The University is notorious for recruiting students by showcasing the school’s proximity to recreation-rich coastal and mountain towns. But sometimes recruiters neglect to mention the abundance of great outdoor activities just a stone’s throw away from campus.
The surrounding campus areas have many outdoor recreation opportunities, including biking and running paths, hiking trails and parks. Here are some of Eugene’s highlights and some hints to help you experience them at their best.
Mount Pisgah
Mount Pisgah Arboretum is located between the Coast Fork of the Willamette River and the slopes of Mount Pisgah in the Howard Buford Recreation Area. The arboretum easily draws repeat visitors with more than 200 acres of grounds and hiking trails, picnic areas with homemade benches and tables, and more plant and animal species than it’s possible to list.
“I like Pisgah (for hiking). It’s a quick, good heart rate raiser with a great view to hike to the top. Or you can cruise around the trails at the base for a more mellow hike,” said Suzanne Hanlon, the Assistant Director of the University’s Outdoor Program.
The park’s elaborate maze of hiking trails – eight miles in all – is the main attraction. Each trail winds through various ecological habitats including a meadow and a wildflower garden. The bird-watching opportunities are plentiful and the long hike to the summit is worth the view of the sprawling south end of the rural Willamette Valley.
Hint: During the weekend, the park’s main parking lot fills quickly. Try visiting at off-peak hours like during the evenings or weekdays.
Spencer Butte
Spencer Butte is another popular hiking trail located just five miles south of downtown Eugene. It provides a steeper grade than Pisgah in a short but challenging 1.5- to 2-mile hike.
“Spencer’s is a wonderful forested hike and also a good heart thumper to the top,” said Hanlon. “While Pisgah is open grassy hillside, this is forested all the way to the top until you break out onto a rocky, open top with stunning views of the valley.”
Spencer Butte loop is part of the South Hills Ridgeline Trail and has two different trail options for hikers. For a steep climb, the left-veering trail is the best option. Both routes lead hikers to the top of this 2,062-foot high butte. From there, they have a sweeping view of the Willamette Valley, Fern Ridge Reservoir and the Three Sisters.
Chemistry and physics major Elliott Hinds has a specific time and season he enjoys hiking the butte.
“I mainly hike the butte in summer and my favorite time is actually at night, but I wouldn’t recommend it for others as it’s fairly dangerous,” he said. “I know a number of people who’ve gotten lost on their way down, myself included.”
Hint: Try the hike as part of a training program for a sport, or use it as a fantastic place to watch the sunrise or sunset.
Skinner’s Butte
While Skinner’s Butte also provides some short hiking trails and a panoramic city view, the 100-acre property near downtown Eugene is mainly used as a local gathering place. The park features baseball and softball areas, a community garden, picnic tables, a playground, a climbing area, and numerous walking and hiking paths.
The park has two well-known attractions. The first is the overlook area that provides a sweeping city view and photo opportunity that captures all of Eugene, including the University neighborhood and many well-known city landmarks.
“The view at the top of Skinner’s Butte is gorgeous at night and a great place to go during a date to just kind of figure out where you are in relation to the rest of Eugene,” 21-year-old Marissa Ooyevarr said.
The Columns is the other popular park attraction. Located on the west side of the butte, this leftover basalt quarry provides ideal routes for crack climbers.
“I have climbed the Columns several times, three times this past summer,” said Ooyevarr. “The Columns is good for beginners only if you are with a group or a guide. It really isn’t that challenging (for experienced climbers) but it is kind of a good place to go to just have a quick fun climb.”
Hanlon enjoys the park for its easy accessibility.
“The Columns are great fun if you want to learn crack climbing technique. The (Outdoor Program) hosts Intro to Rock Climbing there every fall and spring, and everyone has a great time. All skill levels can be accommodated at the Columns- beginner to expert,” said Hanlon.
Hendricks Park
Hendricks Park sits in the University’s West Hills and is Eugene’s oldest city park. The 78-acre space is charming and serene with mature moss-covered Douglas-fir trees, and a world-renowned rhododendron garden. The trails at the park are an ideal place for bikers, walkers and runners to escape the doldrums of daily life and enjoy the quiet atmosphere.
“It seems so remote,” said 21-year-old Gina Rolling who walks and runs in the park. “I walk 15, maybe 20 minutes through a neighborhood (to get there) and then it seems like the park is complete wilderness. One side is a beautiful garden, and the rest is natural forest.”
The park also has picnic tables, benches, a gravel trail that meanders through the rhododendron garden, and 40 parking spaces for visitors who arrive by car. If you visit the park on foot, be sure to stop near the entrance and visit Pre’s Rock – an age-old tribute to one of the University’s legendary runners.
Hint: Visit the park after a week of sunny days; rain often makes the trails muddy.
Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trails and area
Clearly, Eugene developed its transportation system with foot and bike traffic in mind. Nowhere is this more apparent than on the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trails. This flat, paved route provides a link between campus and multiple other destinations, and can also help students reap the physical benefits of walking, running, rollerblading or biking.
The trail loops around and across the Willamette. It also runs through Alton Baker Park, Eugene’s largest developed park with more than 400 acres of land. The park has two distinct areas, both with their own ponds and large, noisy geese and ducks.
Veteran marathon runner, Joe Henderson, likes to train on the trail and in the areas around Alton Baker Park.
“The bike path is better for faster training, because most runners race on the roads and need experience on that surface, and for longer runs, because more distance is available here without repeating,” he said.
However, the paved trails aren’t his favorite route.
“Pre’s Trail (near Alton Baker) allows easier running and great views,” he said of the bark-mulch trails. “I’ve run it about a thousand times in the past 25 years and never tire of it. Getting away from traffic while still being in the middle of town is a great luxury.”
Farther down the trail lies the Owens Memorial Rose Garden, a truly colorful sight during most months of the year. This nine-acre park lies directly along the river and houses 750 rose bushes, a gazebo, benches, and picnic tables.
Hint: Bike or run to the rose garden in the spring when the roses are in full bloom.
This is just a sample of the outdoor opportunities available in Eugene. For more information, visit the Outdoor Recreation Program office, located in the basement of the EMU. The program provides free access to wilderness maps, books, magazines and staff advice, and provides a variety of equipment rentals.
Visit the ORP Web site at www.outdoorprogram.uoregon.edu or call (541) 346-4365.