Sign up for a tour
If you need assistance signing up online, call 503-823-5351.
Tours fill up quickly. We're lucky to live in a city where people want to see their drinking water source firsthand. For your best chance at a seat, sign up for our notification list so that you know when we post the tour dates. If it's later in the season and the tours are full, check back often. People's plans change, and seats often open up.
Meeting location
We'll provide the exact location after you have reserved your seat. Most tours meet in Northeast Portland.
Cost
Tours cost $22.69 - $43.89 per person. There is a $20 - $40 sliding scale for the transportation costs and an online service fee.
The Water Bureau is proud to offer the community opportunities to visit Portland’s water system. Your registration fee helps to offset the cost of making this unique opportunity available for our community. Please contribute what you are able. If a contribution is a barrier, please let us know.
Can kids join the tour?
Yes, with the understanding that we spend most of the day on a bus and the explanations are intended for adults. We ask you to consider three parties:
- Your kid. You know your child better than anyone else does. Would they have a good time on an eight-hour bus tour?
- Yourself. Will you enjoy an eight-hour bus tour with your child?
- The other people on the bus. Please consider other participants as you make your decision.
Group tours
One person can register up to six people through the link above. Please be prepared to provide all participants' names. We also offer tours for groups of about 25 people. If you have 25 people who want to commit to an all-day field trip, please contact us by April 1 to be considered for the upcoming summer.
Cancellations and refunds
We offer a refund if you give us at least three days' notice. If you'd like a refund, contact Brown Paper Tickets. We are unable to provide a refund without three days' notice, but you're welcome to give your ticket to a friend. If you do give a friend a ticket, they will just need to tell us upon arrival that they are substituting for you. If you are unable to find a substitute, please still let us know so that the space is freed up for our waiting list. Email us or call 503-823-5351 to let us know.
Repeat visits
Every year we hear from people who would like to go but can't because the tours fill so quickly. If you've recently attended a Bull Run tour, please consider waiting a few years before signing up again. We have a very limited number of tours and a limited number of seats on the bus. Please consider your fellow Portlanders who haven't been to the watershed before you sign up.