Whether you need to escape the hustle and bustle or are just in search of a cool place to spend an afternoon, the Eugene area has plenty of the great outdoors to choose from. This collection of getaways is organized by proximity to campus into Nearby Nature and Afternoon Adventures.
Most are free or cost only a $3 day-use fee for vehicles, and nearly all of them are accessible by the local bus system, LTD, which is free for students with current ID.

Nearby nature
Alton Baker Park — Directly north of the University, beyond the Millrace Labs and over the footbridge, lies Alton Baker Park.
Along with Alton Baker, several other parks such as Maury Jacobs, Kiwanis and West Skinner Butte are linked together by paved paths to form a chain of parks along the north and south banks of the Willamette River. These parks stretch out their paths for miles from the Springfield city limits westward through Eugene all the way to River Road. Some of the paths are lighted at night, but most are not.
In Alton Baker Park, you can also find miles of bark running trails throughout its many acres of fields, old filbert orchards and wooded areas. The center of a scale model of our solar system is here, too ­­ the softball-sized Jupiter is nearly a mile away on the other side of the river in West Skinner Butte Park.
Further west along the river path, past Skinner Butte ­­ the big hill just north of downtown ­­ you’ll find George Owens Park and its rose gardens. All along the way, private spots and riverside seats can be found.
Hendricks Park — East of campus about a half mile, Hendricks Park can be found at the top of Hendricks Hill. Summit Avenue, off Fairmount Boulevard, runs along the base of the hill and takes you up to the park. Walk or bike a few hundred feet and you’ll find the rhododendron garden and views of downtown Eugene that this park is known for.
Masonic Cemetery — Enjoy tranquil seclusion, views of Eugene and learn some of Eugene’s history while you’re at it. The Masonic Cemetery, directly south of campus where University Street meets the cemetery at 25th Avenue, is where many of the founding citizens of Eugene are buried.
Up on this wooded hill cemetery you will find the namesakes of campus buildings and Eugene streets such as Skinner, Friendly, Condon, Chambers and many more.
Informational brochures are available at the cemetery.

Afternoon adventures
Cougar Hot Springs — Spend the morning or afternoon hiking or swimming and finish the trip with a soak in a steamy hot spring at Cougar Reservoir.
The reservoir is about an hour east of Eugene, south off Highway 126. The parking lot is approximately a 20-minute drive from Highway 126. The easy half-mile hike to the spring begins near the small parking lot.
While swimming in the reservoir is nice in the summer and the hiking leads to some beautiful waterfalls upstream, the hot spring alone is more than worth the trip.
The spring is very clean, with almost no trace of sulfur like many other springs. There are about five consecutive pools. Each descends in temperature as one flows into the next, so everyone should be able to find a comfortable pool. All of this is tucked up into the hills under old, tall fir trees.
There is a small covered area to hang clothes and store bags, but be prepared or not, as it were, because clothing is officially optional at the hot spring.
The No. 91 LTD bus runs daily out Highway 126. However, getting to the hot spring would require about a 10-mile hilly ride on your bicycle, which the buses have racks for, so be sure you’re ready for this trek. Call LTD at 687-5555 for schedules.
Driving to the reservoir is easy as the turn-off from Highway 126 is clearly marked four miles beyond the town of Blue River. There is a $3 day-use fee for vehicles at the parking lot. The spring is only open from sunup to sundown, so plan accordingly.
Fern Ridge Reservoir — Just outside of Veneta, about 15 miles west of the Eugene, is Fern Ridge Reservoir. There you can picnic, swim, sail and even enjoy an occasional concert.
This large body of water can be accessed by any of the three Lane County Parks on the reservoir: Orchard Point Park, Perkins Peninsula or Richardson Park.
You can get there easily by bicycle on the Fern Ridge Path which begins on 15th Avenue just past Jefferson Street. According to the Lane County Web site, Perkins Peninsula on the south shore is the closest of the parks at about 10 miles. Next is Orchard Point on the north shore at 13 miles and then Richardson Park on the far shore at 16 miles.
One can also get there by bus. The No. 93 LTD bus to Veneta goes around the lake and has stops near each of the parks.
If you’re driving, simply take 11th Avenue west out of town until it turns into Highway 126. Perkins Peninsula is on this road and the other two parks are on Clear Lake Road, on the north side of the reservoir. There is a $3 day-use fee for vehicles at the parks.
These few getaway spots are just the beginning. There are dozens of city, county and state parks in the Eugene/Springfield area. You can find out more information on many of them at www.co.lane.or.us/parks/ for Lane County, and www.prd.state.or.us/ for Oregon State Parks.