Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
17
KERNS AND LAURELHURST PARK:
THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE
BOUNDARIES:
SE Cesar Chavez Blvd., SE Stark St., NE 15th Ave., NE Sandy Blvd.
DISTANCE:
3.5 miles
DIFFICULTY:
Easy
PARKING:
Free street parking
PUBLIC TRANSIT:
TriMet Bus 75 (SE Cesar Chavez Blvd. and Ash St.)
There are enough entertaining diversions on this walk that you may well never return
from it. The route starts and stops at one of Portland's finest green spaces, the beauti-
fully landscaped Laurelhurst Park. Surrounding the park are block after block of
sturdy, dignified old houses on gently curving, tree-lined streets. From here we'll
make a vaguely triangular path that swings through the Kerns neighborhood's mini-
ature Restaurant Row, along 28th Avenue, then down along a relatively unglamorous
stretch of lower Sandy Boulevard that is home to a couple of storied, scruffy, well-
loved dive bars. (Sensitive readers should note that there may be a small detour into
nostalgia when we get to this part.) The third side of our lopsided triangle will be
formed by East Burnside Street, one of the city's main east-west arteries and a con-
stantly evolving business corridor, which among many other things is the site of an
excellent second-run-movie theater and pub.
Start at the bus stop at SE 39th Ave. (a.k.a. Cesar Chavez Blvd.) and Ash
St. Take the paved path into the park toward the lake, following the part
that veers off to the left. Laurelhurst Park covers about 26 acres and
once belonged to William Ladd, the same former mayor responsible for
Ladd's Addition (see
Back Story: William S. Ladd
). The park was de-
signed in 1912, and in 2001 it became the first city park in the US to be
listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The spring-fed central
pond started out as a watering hole for cattle; for several years, an angry
swan named General Pershing lorded over it. These days it's a great
place to see baby ducks in spring (don't feed them). There are picnic
spots scattered around, an off-leash dog run area, and gently hilly paved
trails great for jogging. (Or, you know, walking.)
