Entry No. 22 — the Portland file — filed under: night view
Joseph Wood Hill Park at Rocky Butte
On top of an extinct 613-foot cinder-cone volcano, a WPA crew hand-drilled a 375-foot tunnel through cinders and lava between 1939 and 1941 just to reach a stone overlook — and the rotating airway beacon erected there in 1929 was officially decommissioned in the late 1960s but, oddly, is still lit and still sweeping the sky over the city every night.
The story
Underneath the asphalt and residential grid of NE Portland sits a 613-foot extinct volcanic cinder cone. Between 1939 and 1941, a Works Progress Administration crew carved an entry to its peak by hand-drilling a 375-foot tunnel straight through the old cinders and basalt lava, topping the summit with heavy stone masonry parapets.
In 1929, an airway beacon was installed at the top to guide early aircraft navigating the dark Columbia River corridor. Federal authorities officially decommissioned the light in the late 1960s when modern navigation rendered visual beacons obsolete. Oddly, no one turned it off for good—the 1929 mechanism still spins today, throwing a white light beam across the skyline, Mt. Hood, and Mt. St. Helens every night.
What it's like
Drive up NE Rocky Butte Road after dark, pass through the narrow WPA tunnel, and pull directly into the summit parking lot. Up top, the stone wall feels more like a neglected highway fortress than a typical city park, with the wind off the Columbia River Gorge cutting across the concrete platform. You get sweeping 360-degree views of airport flight paths and city grid lines without any entry fee. Keep in mind that wind gear is essential, and while the park historically stays open until midnight, confirm current hours before heading up.
The move: Drive up after sunset (the park stays open to midnight), park at the summit lot, and watch a 97-year-old aircraft beacon still spin over a skyline view of Mt. Hood and Mt. St. Helens.
- 📍 Rocky Butte, NE Portland
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Low-key
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: NE Rocky Butte Road, Portland, OR 97220
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Hale Pele — Trade an extinct volcanic lookout for a Polynesian-pop bar where simulated volcanic thunder and rain break out every twenty minutes.
- The Zymoglyphic Museum — Follow real volcanic geology with a walk through a garage museum dedicated to imagined natural history and cabinet curiosities.
- Lone Fir Cemetery — Block 14 — Pair a WPA stone terrace built in the late 1930s with a walk around Portland's historic trees and unmarked burial grounds.
Good to know
What makes Rocky Butte geologically unique?
It is an extinct 613-foot volcanic cinder cone located right within NE Portland.
What is the history behind the summit tunnel?
WPA workers hand-drilled the 375-foot tunnel through volcanic rock between 1939 and 1941 to open up vehicle access to the summit viewpoint.
Is the airway beacon at the top still operating?
Yes. Erected in 1929 and officially decommissioned in the late 1960s, the rotating aviation light remains powered and sweeps the sky nightly.
How late can you visit Rocky Butte?
The summit lot is accessible until midnight, making it ideal for late-night views of the city skyline and mountains.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: portland.gov · Wikipedia
last checked: 2026-07-20