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.

Hendricks Park is one of those places that I knew was around town, but never visited until after I…read moremoved away and came back to visit. I grew up in the Cal Young area or Santa Clara, so I wasn't very often in this part of town and though Eugene isn't a huge city, you can easily not hit other areas of town. Hendricks Park is the oldest park in the city. It's mostly known as a rhododendron garden, but it has native plants as well. There are trails throughout for you to explore the place. It's really peaceful and beautiful when the weather is nice, and you'll forget you're in the city.

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.

This is such a cute little park! I love that it's nestled into a quiet neighborhood…read more My husband and I love to take walks from our house to this park. It's not terribly far, but it's fun to get out and just enjoy the neighborhood. Neighbor's are always friendly, waving at us as we walk by, even saying hi. The park itself is pretty tiny, nothing really exciting about it. But if you're looking for a small park that's quiet, it's perfect. We've taken picnic items and just relaxed in the grass and shade to have a nice lunch. We've gone to Subway nearby and picked up sandwiches that we stop to eat in the park. Every once in a while it's fun to indulge our inner 5-year old selves by going down the slide or hanging from the monkey bars. It's an evening destination for us when it's cool for a great walk. I've been coming here for years, and will definitely return. I love that it's close enough to my house to walk to, get some good exercise, and just enjoy a relaxing outing.

Playground is up to date and maintained. Any stand irresponsible dog owners who allow they dogs to…read morepoop in a child's playground and then not even pick it up...this is a gated playground so the pet owner had to let the dog inside instead of letting it out in the open space. So parents and children beware.

This really is a great park. There are basketball courts, lots of playground equipment, a great…read moreconcrete skatepark, and plenty of nice grassy and shaded areas to sit and enjoy the outdoors. The only negative about this park is that at the skatepark there are teenagers with filty mouths and no idea of respect. I would recommend always supervising young children at the skatepark.

This a nice park but the only dislike I have is that no one picks their dog wastes. Come on now,…read morepeople lay in the grass and enjoy the weather. So please pick up your dogs leavings.

There was no way we were coming to Tracktown and not going for a run. Of course, in my dreams it…read morewould have been in Hayward Field but I'm not a track star (that's my son). I'm a distance runner so outdoor on a gorgeous trail suits me perfectly! I knew I wanted to hit Pre's Trail and now I wish we'd gone more than once. This was such a lovely loop, I could have easily done it 3-4x. The longest distance is 4 miles. If you're a marathoner one loop isn't going to cut it for a majority of your needs but it's really nice out here. The trees were all changing colors, we spotted some gorgeous birds and I LOVE birds. It made my entire morning and I'm glad I got to experience it with my bestie. I've been cycling 300+ miles a week lately and it really felt good to get out of the saddle and move my legs in a different way. It's almost marathon training time for me, so getting out on Pre's Trail helped jump start my transition into incorporating my running back into my daily routine. If I lived nearby I'd be here daily for walks and runs. Beautiful park.

First time visiting Alton Baker Park. I went this morning and it was empty with few people here…read more Lots of parking and picnic areas. The ponds are so cute! I love the structure of the bridge and the galaxy themed park. Very clean and walkable. Dog friendly with a large field. Dog park at the end by the native plant nursery by the duck stadium.

Astounding views to the east! It's a little park, with minimal parking, but a lovely spot for a…read moresummer picnic. In the morning you can watch the sun rise over the Cascade mountain range and on a clear morning you can see the Three Sisters. Sometimes you even see wildlife like deer and peacocks. There isn't much for walking around, but it's a cute little park.

Came up here to enjoy the sunset a little after 6 PM on a Sunday…read more Came here because local paper said it was one of the best places to see the sunset and that it is peaceful: "one of the least frequented lookouts in the area, ideal for when you want to get away from everyone and relax on top of the world." The small parking lot held two cars. In one of them two kids who didn't look old enough to drive were blasting very abrasive loud music with the door open so you could not enjoy watching the sunset anywhere in the park without hearing it. No change if you walk right by them obviously not digging it. No change when two old people approach timidly and then leave because the music is so annoying. People, reclaim your park. And teach your kids some manners.

This park is really pretty and overlooked by a lot of Eugenians simply because it resides literally…read morea few blocks into springfield. It's well-maintained, has nice picnic benches to sit on, and great views of the Willamette. Oh, which also means it's a great place to get in for tubing if you're headed down river to Alton Baker.

Hiked the lower and upper Mossy Maple trail. The combine distance, round trip, was 5.95 miles and…read moreabout 825 elevation gain. Parking lot is new and large. Restroom facilities. There were 20 cars on the Friday morning we went In early June. We encountered one bike on the way up and five on the way down. Hats off to the trail crew, excellent condition except for 100-200 yards near the top where it was a little washed out but easily passable. The first 2 miles is a 5' - 6' wide gravel trail, easy for two people to walk side by side. The last mile up was a traditional narrow dirt trail. Trail markers easy to follow. Mountain bikes are permitted but only for the uphill portion of the trail. Bikers use separate trails when traveling downhill. At the "top" of the Upper Mossy Maple trail is a very limited overlook of the valley to the south. The top is a meadow, nowhere to sit and lacks shade. The trail ends at a service road which continues up to a nearby communications tower. What quickly catches your eye is a small grove of maple trees with moss hanging from their limbs. Hence, "Mossy Maple Trail." It took us, a middle aged couple, 70 min to get to the top with two stops to drink.

This hiking trail is beautiful! What used to be a hidden hike known only to locals, this is now an…read moreestablished trail that climbs to the top of the Thurston Hills for some beautiful view points. The first mile and a half is graveled and then it's a dirt trail from there so winter and early spring hikes are muddy and rough. Paralleling the hiking trail is a mountain bike trail that is a fast downhill slalom, it criss-crosses the hiking trail at points and looks super fun. The old trail is still there if you know where to look, it wasn't removed as the new trail and trailhead were built at a different starting point. They have a cute dog washing station at the trailhead, clean bathrooms and I believe a column to work on your bike if needed. This is worth the visit for a nice hike without leaving town.

I'm a park hopper LOL I go to new ones weekly for my toddler. This was a really good find! They…read morehave a big park (pictured) for older kids then off to the side there's a smaller toddler park with swings. There's a tennis court, 2 basketball courts and a baseball field. Everything was clean and well kept

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