Portland Scavenger Hunt

48 finds from the weather column to the world's smallest park, all free to see.

Portland Scavenger Hunt

TeamMeet at (place and time)

  1. Stay with your team on public sidewalks, paths, bridges and plazas.
  2. Cross only at marked crossings, with the signal.
  3. Buy nothing, take nothing and climb nothing.
  4. Photograph nobody outside your team without asking.
  1. A four-bowl bronze drinking fountainBenson Bubblers are named after Simon Benson. Count the bowls on yours.
  2. A mile-post sign pointing to faraway citiesPioneer Courthouse Square has one. Write the farthest city and its distance.
  3. A bronze elk on a fountain in the middle of a streetThe elk and its restored base were unveiled again on April 9, 2026, after years of repair. Tick it from the sidewalk.
  4. A fountain of waterfalls you can walk amongKeller Fountain Park opened in 1970. Stay on the dry steps if the water is high.
  5. A fountain with a bronze woman holding a jarThe Shemanski Fountain, completed in 1926, in the South Park Blocks.
  6. A giant copper woman kneeling over a doorwayPortlandia, above the Portland Building's entrance, is the second largest copper repoussé statue in the country after the Statue of Liberty.
  7. A long row of park blocks shaded by old elmsThe South Park Blocks. Walk one whole block and count the benches.
  8. A food cart podA cluster of carts around a lot. Tick it; buy nothing.
  9. The brick square called Portland's living roomPioneer Courthouse Square fills a whole city block and opened in 1984. Stand in the middle.
  10. A streetcar gliding down a downtown streetWrite the color of its side.

Next step Turn it into a photo hunt

How it works

A copper giant, a one-tree park and a column that forecasts the weather at noon: this Portland scavenger hunt holds 48 finds in Portland, Oregon, each seen from public ground.

Read the full guide

Start in the living room

Pioneer Square and downtown opens first; be in the square at noon for the weather column. Walk east for Waterfront and bridges or north for Old Town and the Pearl, then press Print this list.

Proof on paper

Most finds ask for a count, a word or a color, so teams prove a find by writing it. The note under each is the judging rule.

Tips
  • Bring a rain layer: every find on this list still works in a Portland drizzle.

Questions and answers

Where is the smallest park in Portland?

Mill Ends Park is a single tree in the median of Naito Parkway near SW Taylor Street, beside Waterfront Park. Cross to it only with the signal.

Can you do a free scavenger hunt in Portland?

Yes. Every find on this list is seen from sidewalks, parks, bridges and plazas. The Saturday Market and the food carts are ticked, not shopped.

Is it good for kids?

Yes, with an adult in every team. The fountains suit children best: Salmon Street Springs, Keller's waterfalls and the Jamison Square splash park.

More tools

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All 48 finds

Pioneer Square and downtown 12

  • A bronze elk on a fountain in the middle of a street The elk and its restored base were unveiled again on April 9, 2026, after years of repair. Tick it from the sidewalk.
  • A column that shows the weather forecast at noon The Weather Machine in Pioneer Courthouse Square gives a prediction every day at noon. Be there at 12 and write what appears.
  • A food cart pod A cluster of carts around a lot. Tick it; buy nothing.
  • A fountain of waterfalls you can walk among Keller Fountain Park opened in 1970. Stay on the dry steps if the water is high.
  • A fountain with a bronze woman holding a jar The Shemanski Fountain, completed in 1926, in the South Park Blocks.
  • A four-bowl bronze drinking fountain Benson Bubblers are named after Simon Benson. Count the bowls on yours.
  • A giant copper woman kneeling over a doorway Portlandia, above the Portland Building's entrance, is the second largest copper repoussé statue in the country after the Statue of Liberty.
  • A light rail train crossing the square's corner Write the color of the line on its sign.
  • A long row of park blocks shaded by old elms The South Park Blocks. Walk one whole block and count the benches.
  • A mile-post sign pointing to faraway cities Pioneer Courthouse Square has one. Write the farthest city and its distance.
  • A streetcar gliding down a downtown street Write the color of its side.
  • The brick square called Portland's living room Pioneer Courthouse Square fills a whole city block and opened in 1984. Stand in the middle.
Show all 48 finds (36 more)

