West Linn Neighborhood Guide

Rolling hills, stunning views, 600 acres of parks & two rivers. Your complete guide to beautiful West Linn.

West Linn Neighborhood Guide | SkyBlue Portland

West Linn, Oregon–known as the “city of hills, trees, and rivers”–is all about natural beauty, breathtaking views, top notch schools, family life, and parks that amaze with their wide range of outdoor activities.

Community involvement and active neighborhood associations keep local government focused on making this suburban city an ideal place to live.

In fact, it’s not only one of the 100 Best Cities to Live in the nation, it’s also Oregon’s Most Family Friendly City.  And People Are Really Happy in West Linn.

West-Linn-Home

Eleven Great Neighborhoods

Just 12 miles south of downtown Portland, the 11 neighborhoods of West Linn enjoy easy access to the amenities of the larger metropolitan area, while retaining their rural, small town charm. For an interactive map showing the neighborhoods of West Linn, see the West Linn Neighborhood Associations Map.

A recent search for All Homes for Sale in West Linn, Oregon shows a range of home prices from almost $4,000,000 at the high end to $200,000 at the low end. There’s a home for every budget in West Linn. And regardless of neighborhood or home price, the much lauded amenities of this vibrant city are available to all residents alike.

Classic-Federal-Home-in-West-Linn

The majority of West Linn’s 11 neighborhoods are nestled in the tranquil, rolling hills overlooking the Willamette River. Here you’ll find Barrington Heights-Hidden Creek-Tanner Creek (popularly known as BHT), Hidden Springs, Marylhurst, Parker Crest, Rosemont Summit, Savannah Oaks, and Skyline Ridge.

West-Linn-View-of-Mt-Hood

Spectacular views are prevalent in the hills, as are upscale homes and gated communities (Cascade Summit, Le Chevalier, Stafford Hill Ranch, Summerlinn). What you’ll get for your money are elegant, spacious homes, tree-line streets with sidewalk boulevards, and easy access to dozens of neighborhood parks.

Historic-Willamette-Neighborhood-Home

Closer to the river, and thus lower in elevation, you’ll find Bolton, Robinwood, Sunset, and Willamette, which is the historic core of town.

With the exception of newer, upscale homes on the river, the lower elevation neighborhoods in West Linn are older, with smaller, less expensive homes. These historic neighborhoods have older roadways as well–meandering, without sidewalks. Along the river, neighborhoods feel like waterfront vacation communities–laid-back, tranquil, and charmingly tousled. Mature trees and cottage gardens are prevalent, as are historic-style homes (craftsman, bungalow, Victorian, farm house).

We love these neighborhoods with their unpretentious style and sense of history and place. If you’re into cottage-chic and want the tranquility of the country, you may find the perfect home in West Linn’s historic neighborhoods.

Wilderness-Park

A Park for Every Interest

Within West Linn’s seven square miles, there are over 600 acres of park land, ranging from active parks with sports, picnic, play, spray, and skate facilities to more passive parks for walking, biking, and communing with nature. Eighteen miles of trails weave through parks and open spaces, while an additional seven miles of trails abut easements, city property, residential linkages and unimproved public right of ways. It’s an outdoor playland for all ages and activity levels, and it’s FREE.

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Homes for Sale in West Linn

Use SkyBlue Portland Real Estate’s Custom Search to search for all homes currently for sale in West Linn. Or drill down into the eleven neighborhoods below to narrow your search.

West Linn Neighborhoods

Neighborhood Guides

Neighborhood Maps

Neighborhood Associations

Neighborhood Websites

West Linn Demographics

Basics

  • County: Clackamas
  • Zip Code: 97068
  • Location: 12 miles south of Downtown Portland

People

  • Population: 19,154
  • Median Age: 45
  • Median Household Income: $86.294 (3rd highest in Portland/Portland Metro)
  • Bachelor’s Degree: 34%
  • Graduate Degree: 15%

Lifestyle

  • Parks & Open Spaces (acres): 600
  • Walkability Score: 29 (all those hills)
  • Average Commute Time: 25 minutes
  • Minutes by Car to Downtown Portland: 26 minutes

Real Estate (April 2014)

  • Medium Home Price: $385,303
  • Average Home Price: $399,303
  • Average Days on Market: 76
  • Average Year Built: 1987 (Compared to Portland: 1956)
  • Homes Built 2005 or Earlier: 62%

West Linn City Hall

City Hall

Calendar of Events

West Linn Chamber of Commerce

West Linn Public Library

West Linn Maps

West Linn Public Schools

West Linn Parks & Recreation

Mary S. Young State Park is West Linn’s largest park at 128 acres. It’s a favorite of birders, with miles of walking trails and river views. Beyond the nature trails, it features sports fields, picnic shelter, unleashed dog area, and walking bridge to Cedar Island. Get this handy Trail Map before you head to the park.

