Walking Portland: Northwest River District, Slabtown & Northwest District

This 4.5-mile Walking Portland loop features four distinct NW Portland neighborhoods—Pearl District, Northwest River District, Slabtown, and Northwest District (Nob Hill).

It’s a whirlwind tour, sure to leave you with a new appreciation of one of Portland’s newly developed, beautifully designed neighborhoods.

Interactive Route Map

Check out our interactive route map of Northwest River District, Slabtown & Northwest District Walking Loop.

Northwest River District, Slabtown & Northwest District Walking Loop Directions

This eclectic walk begins in the North Pearl District, crosses railroad tracks and Naito Parkway, proceeds to North Willamette Greenway, meanders through the North River District, hops back across Naito Parkway, breezes through the new Field Office complex, tours Pomarius Nursery, ogles the new Cycle Town Coffee Roasters, moves over to the Northwest District with a brief tour of local artist collective Thurman Street Studios, and then back through the newly developed portion of Slabtown with a peek at a very cool Pedestrian Square.

Join Women Who Walk for a guided tour of this engaging walk.

START

Ovation Coffee in the Pearl District

OUT

NW Overton St. | Left/East
NW 9^th | Left/NE
NW Naito Pkwy. | Left/West
Fremont Place Building sidewalk | Right/East
Willamette Greenway | Left/West
NW 17^th | Left/West
NW Upshur Street | Right/West
NW 18^th | Right/North
NW Vaughn St. | Left/West
NW 19^th | Left/South
NW Thurman St. | Left/East
NW 14^th | Right/South
NW Northrup St. | Right/West
NW 26^th | Right/North
NW Raleigh St. | Left/West
NW 28^th | Right/North

BACK

NW Thurman St. | Right/East
NW 23^rd | Right/South
NW Raleigh St. | Left/East
NW 20^th | Right/South
NW Overton St. |Left/East

FINISH

Ovation Coffee in the Pearl District

Time

About 3.5 hours, including brief explorations of beautiful Pomarius Nursery and coffee break at CycleTown Coffee Roasters in Slabtown.

Terrain

Mostly flat with paved sidewalks.

Difficulty

Mostly easy.

Gear

Sturdy, well-fitting running/walking shoes are a must on Portland’s notoriously uneven, poorly maintained sidewalks and trails. Walkers beware!
Portland weather can change in a matter of minutes, and it’s not unusual to need several varying levels of warmth and rain coverage on a given walk. Dress in layers and pack a collapsible umbrella and drinking water.

Coffee & Lunch

Best bets for coffee and pastries are Cycle Town Coffee Roasters, Good Coffee, Ovation Coffee, Queue Coffee, St. Honore Bakery, and Dragonfly Coffee.

Good lunch options are Afuri and Papa Haydn .

Portland Walkabouts

The SkyBlue Portland team hosts monthly group walks through some of Portland Metro’s most beautiful and interesting neighborhoods.
For info on our Portland Walking Tours, check out our Women Who Walk Facebook page and sign up for a walk on corresponding Women Who Walk Meetup page. We buy the lattes! Hope to see you soon!