The Magnolia Trail Sensory Overload Walk

Let us be clear: this is not an innocent little saunter down the Hoyt Arboretum Magnolia Trail. At full bloom, this path turns into a floral hazard zone. The colors hit too hard, the beauty arrives in unsafe doses, and the odds of emerging emotionally scarred increase with every step.

This will be an interactive educational walk, where I’ll be sharing the history of magnolias, the different varieties we’ll encounter, and how Hoyt Arboretum developed this dazzling annual display.

Bring your fully charged mobile phone. You’ll need it for the interactive magnolia guide and for gathering hard proof of just how thoroughly this trail dismantled your emotional defenses.

Be warned: the trail shows no mercy.

The Stats:
Mostly dirt trails with numerous benches, vistas, info placards.
Meeting Point Location: Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center
Meeting Point Address: 4000 SW Fairview Blvd. Portland, OR 97205
Google Maps Meeting Point
Meeting Point GPS: 45.515833085577455, -122.71565229736083
Main Parking Area: Hoyt Arboretum Paid Parking Lot 1 & Lot 2
Overflow Parking Locations: SW Fairview Blvd, Veteran’s Parking Lot (8 min. walk), Parking Lot B (12 min. walk).
Map of our hike. Press “preview route” to see animated trail.
Distance: Approximately 1.2 miles
Elevation gain: 223 feet.
Estimated time on trail: 1 hour hiking & 1 hour learning
Difficulty level: Easy
Parking: Paid Parking Kitty Lots
Bathrooms at the trailhead at Hoyt Arboretum Visitor Center