SOUTHWEST HILLS · PORTLAND

Southwest Hills

Southwest Neighborhoods Inc.

3 spots to discover in this neighborhood 7,200 residents · 3.5 sq mi

“Portland's highest point — five Cascades, old-growth views, and West Hills prestige”

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NEIGHBORHOOD IDENTITY

What Southwest Hills Is Known For

“Portland's highest point — five Cascades, old-growth views, and West Hills prestige”

— Southwest Hills, Portland

About

Southwest Hills

Southwest Hills is less a single neighborhood than a cluster of communities that share the upper reaches of Portland's West Hills. The northeastern portion, above Goose Hollow and Downtown, is known as Portland Heights — a prestigious enclave of Craftsman and Tudor Revival homes terraced at up to 1,000 feet. Below Portland Heights lies the more heavily forested middle band, including Marquam Hill (home to OHSU and the VA Medical Center), and to the south, the transition into Bridlemile and Healy Heights.

Council Crest Park, at 1,073 feet — the highest publicly accessible point in Portland — anchors the neighborhood's identity. On clear days the summit viewpoint reveals five Cascade peaks: Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Hood, and Mount Jefferson. The park features an off-leash dog area, picnic tables, and a popular wedding site. The Marquam Nature Park trail system threads through the forest below the crest, connecting to Terwilliger Blvd and the broader green network.

The Southwest Hills Residential League is the neighborhood association, meeting on the 3rd Wednesday of February, April, September and November. The neighborhood contains some of Portland's most sought-after single-family homes and a rich collection of historic properties, including the Norris House & Property at 4455 SW Terwilliger Blvd.

Boundaries: Bordered by SW Burnside Rd / Canyon Rd to the north, SW Vista Ave and SW Terwilliger Blvd to the east, Healy Heights and Bridlemile to the south, and the city limits (unincorporated Multnomah County) to the west. Adjacent to Arlington Heights, Goose Hollow, Homestead, and Bridlemile.

Neighborhood Association

The Vibe

What Southwest Hills Feels Like

Leafy historic hilltop view district

The Southwest Hills are leafy, established, and quietly grand, a district of winding streets, mature gardens, and stately older homes perched on forested slopes with views over the city and mountains. The atmosphere is residential and serene, far from commercial bustle yet minutes from downtown.

It appeals to those drawn to historic architecture, hilltop vistas, and a green, secluded setting close to the urban core.

History

How Southwest Hills Came To Be

The Southwest Hills rise steeply just west of downtown Portland, encompassing some of the city's oldest and most prestigious hillside neighborhoods, including Portland Heights and Council Crest. As Portland grew in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the wealthy built homes on these slopes to escape the smoke and bustle of the riverfront city below, and streetcar and incline rail lines once climbed the hills to serve them.

Council Crest, near the area's summit, was for a time the site of a popular amusement park and remains one of the highest points in the city, offering sweeping views. Grand homes from the early twentieth century line the winding streets, reflecting the era when the hills became Portland's address of choice for the prosperous.

Today the Southwest Hills remain an established, affluent residential area of forested slopes, winding roads, and panoramic vistas, prized for proximity to downtown and Washington Park.

Character