DOG-FRIENDLY PARKS IN PORTLAND, OR

The confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers positioned Portland as the Pacific Northwest's major inland port. This city of 652,000 spreads across 145 square miles in northwestern Oregon, bisected by the Willamette with downtown and much of the population on the west side. The Cascade Range, including Mount Hood, creates a stunning eastern backdrop. Portland's maritime climate brings mild, very wet winters averaging the mid-40s and dry summers reaching the upper 70s. The city's grid system extends into distinct neighborhoods, each with its own character, from the pearl-filled blocks of the Northwest to the residential southeast quadrants.