Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden, Botanical garden in southeast Portland, Oregon.
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden is a botanical garden in southeast Portland with thousands of rhododendrons and azaleas. The grounds feature small lakes, winding paths, fountains, and waterfalls distributed throughout the flowering areas.
The site was originally swampland covered with blackberries until the Portland Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society established a test garden in 1950. This founding marked the start of systematic cultivation that shaped the garden we see today.
The name comes from natural springs that flow through the grounds and shape the landscape. Visitors can see how these water sources connect different areas and support the plants throughout the garden.
The garden lies between Southeast 28th Avenue and Woodstock Boulevard, next to Reed College and the Eastmoreland Golf Course. Paths are both paved and unpaved, and pets must stay on a leash. Gates close at 5:30, and on Wednesdays the garden opens only in the afternoon.
The Rhododendron Society counted 94 bird species in the garden, among them grebes, herons, ducks, Canada geese, wigeons, gulls, thrushes, nuthatches and hummingbirds. Waterfowl are most numerous in winter, when the marsh vegetation and submerged logs draw them to the water.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,973 contributors worldwide.
