Portland is the biggest city in the state of Oregon and is one of the biggest hubs in the area of the Pacific Northwest. The city started as a result of the 1800s westward trek from the east known as the “Oregon Trail”. For a long time, it had a reputation as a dangerous city, but in the latter half of the 20th century, it started to clean up and eventually became known as one of America’s “weirdest cities” - this is where Mill Ends Park comes in. This is a very small park - so small, in fact, that you can’t actually walk through it. If you’re visiting and looking to check out this little piece of iconic Portland, here is a guide to Mill Ends Park, Portland.
Things to do / Highlights
Check out the world's smallest park
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Mill Ends Park is the smallest park in the world, gaining its official title in 1971. The history of the park is fascinating. In 1948, the site where the park is today was supposed to be the site of a lamp pole. For some reason, the pole that was supposed to go here failed to arrive. Over time, weeds just started to grow in its place. A local reporter for the Oregon Journal took it upon himself to plant some flowers here and named it “Mill Ends”. Although the journalist who named the park died in 1969, it was in 1976 that the city officially recognized the plant as a park. On one St. Patrick’s day, it was declared a “leprechaun colony.”
Throughout the decades, the park has undergone some changes, as well as some unusual decor. A pool for butterflies and a diving board was featured, as well as a miniature Ferris wheel. In March 2013, someone stole the tree here, but it was returned as soon as a replacement was planted. In 2018, the city put an official park sign and even planted miniature roses.
Take photos
For clarity, the park measures 2 ft (0.61 meters) across, with a tree sitting in the middle of it. There are no benches, swings, or anything like that. The only thing to do at the park on any given day is to admire it, take a photo of it, and show off to people that you’ve just been to the world’s smallest park.
Travelers tips
Be on the lookout for it
Mill Ends Park is located at an intersection. The park is very small and technically located in the middle of the street, so it is a little hard to find it if you’re not explicitly on the lookout for it. There is a public restroom stall at the nearby intersection, so use that as a landmark if you’re looking for the park because it is pretty easy to miss. That being said, since it is on an intersection, be sure to exercise precaution when you’re approaching. Look both ways before crossing, and remember safety first.
Visit at different times
As one of Portland’s favorite parks and quirkiest outdoor spaces, the long-standing tradition of decorating the tree and park continues to this day. Be sure to visit the park at different times of the year to check out the changing decorations for Christmas, New Year, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, and more.
How to get there
Portland is a city that tries to get people to use non-motorized methods of transportation, and they’ve been pretty successful. The city has great public transport infrastructure and is designed in a grid-system, so even getting around as a tourist is pretty easy to learn.
On foot
Portland is one of the most walkable cities in the country and the city even tries to promote as much public transport use as possible. Free detailed walking maps of the city are available, and because of Mill Ends Park’s location by the Willamette River, you can simply take a scenic walk along the river and admire the views around the park.
By bike
Portland is very bike-friendly, with many locals utilizing the public bike system in the city. Bike routes are clearly marked and are often shaded by trees and well-paved. Major streets even have a bike lane and the city provides bike path maps free of charge.
By bus or tram
Both the bus service here and the tram service operate stations nearby, making Mill Ends Park easily accessible. For 2.50 USD, you can have a ticket that is good for a full hour or 5 USD for the full day. Bus stops 15 and 51 stop nearby at SW 2nd & Taylor. While the blue and red tram lines stop nearby, at Yamhill District Tram Station.
Mill Ends Park information
Mill Ends Park
Address: 56 SW Taylor St, Portland, OR 97204, United States
Opening hours: 5am - 12am (daily)
Cost: Free
Department of tourism: Visit Portland
History
Get Trip101 in your inbox
Unsubscribe in one click. See our Privacy Policy for more information on how we use your data
Create an account to