None of the trails at Mount Pisgah Arboretum officially meet ADA Accessibility Guidelines. However, nature-lovers of differing abilities have been able to enjoy this natural area for many years. Here is some general information that should help you plan your visit.
Trails
The trails at Mount Pisgah Arboretum come in two types: gravel-covered road surfaces, and bark-covered paths. Both surfaces tend to be passable to folks using canes and crutches. Persons using wheelchairs and walkers have had success on gravel roads as well as bark trails, though the bark surfacing can be more difficult for wheels to work on during wet weather. (Wider wheels have been found to be much more effective on bark and gravel than narrow ones.) If you prefer to avoid hills, we recommend the beautiful scenery along the Tom McCall Riverbank Trail, the Meadow Road, and the Water Garden trails, all of which stay on the flat plain that parallels the South Fork of the Willamette River. See our trail maps for how to find these trails. Note that portions of the Water Garden trails do occasionally experience flooding during periods of heavy rain.
Benches
Dozens of benches are located throughout the Arboretum, offering opportunities to pause during a visit. Below is a virtual map of our benches, compiled by Liza Holtz, Masters in Landscape Architecture Candidate at the University of Oregon. Click on each bench for photos of the bench and the view.
Parking
The Arboretum parking lot (located at the West Trailhead of the Howard Buford Recreation Area) is a terraced gravel parking lot. There are no parking spaces that meet Federal accessibility guidelines & standards, but parking on the lower level of the lot will give you direct and level access to the network of river-front trails. During the Wildflower & Music Festival and the Mushroom Festival, the Arboretum marks off a row of parking spaces that are reserved for folks with a Person with Disability Parking Placard, to facilitate close and convenient access to the festival entrance.
Restrooms
Mount Pisgah Arboretum has two restroom areas. The green restroom building west of the White Oak Pavilion (right next to the entrance to the Patricia Baker Wildflower Garden) is open seven days a week. During special events, such as festivals, rental events, and school tours, the restrooms immediately east of the White Oak Pavilion (flanking the courtyard) are open as well. Both sets of restrooms are accessible and ADA compliant.
Rentals
Planning to rent out the White Oak Pavilion for a special event? There are two ADA-accessible parking spaces immediately adjacent to the Pavilion that your guests may use during the course of your event. (Please note that vehicles are not normally allowed to drive up to the White Oak Pavilion outside of the context of a rental event.)
Please contact our office directly if you have any questions about accessibility: 541-747-3817 or [email protected].
