We love Hendricks Park in Eugene. On this visit we took a leisurely walk throughout the…read morerhododendron section and then a drive through the wooded section. If you're in Eugene or visiting Univ of Oregon (Sco Ducks!) be sure to take a moment and visit this park.

A Beautiful Return to a Place Full of Nature and History…read more Both my wife and I had visited this spot before when we lived in the area, so with a little time to spare before lunch nearby, we decided to revisit it with her son and daughter-in-law. Nestled on a forested butte just east of the University of Oregon in Eugene, this area is absolutely stunning. The rhododendron garden is especially beautiful, offering a peaceful and scenic escape that feels tucked away from the city. Beyond its natural beauty, the area is steeped in history. One of the most notable connections is to Steve Prefontaine--a legendary runner and seven-time NCAA champion for Oregon. He trained in and around Hendricks Park and tragically passed away in a car accident on a winding road just below the park. His legacy lives on not only in the running world but also in the early success of Nike, where he became the brand's first sponsored athlete and helped elevate it to global prominence. Whether you're a nature lover, a history buff, or just looking for a quiet place to explore, this area is well worth a visit.

Every trip, we try to go on a few hikes and this year one we chose was Skinner's Butte in Eugene…read more It's easy to get to with plenty of free parking in the parks surrounding it. There are easy walking paths and multiple trails going up and down different sides. It was a cloudy day, but pleasant for walking. At the top are different lookout points with benches, picnic tables, etc., perfect for great views as you explore the area. The most fun part was the natural climbing wall on the one side. It has its own dedicated lot as well. Portions are closed, but most have permanent fixture points for climbing rope. Definitely a fun free activity if you're into climbing. This is a great free and active activity on your next trip here.

Great experience I visited this place its like a adventure jungle and we can go with partner family…read moreand friends

Good local neighborhood park. Two separate play structures (2-5 yr and 5+) Swings, Sandbox, Benches…read moreand a few picnic tables. The only downsides are there are no restrooms and the swings are a bit too low to the ground. My 5 year olds feet kept dragging on the ground as she was swinging. Overall, nice clean park we'll visit again.

Great running trails, and I have great memories here as a child taking swimming lessons, going to…read morecamps, everything for a very young me! Amazon Park is essential.

5 starts for the dog park. They have both small and large dog areas and both are very large. Maybe…read morethe largest I have ever seen. Lose a star for no bathrooms near the dog park areas. We stopped on a road trip, from Portland to Grants Pass, to stretch our puppy's legs and hoped to get her some exercise and then sleep the next two hours of the drive. It was perfect. The Albertsons across the road does have bathrooms and a Starbucks.

It's very large park is located in south Eugene. Not when I ever visited as a kid since we lived in…read moreanother part of the town, but most of the park is grass there are a couple of tennis courts and there's also a Fieldhouse at this one which is unusual for Eugene Parks. There is a small playground, which seems to still have metal playground equipment, which is unusual since both of our transitioning to plastic. We came here for the splash pad, which looks like it's a pretty nice splash pad, but the problem is I couldn't figure out how to turn it on. The people for us had turned it on or had it on and they were playing in it but if there's a way to turn it on, I couldn't figure it out. It's possible that the park just closed it early for some inconceivable reason we left at about 645 and that's when we were able to get to work. The only parking around our street barking, but if there's a lot of it on the blocks surrounding it's a large, residential-area park.

The park is large as far as parks in the city go. There are multiple open fields and a tennis…read morecourt, but playground equipment is lacking. It's a small set up and pretty old. With a toddler, honestly, this is mostly how I judge a park these days. There is a water/splash park area that is great for hot days, however. Parking is available only along the streets surrounding the park, but is plentiful.

Skinner (not Skinner's) Butte Park is the the location of the homestead of Eugene's founder, named…read moreEugene Skinner, and is one of the city's oldest parks. It's a large park right on the banks of the Willamette River and offers a variety of activities. There's the playground, RiverView Discovery Village, which is fairly large and has some pretty cool. It has various structures for kids to play on and around, representing storefronts, a stagecoach, and so on. There's the typical slides and swings and stuff that you'll find at a playground as well. They also have a "splash pad", which is a circular pipe sticking out of the ground about 10 feet, but it does spray so I guess it's something. The park fronts the river, and although the playground is not immediately on the bank of the river it's close enough that you'll want to keep a close watch on your children (every year there are tragedies along the Willamette). There is no fencing or anything around the playground, which seems like a no-brainer in this location but I guess not, and that's why I give the three-star rating instead of four. It's just a really nerve-wracking park especially for parents of small children. There could be more picnic tables around the playground... there's at least three, but that may be it. There's lots of green space for folks to spread out on the grass as well, which several people were doing whilst we were here celebrating my daughter's birthday. There was a drum circle that showed up about 20 minutes before we left as well and that was kinda cool. Part of the general park area are the Columns, remnants of a basalt quarry that existed for a few decades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a pretty popular spot for rock climbing. It's a short distance from the playground area. I went with a class as a middle schooler and was not too keen on climbing myself. Then there's the titular Butte, which one can hike to the top or drive. I've never hiked up myself, but the drive is sometimes closed to traffic when fires are a concern. There are biking trails, a community garden, and the Campbell Senior Center is on the eastern edge of the park as well. There are bathrooms here, and although I didn't go into them my sister and friend did and apparently they're kinda weird--no doors on the stalls. I suppose that must be some sort of safety measure? It's fairly odd, regardless. There's a fairly decent sized parking lot to the east of the playground as well, and parking along the southern end of the park (at the base of the Butte).

It's always a nice time at Skinner's Butte Park no matter what time of year it is. A little colder…read moreon the path by the river, but still a breath of fresh air!

While visiting a friend we decided to go for a little walk and stumbled across Creekside Park. This…read morepark is located right on the edge of north Eugene but if you live in this area it's a great park to take the kids or just walk around in on a nice day. I think this park has one of the most modern, fun and safe play structures I have seen in a while. I'm a nanny part time so I'm always taking the kids I watch to different parks to keep things interesting so I see a lot of different playgrounds. I saw a bunch of kids playing in a cool water area with water pumps which seemed super fun and a great way to keep them occupied. There is also a bike path here which can be for walking or biking through the park. I love how there is also a big field if you want to throw a ball around or play some corn hole!

I drive by on W. 1st all the time and would have never known this park was located just a few…read moreblocks away, had it not been for a recent afternoon where I was carting my daughter around with me everywhere on errands and felt like she needed to get some wiggles out! So, I searched for a nearby park and found Sladden. This is a great park with newer playground equipment, a big open field, what looked like a basketball court (?) in the far corner, lots of bench and table seating, and restrooms. Big trees provide some nice shade as well. Will definitely be coming back!

Sladden is terrific, one of the best parks in town.  Few know of it…read more ​ It rests on four acres in the heart of the Rose Garden district just north of Whiteaker and is shaded by a majestic grove of old Douglas firs.  It's restful, covered and offers this:​ ​ -picnic table seating for about fifty​ -a children's playground​ -a tennis court​ -a basketball court​ -frisbee golf course​​ -restrooms with fountain​ -plenty of room to stretch out​ ​ It's half a block fom Maurie Jacobs Park/the Willamette River and a long block fom Eugene's Owen Rose Garden.​ ​ Terrific place for a summer potluck for just you and a few friends or an entire family reunion.​