LAIKA Studio’s Wildwood depicts a fantasy world that feels like home. As a longtime Portlander, I loved seeing well-known places make regular cameos. The setting isn’t a literal interpretation of Oregon. Within the magical land of Wildwood, sights from the coast to the high desert exist side by side. Spring and summer wildflowers bloom under changing fall leaves. Yet, watching it feels as familiar as a comfy sweater. Here’s my spoiler-free guide to taking a Wildwood tour of Portland and beyond.
Wildwood Trail in Forest Park
Wildwood Locations in Portland
Itinerary: You can finish a scavenger hunt of Portland’s Wildwood locations in one day. If you're also hiking in Forest Park, I’d set aside two days.
I listed the locations roughly in the order they appeared in the film.
St. Johns Bridge
Cathedral Park
I think most people in Portland have a favorite local bridge. The St. Johns Bridge is mine. The arched supports of the 2,000-foot-long suspension bridge are shaped like cathedral buttresses. The mint green color softens the industrial look of steel. Underneath it is Cathedral Park, where you can have a picnic on the grassy lawn and stroll along the Willamette River. The St. Johns Bridge appears often enough in Wildwood to feel like a main character by the end. In the movie, it’s the boundary between the worlds of magic and non-magic. The reality isn’t far off. The real-life bridge connects the St. Johns neighborhood to a part of NW Portland where Forest Park makes the hills look like a far-flung wilderness.
Where to see it:
The best views of the St. Johns Bridge are from Cathedral Park in St. Johns.
The Ridge Trail in Forest Park has a cool viewpoint overlooking the St. Johns Bridge.
You can walk or drive over it. Just don’t stand in the middle of it at night, no matter what a sorceress tells you.
Tom McCall Waterfront Park
Portland cherry blossoms
Early in Wildwood, protagonist Prue McKeel and her brother Mac go for a bike ride around Portland. They swing by many beloved downtown sights, starting with the cherry blossoms in Tom McCall Waterfront Park. The real-life cherry blossoms are just as lovely as in the movie, although their bloom window is narrower, about 2-3 weeks. If you’re planning a trip around seeing them, late March is a good bet for peak bloom. Expect crowds. I’ve found plenty of people there before sunrise. At midday, it’s packed. I recommend taking public transit if you can. Parking can be a headache, and the downtown waterfront is easy to reach by bus or MAX light rail.
Where to go: Look for the cherry blossoms between the Steel Bridge and Burnside Bridge in Tom McCall Waterfront Park. They’re next to the Portland Saturday Market. Across Naito Parkway, you’ll find the Skidmore Fountain and the Ankeny Arches in Ankeny Plaza, also featured in Wildwood.
Ankeny Plaza
Powell’s Books
Powell’s rare book room
In Wildwood, Prue and Mac stop in front of Powell’s Books. It doesn’t seem like they go inside, which I get. I try not to go too often myself because I buy too many books. Powell’s is the world’s largest independent bookstore. It fills a city block in downtown Portland with an excellent selection of new and used books. It’s the perfect place to search for something obscure or discover a new interest by browsing the staggering variety of genres. I am powerless to resist. My shelves are full, and my overflow piles grow tippy. If you’re planning a Wildwood scavenger hunt around Portland, Powell’s is about a 15-minute walk or 5-minute drive from Tom McCall Waterfront Park and the Saturday Market.
Where to go: 1005 W Burnside St, Portland, OR 97209
Benson Bubblers
Bubbler outside the Benson Hotel
The Wildwood scene where Prue and Mac stop at one of the Benson Bubblers probably won’t catch the eye of anyone who doesn’t live in Portland. For me and, I suspect, most other locals, it’s oddly satisfying. Portland has several dozen Benson Bubbler water fountains. Businessman Simon Benson gifted them to the city in the early 20th century, an act of charity that may have had a passive-aggressive agenda. Benson was a teetotaler who strongly disapproved of alcohol. Rumor has it that he donated the money for the fountains to discourage public drinking.
Where to see them: Most of the bubblers are downtown. One is outside the hotel Simon Benson founded, the Benson Hotel. According to local legend, his ghost still haunts the hotel, especially the bar that opened after his death.
