Washington Park MAX Station

Washington Park station is the MAX light rail stop for Washington Park, served by the Red and Blue lines. It sits 260 feet underground inside the Robertson Tunnel, which makes it the deepest transit station in North America and the only fully underground MAX stop. Elevators bring you up beside the Oregon Zoo and World Forestry Center, and Hoyt Arboretum's trails start a few hundred yards away.

The Station

The station opened in 1998, 260 feet beneath Portland's west hills inside the 3-mile Robertson Tunnel between Goose Hollow and Sunset Transit Center, according to The Oregonian. High-speed elevators carry riders between the platform and Les AuCoin Plaza at street level.

Trains

The MAX Red and Blue lines both stop here. Portland Parks & Recreation says trains arrive about every 15 minutes. Trains allow bikes on board.

Getting to Hoyt Arboretum

• Walk: come up the elevator, and the arboretum's southern trails start a few hundred yards away near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, where the Wildwood Trail begins. The Visitor Center is about ½ mile away on the paved Overlook Trail.
• Shuttle: the free Washington Park Shuttle starts its loop at the World Forestry Center, MAX and Zoo stop and stops at the Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center. It runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from October to March and 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. from April to September.
• Bike: ride up SW Knights Blvd to SW Fairview Blvd and turn right for the Visitor Center. Bikes stay on roads, not trails.

Other Stops From Here

• Oregon Zoo and World Forestry Center: steps from the plaza.
• Rose Garden and Japanese Garden: on the shuttle, at the north end of the park.
• Pittock Mansion: a long walk north on the Wildwood Trail through the arboretum. See Pittock Mansion.

Why Take MAX

Parking in Washington Park costs $2.52 an hour and fills on sunny weekends, and Portland Parks & Recreation estimates about 40 percent of visitors skip the parking. With MAX and the free shuttle you avoid both the fee and the hunt for a space. See parking.