Riverside Golf Course, Portland

This is a winter (snow) only place — a riverside golf course owned by the city that is converted into a rather lovely nordic skiing area in season. It’s free, too. The trails are groomed for classic and skate skiing, and the course (roughly 4.5 miles) forms a big, pretty loop (that you can cut off to make shorter). It can be quite busy here on a nice weekend day. There’s also a little skating rink and big sledding hills popular with kids. 

Directions: You can park at several lots and start your ski at different points along the track. All of the lots are off Riverside Street.