Voodoo Doughnut
Santa Con at Voodoo Doughnut
First off, sorry about the picture for this one. I realized the only photo I have of Voodoo Doughnut is from Santa Con. The line doesn’t usually have so many Santas. Voodoo Doughnut isn’t named in Wildwood, but when Prue stops for a doughnut in an extremely pink shop, it’s clear where she went. Voodoo Doughnut is one of Portland’s most famous attractions, although, honestly, I’d say it’s much more popular with tourists than locals. It’s fine, and the shops are delightfully silly. I just think Portland has better doughnuts (Blue Star Donuts, Coco Donuts, etc.). On a Wildwood scavenger hunt, it would be an easy stop between Tom McCall Waterfront Park and Powell’s.
Where to go: 22 SW 3rd Ave, Portland, OR 97204
Forest Park
Upper Macleay Trail in Forest Park
Portland’s Forest Park is the world of magic in Wildwood. Unlike the Impassable Wilderness, the real-life version doesn’t have raging rivers or ancient ruins, but it is a fantastic urban park that feels more like the woods than the city. Around 80 miles of hiking trails explore 5,000+ acres. The mature forest is full of Doug fir, cedar, maples, ferns, and, alas, plenty of invasive ivy. It’s home to over 100 animal species. I’ve never heard them talk, but who knows what they get up to when I’m not around. No matter where you start your hike, you’ll almost certainly end up on Wildwood Trail at some point. It’s 30 miles long and runs the length of Forest Park.
Where to go: Forest Park has multiple trailheads. Parking is free, but it may be limited. Some trailheads, like Lower Macleay Park, are accessible on public transit. A great introduction to Forest Park is the hike from Lower Macleay Park to Pittock Mansion, up next on the list. On the way, you’ll pass the Avian Principality. Ahem, the Bird Alliance of Oregon.
Pittock Mansion
Pittock Mansion
Pittock Mansion is the governor’s mansion in Wildwood. Its real-life inspiration was a private family home built by early Portland industrialist Henry Pittock in the early 20th century. Today, it’s a museum open to the public. For a fee, you can tour the mansion’s interior. The grounds are free to visit and, to me, the highlight of the trip. Behind Pittock Mansion is one of Portland’s best viewpoints. On clear days, Mount Hood is visible behind the downtown skyline.
Where to go:
To drive there, head to 3229 NW Pittock Dr, Portland, OR 97210. Parking is metered and may be full at popular times like summer weekends.
To hike there on the Wildwood Trail, check out my Pittock Mansion hiking guide.
Wildwood Locations in Oregon
Itineraries:
1-2 day trips from Portland: Cannon Beach, Columbia Gorge, or Mount Hood National Forest
3+ day trips from Portland: Painted Hills or Crater Lake National Park
Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock
Haystack Rock
Drive time from Portland: 90 minutes
Cannon Beach is no stranger to Hollywood. The coastline in and around town has been a filming location for multiple movies, including The Goonies, Point Break, Twilight, and Kindergarten Cop. In Wildwood, we see Cannon Beach’s coastline from above in a flyover scene. It comes as a surprise if you’re familiar with the Oregon Coast, since the movie scene takes place inland. Still, once you spot Haystack Rock, there’s no mistaking the real-life inspiration. The 235-foot monolith is a legacy of volcanic activity millions of years ago. Today it provides important habitat for nesting seabirds and intertidal critters.
Where to go:
The easiest way to see Haystack Rock is by walking along Cannon Beach in town. At low tide, you can walk right up to it. Just don’t climb on the rocks. It’s a wildlife preserve.
The most impressive views of Haystack Rock are from Ecola State Park.
For a quick road trip stop, you can see Haystack Rock from the Silver Point Viewpoint on US-101.
Mount Hood
Mount Hood National Forest
Drive time from Portland: 60-90 minutes
Mount Hood pops up multiple times throughout Wildwood. On clear days, you can see it from many places in Portland. My favorite view in the city is from Powell Butte. At 11,239 feet, Mount Hood is Oregon’s tallest peak. It’s also an active volcano that last erupted around 200 years ago. In summer, the Mount Hood National Forest is a place to find breathtaking alpine lakes, waterfalls, and hiking trails through old-growth forests. In winter, it’s popular for skiing and snowboarding. If it’s your first time visiting, Timberline Lodge is a good starting point. At around 6,000 feet, it’s the highest place you can drive to on Mount Hood. It also has movie associations of its own. The real-life lodge appeared in The Shining as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel.
