City: Portland, OR

Category: Parks & Recreation

Insider Pick:

Description: Sauvie Island, a beautiful island of fertile alluvial soil northwest of the city at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers, is not, strictly speaking, a park. It is hardworking farm country. But the roads are so pretty, and the u-pick farms, river beaches, parks, and wildlife areas are so enticing, that the entire island seems like a park to many Portland residents who converge there on Saturday morning to pick blueberries or ride their bicycles. This is a mixed blessing. It’s good, on the one hand, that we can see the farms that grow our food and that the farms are supported by local dollars. On the other hand, its bucolic nature encourages people to visit, thus increasing traffic and busyness, diminishing the bucolic nature of the place. In an effort to preserve that nature, some of the island has been set aside in wildlife preserves and parks. The Sauvie Island Wildlife Viewing Area, maintained by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Department, is an excellent spot for bird-watching. There you will see the ubiquitous ducks and Canada geese, but you may also spy swans, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, herons, and rare species of gull. Winter is an especially good time to look for these birds because many species stop here on the way to warmer places, and some reside here all season, but be aware that some parts of the refuge are closed in the winter. You’ll need a day permit to park at the wildlife area—these are available at most of the small grocery stores that dot the island. The wildlife area is also north of the bridge. For more information about the wildlife area, you may contact Oregon Fish and Wildlife at (503) 621-3488.More wildlife, as well as human relationships to it, can be seen at Howell Territorial Park, which is part museum and part natural area. This 93-acre park comprises the James F. Bybee House, the Agricultural Museum, old orchards and pastures, and sizable natural areas, including a lake and wetlands. You can see an incredible variety of birds and mammals in the natural areas, while the museums permit a glimpse into the days of the early pioneer settlers, with a fine collection of historical artifacts. The museums are open during the weekend from the first week of June through Labor Day. The hours are noon to 5 p.m. Guided tours are offered on the half-hour. (You may also reserve the park for special events; the number for that service is 503-797-1850.) To find the park, take US 30 to the Sauvie Island Bridge. Once you’ve crossed the bridge, follow Sauvie Island Road north for 1 mile, then turn right on Howell Park Road, where you’ll immediately see the parking lot on your left. Sauvie Island Road, by the way, wraps around the whole island. The island is crisscrossed by other roads that wind through farms, orchards, and fields, and following any of them will eventually lead you to something interesting. The u-pick farms that are all over the island are as big an attraction as the parks, and during harvest season—May through Oct—you will find many people picking berries, flowers, peaches, pumpkins, corn, and everything else that grows well here. Farm stands sell produce for those folks who’d rather not get dusty. During October the Pumpkin Patch draws thousands of schoolchildren for hayrides and pumpkin picking; it’s a rare Portland child who hasn’t chosen a jack-o’-lantern here. You can find this institution by circling under the Sauvie Island Bridge and following the road south. Whichever direction you drive, be respectful of the residents, the cyclists, the chickens, the schoolchildren, and everyone else sharing the road with you. In short, drive carefully!