Quick facts (at a glance)
- What: Free public art trail, 30 crow sculptures
- When: August 7 – October 30, 2026
- Where: Downtown Portland, neighborhoods, parks, and along the Wildwood Trail
- Why: Celebrates LAIKA’s film Wildwood; benefits OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
- Cost: Free to follow the trail; sculptures auctioned afterward for charity
Welcome to the trail
Thirty crows are about to take over Portland, and they want you to chase them.
Starting August 7, 2026, a free public art trail called Wildwood: Follow the Crows opens across downtown Portland, its neighborhoods, and a stretch of the actual Wildwood Trail. Thirty life-size crow sculptures, each one painted by a different local artist, will perch around the city through October 30. Find them all with the help of a companion app, snap some photos, and know that every dollar raised when the crows are auctioned off afterward goes to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.
We encourage you to explore every corner of it. Part scavenger hunt, part art walk, part love letter to Portland, there’s a good reason to follow this flock all the way through fall.
Why crows, why now?
The trail celebrates LAIKA’s newest stop-motion film, Wildwood, opening in theaters nationwide on October 23, 2026. The movie is based on the novel by Portland musician Colin Meloy and illustrated by Portland artist Carson Ellis. It’s set in a version of Portland where the forest is very much alive. Carson Ellis herself is painting one of the 30 crows, and it makes its debut at the trail’s opening event.
This trail brings the film’s world straight into the real city that inspired it.
Join the conversation
Spotted a crow? Show it off.
- Follow @wildwoodfollowthecrowspdx and @downtown_cleansafe on Instagram for trail updates
- Tag your crow sightings with #WildwoodFollowTheCrows
Who’s behind it
The trail is a true public-private partnership between:
- LAIKA
- OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
- Wild in Art
- Portland Metro Chamber
- Downtown Portland Clean & Safe
- The Visit Downtown Campaign
How the trail works
- 30 sculptures, each hand-painted by a local artist and sponsored by community donors
- Installed across downtown, neighborhoods, business districts, parks, and forested trails
- A companion app helps you track down and digitally collect each crow. Do it all in one ambitious day, or spread it across the whole season
- After the trail ends, every crow goes to auction, with proceeds supporting Doernbecher Children’s Hospital
For the adventurous: The Wildwood sequence
Immerse yourself in the full experience with three sculptures set along Portland’s real Wildwood Trail, linking:
- International Rose Test Garden
- Pittock Mansion
- Bird Alliance of Oregon
It’s about 3 miles one-way (6 miles round trip): city views, forest air, and a very good excuse for a hike.
Mark your calendar: Key dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 7 | Trail Launch & Ribbon Cutting, St. Johns Library, 11 a.m. to Noon |
| August 7 | Carson Ellis Crow Unveiling |
| August 23 | Food Court 5000 Mall Walk: Field Trip Edition, Darcelle XV Plaza, 11 a.m. |
| September 19 | Crow Painting with Mike Bennett & Doernbecher Fundraiser, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. |
| October 1 | Crow Lecture at OMSI with Dr. Kaeli Swift (ticketed) |
| October 23 | LAIKA’s Wildwood opens nationwide |
| TBA | Run Club Community Crow Runs |
| October 31 to November 1 | Farewell Weekend, Darcelle XV Plaza |
| November 12 | Wildwood: Follow the Crows Auction (details to come) |
More events will be announced throughout the fall, so check back for updates.
The ribbon-cutting: Your first look
Friday, August 7, 11:00 a.m. to Noon St. Johns Library, 7510 N Charleston Ave., Portland, OR
Come hear from the partners behind the trail, grab your free trail map, and be among the first to see all 30 sculptures before the flock scatters across the city.