Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
30
MULTNOMAH VILLAGE: SMALL
BUT FILLING
BOUNDARIES:
SW Vermont St., SW 45th Ave., SW Multnomah Blvd., SW 30th Ave.
DISTANCE:
1.75 miles
DIFFICULTY:
Easy
PARKING:
Free street parking, lots at Gabriel Park
PUBLIC TRANSIT:
TriMet Buses 1 and 45 (SW Vermont St. and 37th Ave.) or Bus 44 (SW
Capitol Hwy. and 33rd Ave.)
Built around an Oregon Electric Railway depot and annexed by Portland in 1950,
Multnomah Village is a cute, pocket-size neighborhood just out of the way enough to
be neglected by many Portlanders. It feels like a trek from the city center, but in fact
it's only about 5 miles from downtown and easily accessible by bus. The downtown
core is a very compact area with a surprising variety of shops, bars, and cafes. And
the surrounding areas are lovely—thick with trees and rich in green spaces, including
nearby Gabriel Park, where our walk begins. Though Multnomah Village is an easy
drive from Portland proper, we recommend using public transportation if you can,
particularly if you plan to take advantage of the neighborhood's disproportionately
high number of excellent dive bars. This is a point-to-point walk with bus stops at
either end, so playing it safe should be easy.
Start the walk at the northeast corner of Gabriel Park—there's a bus
stop here and another a few blocks east. The path forks a few feet from
the entrance; take the right-hand branch and follow its meandering path
across to the west side of the park. Gabriel Park is a 90-acre playground
with something for just about everyone. Paved and dirt trails wind all
across the park, and you'll also find the usual picnic areas, ball fields,
tennis courts, basketball courts, and dog parks. There's also a state-of-
the-art play area for the little kids, and a skate park, built in 2008, for
the slightly bigger kids. Along with a community garden, there's also a
demonstration orchard. The park is named after a farmer who once
owned this land (back in the 1890s), a Swiss immigrant named Ulrich
Gabriel.