Waterfront and bridges 12

  • A bridge with no cars at all Tilikum Crossing carries trains, buses, bikes and walkers. Count its towers.
  • A cable car climbing a hill The Aerial Tram links South Waterfront to the hospital on Marquam Hill. Tick it from the ground.
  • A double-deck bridge with trains below and cars above The Steel Bridge, opened in 1912. Walk its lower deck path.
  • A floating walkway on the east bank Part of the Eastbank Esplanade floats on the river. Feel it move.
  • A fountain whose jets change pattern Salmon Street Springs in Waterfront Park, at Naito and SW Salmon. Count the patterns you see.
  • A long riverside park where a freeway used to be Tom McCall Waterfront Park opened after Harbor Drive was removed in 1974.
  • A mountain seen from the waterfront Mount Hood shows to the east on clear days. Name it.
  • A rose in bloom along the river path Portland is the City of Roses. Write its color. No picking.
  • A rowing boat or dragon boat on the Willamette Write how many paddlers.
  • Gulls or cormorants on a bridge pier Name which one.
  • The oldest lift bridge still working in the country The Hawthorne Bridge is the oldest vertical-lift bridge in operation in the United States. Wait for a lift for extra glory.
  • The world's smallest park: one tree in a median Mill Ends Park, in the median of Naito Parkway near SW Taylor Street. Cross only with the signal.

Old Town and the Pearl 12

  • A brick street with old rail tracks Write the street name.
  • A clock tower over the train station Union Station's tower has a sign above the roofline. Write what it tells you to do.
  • A mural on a Pearl District building Write its main color.
  • A red gate with a tiled roof over a street The Chinatown gate at Burnside and 4th. Count the lions or dragons you see on it.
  • A splash park with water flowing over steps Jamison Square in the Pearl District. Its fountain fills and empties in a cycle.
  • A wall of old railroad rails in a wetland park Tanner Springs Park in the Pearl District. Stay on the boardwalk.
  • A warehouse loading dock turned into a sidewalk The Pearl's old docks line many blocks. Write the street.
  • An arts market under the bridge on a weekend The Saturday Market runs every Saturday from March through December. Tick it; buy nothing.
  • An iron building front with columns in Old Town Old Town keeps many cast-iron fronts. Write the street.
  • An old brick building reflected in a new glass one The Pearl mixes both. Write the street.
  • An old fountain with two women holding a basin The Skidmore Fountain names the whole Skidmore/Old Town Historic District.
  • The lit PORTLAND OREGON sign with a leaping stag It faces the Burnside Bridge from the roof of the White Stag Building, a city landmark since 1977.

Anywhere in Portland 12

  • A bike with a basket or a cargo box Tick it; no touching.
  • A bridge you can see from another bridge Portland has many. Name both.
  • A bronze ring on the curb for tying up a horse Portland keeps many old horse rings in its curbs. Tie a toy horse if you brought one.
  • A crow on a wire Count the crows in one group.
  • A Douglas fir, the state tree Its cones have little three-pointed tails. Find one on the ground.
  • A hanging flower basket Count the baskets on one block.
  • A little free library box on a post Read the note inside the door. Leave everything as it is.
  • A person with an umbrella on a dry day Tick it quietly.
  • A rain garden at the curb A sunken planted bed that catches storm water. Write the street.
  • A sign or sticker about keeping Portland weird Write where you saw it.
  • A street sign with a quadrant letter Portland addresses start with SW, NW, SE, NE or N. Find three different ones.
  • Moss growing on a sidewalk or wall Wet winters grow it everywhere.

How this list was compiled: Written for this page in September 2026: 48 finds on foot in central Portland, Oregon, sorted by area, all scored from sidewalks, parks, bridges and plazas with nothing bought and no ticket. Nothing was copied from another list. Levels are our judgment. Names, dates and places in the notes were checked on 2026-09-24 against English Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ followed by Pioneer_Courthouse_Square, Weather_Machine_(sculpture), Portlandia_(statue), Portland_Building, South_Park_Blocks, Shemanski_Fountain, Keller_Fountain_Park, Benson_Bubbler, Thompson_Elk_Fountain, Tom_McCall_Waterfront_Park, Salmon_Street_Springs, Mill_Ends_Park, Hawthorne_Bridge, Steel_Bridge, Tilikum_Crossing, Eastbank_Esplanade, Portland_Saturday_Market, Skidmore_Fountain, White_Stag_sign, Jamison_Square, Tanner_Springs_Park and Portland_Aerial_Tram. Licence: own work