Wilderness Park is West Linn’s second largest park at 51 acres. Nestled into the upland slopes of West Linn, it’s natural beauty (a remnant of native forest) is accessible through numerous hiking trails and pathways. Here you’ll find towering Douglas firs, grand firs, maples, salal, sword ferns, holly, and a carpet of wild flowers in the spring. The park is primarily for nature lovers; there are no sports facilities. Wilderness Park Loop Trail is popular with hikers.

The Camassia Natural Area, owned by the Nature Conservancy, sprawls over 22 acres and includes more than 300 plant species, including the common camas. Camas, formerly used as a food source by Pacific Northwest Native Americans, has beautiful blue blooms in April and early May. Birders can find the wood duck, western bluebird, and California quail, as well as other well-known bird species in the natural area. Camassia Natural Area Loop Hike is popular with hikers. Get this handy Trail Map before you head to the park.

Willamette Park, at 15 acres, offers a diverse range of activities for all ages and interests. It includes two large picnic shelters, smaller gazebo, stage area, five horseshoe pits, two softball fields, baseball field, grass volleyball court, sand volleyball court, playground, spray park, and river access through adjacent Bernert Landing.

Parks & Open Spaces

Spray Parks

Is anything more fun for toddlers in the heat of summer than a romp through a neighborhood wading pool? Unfortunately, most Portland and Portland Metro wading pools were decommissioned a few years ago due to health concerns. The good news is that many of them were reengineered, and in the process, a new category of water fun was created: the spray park. West Linn is home to five of these water play parks. Check out our Guide to West Linn Spray Parks.

Skateboard Parks

Hiking

Walking

Running

Golfing

Tennis

Biking

Boating | Fishing | Rowing

Flanked by the Willamette and Tualatin Rivers, West Linn attracts fishing and boating enthusiasts of all types. The Cedaroak Boat Ramp Park offers access to the river, wildlife viewing, fishing, and hiking trails. Smaller Bernert Landing Boat Ramp in Willamette Park offers similar access at the junction between the Willamette and Tualatin Rivers. For land lovers, the new West Linn Fishing Dock gives bank fishermen access to the bounty of the river and its seasonal runs of chinook, white sturgeon, steelhead, and coho salmon.

West Linn Festivals

There’s always something fun going on in West Linn, from community fairs popular art festivals to especially in the summer.

Music in the Parks

West Linn in Action

  • Take Care of West Linn Day

West Linn Shopping

Shopping Centers

West Linn is home to numerous shopping centers, so everyday necessities and services are close at hand.

  • Cascade Summit Professional BLDG (22400 Salamo Rd)
  • River Falls Shopping Center (1865 Blankenship Rd)
  • Robinwood Shopping Center (19149 Willamette Dr)
  • West Linn Central Village (21900 Willamette Dr)

For upscale shopping, Washington Square in Southwest Portland and Bridgeport Village in Tigard are nearby. You’ll also enjoy gracious Lakeview Village nestled against Millennium Plaza Park in downtown Lake Oswego.

Markets

You have several good choices for supermarkets in West Linn:

  • Albertsons (1855 Blankenship Rd Ste A, West Linn)
  • Bale’s Thriftway (19133 Willamette Dr, West Linn)
  • Market of Choice (5639 Hood St, West Linn)
  • Safeway (22000 Salamo Rd, West Linn)
  • Wal-Mart (19133 Willamette Dr, West Linn)

And you’ll find these popular, upscale markets in nearby Lake Oswego:

Farmers Markets

West Linn Restaurants | Pubs | Coffee Shops

The Portland suburbs are not often noted for their mind-blowing food, and West Linn is no exception. Up-and-coming chefs tend to hone their mettle and build their reputations in Portland restaurants. However, we like to eat when we’re in West Linn, and here are some of our favorites: Bugatti’s Ristorante, Allium Bistro, Thai Orchid, Thai Lemon, and Willamette Coffee House.

West Linn in the News

Local News

About West Linn

West Linn History

West Linn Social Media

Copyright 2014 Susan S. Bradley. All rights reserved.

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