Near Portland Did you Visit? Tell Us in the Comments Below!
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