Find the best short hikes near Mount Hood.
Painted Hills
Painted Hills Overlook
Drive time from Portland: 4 hours
Even out of context, the Painted Hills are recognizable at a glance. In Wildwood, they appear off in the distance when Prue visits the Council Tree. Their real-life setting is more or less smack dab in the middle of the state, in Central Oregon’s high desert. The colorful layers that make up the Painted Hills reflect millions of years of Oregon’s geologic history, preserved in fossilized soils. From Portland, it’s a solid 4 hours of driving each way, plus at least a half day to explore once you’re there. I’ve known people who’ve done it as a day trip, but to me it’s not enough time. Instead, I’d take a long weekend trip to Bend and spend one day going to the Painted Hills, about 2 hours away.
Learn more about visiting the Painted Hills.
Columbia Gorge
Vista House in the Columbia Gorge
Drive time from Portland: 30 minutes
I felt like I saw hints of the Columbia River Gorge in different parts of Wildwood, but it wasn’t obvious until the shot of Vista House. The octagonal observatory sits on a dramatic outcropping next to sheer cliffs. Walkways provide 270-degree views overlooking the Columbia River, Beacon Rock, and the forested bluffs of Oregon and Washington. Inside, you'll find an observation balcony, gift shop, cafe, and mini museum. To get the same vantage point as the movie, head to the Portland Women’s Forum Viewpoint. A mile down the road, it’s the easiest way to see Vista House in context. Both viewpoints make great stops on the way to or from the Columbia Gorge waterfalls, including Multnomah Falls.
Also pictured: A scene in Wildwood shows the Oneonta Gorge, which has been closed to the public for years. It’s the narrow, mossy slot canyon with the creek running through it. Although you can’t enter it, you can see it from above on the hike to Triple Falls.
Crater Lake
Wizard Island in Crater Lake
Drive time from Portland: 5.5 hours
Crater Lake makes a brief cameo in Wildwood, when the coyote army marches past it. Both in the film and in real life, Oregon’s national park is a stunner. The lake fills a volcanic caldera. When Mount Mazama erupted 7,700 years ago, it became a gaping hole in the Earth. Rainwater and snowmelt feed the lake, giving it unusual clarity. On sunny days, the water reflects sapphire blue. If you’re coming from Portland, I’d suggest at least 3 days for the trip: one to get there, one to explore the park, and one to return. The best (and busiest) time to visit is from mid-summer to early fall, when snow doesn’t block access to parts of the park.
Learn more in my Crater Lake National Park visitor guide.
Waterfalls
Wildwood has two notable waterfalls. I debated mentioning them because neither is a dead ringer for a real-life place in Oregon. At least, none that I’ve seen. In the end, I decided to speculate. Worst-case scenario, you end up at a beautiful place that only looks vaguely like a scene from the movie.
Ramona Falls
The first waterfall is fan-shaped and cascades down basalt columns. We see the Dowager Governess ride past it on horseback in Wildwood. If there’s a single real-world inspiration, my best guess is Ramona Falls in the Mount Hood National Forest, about 90 minutes from Portland. The surroundings look different, but it has the impressive height and the clearly defined cascading streams. Ramona Falls is the finale of a 7.5-mile loop hike. Visit in late summer or early fall. Reaching the waterfall requires crossing the Sandy River without a bridge. It’s only safe when water levels are low.
Find details in my Ramona Falls hiking guide.
Salt Creek Falls
Wildwood’s other memorable waterfall is a powerful single plunge. In the movie, Prue flies over it on an eagle’s back. It reminds me most of Salt Creek Falls in the Willamette National Forest, both for the waterfall and the setting. The real-world 286-foot waterfall is one of Oregon’s most impressive, although not, as it’s often called, the second tallest. It’s about 3 hours from Portland. You can see it from a viewpoint without hiking. A 3.7-mile hike leads to Diamond Creek Falls, a magnificent cascading waterfall that looks, come to think of it, a bit like the first one in Wildwood.
Find details in my guide to Salt Creek Falls.
Locations map
Enjoy your tour of Oregon’s magical places!
With love,
Emma
Explore nearby
Hike through Forest Park to Pittock Mansion.
Visit Portland’s Washington Park.
