Pier Park is where I first saw disc golf being played. I didn’t know what it was at the time \u2014 this was maybe 2015, before I’d started playing \u2014 I was just walking my dog through the park and saw people throwing frisbees at metal baskets. Thought it looked weird. Interesting, but weird.
A year later, post-shoulder surgery, deep in physical therapy, a friend suggested I try disc golf as a low-impact way to throw again. We went to Pier Park. I was terrible. I hit trees constantly. I lost a disc in bushes on hole 3 and spent fifteen minutes looking for it. By the end of the round I was frustrated and sweaty and sore and somehow also kind of hooked.
Now it’s one of my regular courses. Not my favorite \u2014 Milo has that spot \u2014 but Pier Park is convenient, always busy with people to play with, and has a unique charm that keeps bringing me back. It’s also free, which matters.
The Basics
Pier Park is in North Portland, near the St. Johns neighborhood. Free parking in a small lot off Lombard \u2014 it fills up fast on weekends, so arrive early or be prepared to circle. No fee to play, no check-in, just show up and throw.
The course is 18 holes, mostly wooded, with tight fairways through dense trees and some more open bomber holes. Total length is around 5,000 feet from the long tees, shorter from the shorts. Average hole is maybe 280-300 feet, nothing too crazy distance-wise.
Terrain is hilly. Not extreme elevation but enough that you’ll feel it by the end. Wear shoes you don’t mind getting dirty \u2014 the park gets muddy after rain and some areas drain poorly.
The Course Character
Pier Park is a woods course. Dense trees everywhere, tight lines, lots of opportunity to hit bark if your release is off. If you can’t throw straight, you’re going to have a rough day.
But it’s not punishing in a mean way \u2014 it’s more like a teacher that keeps reminding you to hit your line. Miss by a few feet and you’re in the trees. Hit your line and you’re rewarded with a clean look at the basket. The feedback is instant and honest.
The variety is nice. Some holes want hyzer, some want turnover, some want straight. A few are genuine bomber holes where you can let it fly. You need a full bag to play Pier Park well \u2014 or at least a few discs you really trust.
Selected Holes
I’m not going to break down all 18 \u2014 some are just “throw it straight, make your putt” \u2014 but here are the notable ones.
Hole 3: The Early Trees
This is where most beginners (including me, that first round) get their first taste of Pier Park’s woods. The fairway looks wide enough from the tee. It’s not. Trees close in maybe 80 feet out and suddenly you’re punching out sideways.
The play is a controlled midrange, straight or slight hyzer, landing short of the trouble zone. Taking your par is fine here. Trying to be a hero usually ends badly.
Hole 7: The Tunnel
One of the tighter holes on the course. Dead straight through a corridor of trees, maybe 250 feet. The gap looks impossible until you actually throw and realize it’s barely wide enough for a disc.
I throw a beaten-in Buzzz here, dead straight, and pray. When it works it’s beautiful \u2014 the disc threading through the gap and landing soft near the basket. When it doesn’t work I’m making three more throws to escape the trees. No in-between.
Hole 12: The Bomber
Finally, some room to breathe. This is one of the more open holes \u2014 still trees, but wider fairway, more forgiving. You can actually throw a driver here and see it fly.
I throw something overstable on a slight anhyzer and let it flex back. 350-380 feet is reachable with a good drive. There’s OB long but you’d really have to crush it to get there.
Hole 16: The Downhill Shot
Steep downhill with trees on both sides. The basket sits at the bottom of a hill and looks closer than it is. Disc selection matters \u2014 downhill shots go further than you expect and understable stuff will turn over hard.
I throw something stable with a touch of fade. Let gravity do the work. Don’t overthrow \u2014 if you’re long here you’re putting uphill on slippery terrain.
Crowds and Etiquette
Pier Park is popular. On nice weekends you’ll see dozens of people playing, and you should expect to wait on tees. It’s just how it is with a free urban course that everyone knows about.
The culture is generally friendly. People let faster groups play through. Randos get absorbed into groups easily. I’ve been solo and gotten adopted by strangers more times than I can count \u2014 Portland disc golfers tend to be welcoming.
That said: don’t be the person who holds up play. If you’re searching for a disc and there’s a group behind you, wave them through. Keep the pace moving. We’re all trying to get our rounds in.
Non-Golfers
Pier Park is a public park, not a dedicated disc golf course. Runners use the trails. Families have picnics. Dogs are everywhere. You need to coexist.
Always look before throwing \u2014 especially on holes where the fairway crosses walking paths. Hitting someone with a disc would be bad, obviously, but it would also make our sport look bad to people who don’t understand it. Be an ambassador, even when you’re frustrated about waiting.
Getting Better at Pier Park
If you want to improve your woods game, Pier Park is excellent practice. The tight lines force precision. You can’t fake your way through with distance; you have to actually hit shots.
I played here probably twice a week for my first year. It humbled me constantly \u2014 I’d hit trees I thought I cleared, miss gaps I thought I had, scramble out of trouble over and over. But the reps built skills that transferred to every other course. When I finally played more open layouts, they felt easy because I wasn’t fighting trees on every throw.
The Vibe
There’s something about Pier Park that feels very Portland. The hippie-ish casual energy. The dogs off-leash even though they shouldn’t be. The mix of serious players grinding for birdies and casual people just chucking plastic on a Sunday afternoon. It’s not fancy, it’s not exclusive, it’s just a public park where people throw discs.
I know people who hate it \u2014 too crowded, too many trees, not enough signature holes. Fair criticisms. But I have a soft spot for it because it’s where I learned. The first course that made me think maybe I could do this sport, maybe I could get better, maybe there was something here worth pursuing.
Practical Info
Address: N Bruce Avenue, Portland, OR 97203 (parking lot is off Lombard)
Fee: Free
Facilities: Bathrooms near the parking lot, benches scattered around, no pro shop
Best times: Early weekday mornings for empty course, weekends for social rounds
Course map: Check UDisc for layout and hole details
If you’re in Portland and you haven’t played Pier Park, go. It’s not the most famous course in Oregon \u2014 that’s Milo \u2014 but it’s accessible, free, and teaches you something about throwing in the woods whether you want it to or not.