Your Map Of Portland Oregon

Who doesn't need a good map of Portland Oregon? They say that you can't know the players without a program. The same holds true when you're finding all the treasures that the City of Roses has to offer.

Now, I could easily get lost in a paper bag. That is exactly the reason I bought a GPS for my car. My G1 Phone also has one. My GPS hand-holding has been my savior in finding my way around the Portland areas more often than not. Finding my way ANYWHERE for that matter! hehe.

At first glance, Portland may seem like an impossible maze of streets to navigate (there are a ton of one-way streets), but once you understand exactly how organized and systematically it is laid out, you'll heave a heavy sigh of relief.

It's good to realize that much of the reasoning behind the layout of the Portland streets is to accommodate public transportation, such as TriMet busses and our light rail, MAX. It's all part of the livability that makes the city of Roses famous.

Aside from the treasure of having a map of Portland Oregon, let me list some of the key points in finding your way around the city. It should help to keep this information in your head:

Interstate 5 (I-5) runs North to South, through Oregon, from Canada to Mexico.
Interstate 84 (I-84) runs East To West, from the Columbia Gorge on through Idaho.
The Portland Metro area comprises Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. Also the southern edge of Clark County in Washington.
The city of Portland is divided into eastern and western halves by the Willamette River.
It's further divided into 4 quadrants, using Burnside Street, which runs east to west. The 4 quadrants are Southwest, Northwest, Southeast and Northeast (there is actually a 5th quadrant known as North Portland. It runs from the Broadway Bridge to the mighty Columbia River)
Numbered streets run parallel to the Willamette River, getting higher as you head away from the waterfront. Named streets run perpendicular to the river and parallel to Burnside. Got it? There may be an occasional street that breaks the rule, but it's just there to keep you on your toes. ;)

Alright. With that basic information in your arsenal, here is your map of Portland Oregon, or 6, to help you find your way around. I'll add more as I come across them. They're all in PDF format, so you'll need Adobe Reader to view and print them. It's free. Get it here.

These maps of Portland Oregon should make you a pro in no time when it comes to the lay of the land. Just give yourself a little time; you'll get used to it. Trust me.

Pretty soon, you're the one who will be giving directions to people. ;)

Have a great time exploring!