Tour Portland’s Historic Lone Fir Cemetery

“Lone Fir #1” by brx0 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Looking for a one-of-a-kind experience to retrace Portland’s history in an arboretum? Take a tour of Portland’s historic Lone Fir Cemetery.

Located in Southeast Portland, Lone Fir Cemetery is one of Portland’s oldest continually used cemeteries. The 30 acres is the final resting place of many noteworthy Portlanders in a picturesque setting with more than 500 trees. One of the old growth trees is a Douglas Fir that is the 150-year-old namesake of the cemetery. 

This beloved green space has many iconic sights, like the Macleay Mausoleum (you may recognize this name from one of Portland’s best urban parks), the Chinese burial grounds at Block 14, the Pioneer Rose Garden and Bottler Tomb. All of these historic attributes earned Lone Fir Cemetery a plot on the National Register of Historic Places.

Monthly tours of Lone Fir Cemetery retrace the rich history of our community and the people who helped shape it. Tours are hosted by the Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery, a volunteer organization dedicated to education, preservation and restoration of the historic cemetery.

Here are multiple opportunities for you to explore this historic Portland cemetery. 

Tour Portland’s Historic Lone Fir Cemetery

Guided Tours

There are three different guided tours at the Lone Fir Cemetery each month: Historical Tour and Stories in Stone Tour and the Women’s Tour. All of them give you unique insight about the historic figures who shaped our city while enjoying the beauty of the cemetery. Tours are suitable for all ages and wheelchair accessible by arrangement.

Historical Tour

The Historical Tour highlights Portland’s founders, pioneers, famous and infamous figures, and interesting headstones and monuments.

The event takes place on the second Saturday of each month at 10 a.m. The tour begins at the Soldiers Monument, located in the center of the cemetery, and lasts about 2 hours.

Here are the dates for the 2026 Historical Tours.

• January 10
• February 14
• March 14
• April 11
• May 9
• June 13
• July 11
• August 8
• September 12
• October 10
• November 14
• December 12

Admission is a suggested donation of $10 and you can reserve a spot in advance online. Space is limited. 

Stories of the Stone Tour

The Stories of the Stone Tour an insider’s guide to all of the marvels of Lone Fir Cemetery that are not covered in the Historical Tour. You’ll visit additional structures, historic figures and symbols seen throughout the cemetery.

The tour is split into north and south sides of the cemetery, which alternate every month. 

Stories of the Stone takes place on the first Saturday each month at 10 a.m. The tour begins at the Soldiers Monument, located in the center of the cemetery, and will last about 2 hours.

Here are the upcoming Stories of the Stone Tours: 

• January 3
• February 7
• March 7
• April 4
• May 2
• June 6
• July 4
• August 1
• September 5
• October 3
• November 7
• December 5

Admission is a suggested donation of $10 and you can reserve a spot in advance online. Space is limited. 

Women’s Tour

Meet the women at rest in the cemetery. This tour highlights the unique stories and roles these women filled in the community as Portland transitioned from a frontier town to an early 20th century city.

Stop at the gravesites of the prominent founding families (Terwilliger, McLoughlin andMacleay) as well as lesser-known women whose contributions improved the lives of Portlanders.

Women’s Tours are on the fourth Saturday of the month starting at 10 a.m. The tour begins at the Soldiers Monument, located in the center of the cemetery, and will last about 2 hours.

Here are the 2026 Women’s Tours:

• January 24
• February 28
• March 28
• April 25
• May 23
• June 27
• July 25
• August 22
• September 26
• October 24
• November 28
• December 26

Admission is a suggested donation of $10 and you can reserve a spot in advance online. Space is limited. 

Self-Guided Tours

If you’d like an explore-it-yourself tour, Lone Fir Cemetery has an interactive Google Map that guides you to the notable residents, including civic leaders, pioneers, and other notorious and celebrated historic figures. The map includes a brief explanation of the significance of each highlighted headstone and monument.

The Lone Fir Cemetery is open 7 a.m. to sunset every day. View the self-guided tour at the on the Friends of Lone Pine Cemetery website. 

Headstone Workshops

Learn how to clean headstones and help fellow volunteers spruce up the cemetery. Meet at the Soldiers Monument, located in the center of the cemetery. This event is free to attend and you do not need to RSVP. 

The workshop runs from 10 a.m. until noon. Supplies will be provided, but make sure you pack gloves and dress in clothes you don’t mind getting dirty.

Headstone workshops take place every third Saturday of the month from April through September.

Here are the 2026 dates:

• April 18
• May 16
• June 20
• July 18
• August 15 
• September 19 

Lone Fir Cemetery is located at 649 SE 26th Ave. in Portland. For more information about events happening at Portland’s historic cemetery, visit the Friends of Lone Fir Cemetery website. 

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