Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
14
HAWTHORNE BOULEVARD:
TABOR TO THE RIVER
BOUNDARIES:
SE Hawthorne Blvd., SE 60th Ave., Willamette River
DISTANCE:
3.5 miles
DIFFICULTY:
Easy; moderate if done in reverse
PARKING:
Free street parking
PUBLIC TRANSIT:
TriMet Bus 71 (SE 60th Ave. and Hawthorne) and Bus 14 (all along
Hawthorne)
When Portlanders talk about “Hawthorne,” as in the district, they're usually thinking
of a fairly small section of this major Southeast thoroughfare, from about 30th to 39th
Avenues. In these few blocks you're likely to have to step gingerly over a few neo-
hippies and their pets, feeling your way through clouds of patchouli and coming to
terms with the idea of Caucasian dreadlocks. There are bead shops, burnouts, and oc-
casional didjeridoos. Perhaps fittingly, the street and district are named for the
founder of Oregon's first mental hospital (see
Back Story: Dr. James C. Hawthorne
);
the street was once called Asylum Street. But there's much more to Hawthorne than
its popular image. The street bisects Southeast Portland in all its multilayered glory,
from the volcano to the river, from artistry to industry, as you'll quickly discover on
this walk. (For more of a workout, try the route in reverse—it's on a slight but notice-
able incline, and you can scamper to the top of Mt. Tabor if you haven't had enough
by the time you reach the end.)
Start at the stairs leading from SE 60th Ave. up the hill to Reservoir #6
on Mt. Tabor. If you're feeling sprightly, hop up the staircase for a view
across town; if you're really energetic, take the
next
set of stairs as well
for an even better view from a reservoir one level higher. Mt. Tabor is a
dormant volcano, and the park that occupies it is one of the jewels of the
city; it's a fantastic and very easily accessible bit of wilderness in which
to stroll around, have a picnic, walk the dog, or get a workout. And the
views from its higher reaches are spectacular in several directions. (Mt.
Tabor is also the location of the annual Portland Adult Soapbox
Derby—see
Back Story
.)
