Butterfly Park Naturescape

Description Butterfly Park is one of Portland's smallest parks, but it has a big story to tell.

The park is also a favorite spot for bird-watchers. Cedar waxwings, killdeer, orioles, chickadees, and other birds are often seen throughout the area.

The park is connected to the Willamette Greenway Trail and the 40-Mile Loop, making it a nice stop for walkers, runners, and cyclists exploring the river corridor.

A short trail leads visitors through the park and toward the river.

While small, the park is an important natural area and a good example of how community volunteers and habitat restoration can transform overlooked spaces into welcoming places for people and wildlife.

This beautiful naturescape was designed to support butterflies, birds, and other wildlife.

Volunteers planted wildflower seeds from the Columbia River Gorge to help attract butterfly species like mourning cloaks and orange sulphurs.

Native plants, dogwoods, oaks, and cottonwoods help create habitat for wildlife while giving the park a calm, natural feel.

These days, you will find native grasses, wildflowers, walking paths, and river views, but the site once looked very different.

Along the way, community members can enjoy views of the Willamette River, Ross Island, and the Sellwood area across the water.

The area was formerly a gravel parking lot and refuse area for the Macadam Bay Club. In 1991 volunteers began planting wildflower seeds harvested from the Columbia Gorge.