Discover Wilsonville: parks, riverfront, and history

In Wilsonville, riverfront and natural areas, local trail connections, and memorial sites and historic buildings each offer a distinct focus. There is also a public art collection with a virtual tour. If you’re looking for a hotel in Wilsonville, this overview can help you plan your stay around the places that interest you most.

Parks Between the River and the City

Memorial Park is Wilsonville’s oldest and largest park. Its Willamette River waterfront stretches for half a mile. The park features significant natural areas and an extensive trail network, with river views from the trails. This park brings together several of Wilsonville’s defining landscape features in one place.

Boones Ferry Park is also on the Willamette River, but here, different types of trails are specifically described: paved trails run throughout the park, while a short, rocky path provides access to the river. Conditions along the river can vary. The Tauchman House stands by the river, surrounded by the park’s trees. Dating to around the turn of the century, it was once the home of the operator of the historic Boones Ferry.

Graham Oaks Nature Park is a 250-acre preserved natural area. Town Center Park offers a different setting: it is an urban park in the heart of Wilsonville’s business district. These differences can help you decide what to include in your time here—an expansive preserved natural area, trails with river views, or a park in the business district.

Arrowhead Creek Park features interpretive elements about Wilsonville’s water system. Its signature water feature is not intended for water play. The Morey’s Landing Trail connects to the adjacent residential neighborhood. A trail in Willamette River Water Treatment Plant Park ends at a viewpoint overlooking the Willamette River; the site is now also known as Arrowhead Creek Park.

Trails with Specific Connections

The Boeckman Creek Crossing Trail connects neighborhoods east of Boeckman Creek with the Courtside neighborhood and the Town Center shopping center to the west. Passing through a wooded ravine, the trail crosses the creek on a 60-foot-long cantilevered bridge. By comparison, the Morey’s Landing Trail provides a more limited connection: it leads to the adjacent residential neighborhood. The two trails thus differ not only in their surroundings but also in the destinations specifically identified.

Murase Plaza’s playground has two play structures and a 24-foot-long slide built into the embankment. The Stein-Boozier Barn, meanwhile, is a rustic barn built around 1901. It can be rented from mid-April through mid-October; rental applications are accepted year-round. If you’re planning a specific rental, confirm your preferred date and availability in advance.

Memorials, Buildings, and Art

The Oregon Korean War Memorial in Wilsonville was completed in 2000. It honors Oregon’s service members and the Korean people of the Korean War. The memorial includes a life-size bronze statue of General Douglas MacArthur. The memorial offers a tangible way to remember the Korean War, while the Tauchman House connects the earlier history of Boones Ferry with the former home of its operator.

The public art collection can also be explored digitally: its virtual tour marks the location of every work of art on a map. Together with the memorial, the Tauchman House, and the Stein-Boozier Barn, it adds to a wide range of cultural stops, from a memorial site to historic buildings and public art.

Planning Trips in Wilsonville

SMART offers free bus rides to all passengers within Wilsonville city limits. Since fare rules can change, check the latest information before traveling. Wilsonville is also served by TriMet’s Westside Express Service (WES) commuter rail. For your specific plans, it’s a good idea to consult current schedule information.

Discover more destinations: Oregon City, Clackamas, Milwaukie, Rhododendron, Government Camp, Molalla, Sandy, Oak Grove

Back to the main travel overview: Clackamas.