Portland's Highest Neighborhood Has Fairytale Mansions And Panoramic Mountain Views

When visiting Portland, the "Quiestest City in America," many people tend to stick to the city's center. Unsurprisingly, this is where you'll find most of the city's shopping, dining, and entertainment. It's also where beloved establishments like Kann, Portland's best restaurant of 2025, continue to impress locals and visitors alike. But Portland is so much more than its downtown hubs. One area that proves this is Council Crest, a small neighborhood surrounding a hilly park. Sitting within one of the highest points in the city, Council Crest is the highest neighborhood Portland, and with that over 1,000-foot elevation comes majestic mountain vistas and multi-million-dollar houses.

Only 3 miles from Downtown Portland on the western side of the Willamette River, Council Crest takes you up into the West Hills, where the beautiful and historic mansions can exceed $3 million in value. The streets wind up what is essentially part of the Tualatin Mountains, leading you past homes with manicured front lawns and hedges, inviting archways, and smoking chimneys. Certain streets feel more like driving past untouched forest, with green trees bookending either side, while others have shaded sidewalks and multi-story houses half-concealed by foliage.

The neighborhood also has a handful of local businesses tucked down its various side streets. Opal Blooms is part urban farm, part florist, and part design studio. Located at the end of Southwest Jerald Court, it sells seasonal floral arrangements, from evergreen holiday wreaths to miniature succulent gardens. Throughout the year, you can also attend arrangement making workshops run by the owner.

At the neighborhood's summit, you'll find Council Crest Park, ranked in the top 50 things to do in Portland on Tripadvisor. What was once a theme park is now a sprawling green space, with shaded and grassy picnic spots, walking trails, an off-leash dog park, and panoramic views of the city and the surrounding Cascade Mountains. These vistas capture multiple peaks, including Mount Hood, Mount Adam, Mount Rainier, and Mount St. Helens. There's even a point where, on a clear day, you can see up to five different mountains. One visitor writes on Tripadvisor, "A local friend recommended driving up to this park for great sunset views. She was not wrong."

The main walking route here is the Marquam Trail, which has a 4.6-star rating on AllTrails. You can walk a section of it around Council Crest Park or tackle the entire 3.6-mile trek from Marquam Nature Park up through the West Hills. This is a strenuous hike with an overall elevation gain of more than 800 feet, so make sure you wear proper shoes and carry plenty of water. You'll be rewarded with urban forest scenery, including creeks, ravines, and wetlands. Cherry blossom trees and wildflowers of various hues can also be seen during spring.

Marquam Nature Park actually has multiple trails to choose from if you fancy a longer trek than the main route up to Council Crest Park. The Flicker, Towhee, and Upper Marquam Hill trails can all be combined with the Council Crest route, according to AllTrails. This is a much more challenging 7.5-mile trek, with a 1,525-foot elevation gain — not ideal for a casual afternoon stroll. If you embark upon this challenge, give yourself at least five hours to reach Council Crest Park, resting and refueling while admiring the mountains. You might also like visiting Cedar Mill, one of Oregon's wealthiest suburbs with idyllic hiking trails, about 20 minutes away.