It is close to home and Mary's River Runs Through It! There are some smallmouth bass and crawdads…read morein the river! Nice park nice trails and the Rose Garden! Lots of places for picnics and a playground for the kids! Great place to spend time with your family!

Highway 20? Not a whole lotta rest stops. Corvallis? Not so much either. But right off the freeway…read moreis Avery Park--an enormous grassy area with roses and fields and speed bumps...and a Honey Bucket. No. 1 jumps out of the car and runs for it. Nos. 2-7 meander out and into the humid park air. No. 1 returns, and No. 2 heads for the Bucket. Then No. 3. Nos. 4-7 stare at each other with icky faces, and when all have returned with Purelled hands, we stand in a circle next to one of the cars. Quiet. Awkward. We jump from face to face and then stare at our shoes. The other car, with its door open, and we listen to Stevie Nicks. A tan and perky lady walks by...she's inevitably going to share the germ-invested fate of 1-3. "How's the Honey Bucket?" she asks, and laughs. "Well," says No. 4, "it's always better with Fleetwood Mac."

Peaceful little park situated next to a wooded river bank. Stage for a live performer on a…read moreWednesday afternoon added plesant music to the scene. Families enjoying their time. I'd definitely come again. It's within walking distance of shops and restaurants in Albany, and near the carousel museum. This would make for a pleasant afternoon.

This is by far one of best parks in the city of albany, linn county, and perhaps the state of…read moreoregon. having such beautiful river front property to be dedicated to so many summer events like art and music festivals is very nice. best of all, the events are free! the dave clark trail is a plus that gives access to a good stretch of the river front. dave clark was the previous parks director who acquired and developed the land the park is on and has always been so beautifully maintained. enjoy this park as much as you can!

This spot is amazing at any time of year.... Autumn makes the leaves fall, making it easier to spot…read morethe birds, though they're always plenty visible, since they have the run of this refuge. There are two main places to pull off the road - a huge flat spot near the pond, and a parking lot towards the eastern end of the property. It's an easy walk up the hill to a viewpoint where you can look down at the birds. Trails are well maintained, and walking is a pleasure here. Our last visit was during a government shutdown, and we were happy to see that the restrooms near the parking lot were both open and being maintained. Thank you to the people who take care of this wonderful place.

Whether you go here just for a moment or hours you will be in amazed by the wonder of birds. This…read moremorning I went for sunrise and it was incredible. Not a single other person there. The sounds of different birds filled the air. What a special way to start the day!

We came upon Starker Forestry Tour trail online when checking along the 20 for short trails we…read moremight want to check out as passing through. It's super easy to find from the 20, just a few minutes down a paved and gravel road with good signage. There's a small parking area at an intersection of roads where the tour begins. As a tree hugger I generally cringe, plug my ears, or turn away from anything involving the removal of even one tall beauty. But I will admit, after taking the informative trail I respected the education and information provided by the tour. The trail starts at a large covered pavilion with long benches and utilizes signposts along the short loop to help both kids and adults learn about the industry, as well as the natural inner workings of the forest. Special focus is given to beauty #15 and it's individual purpose, as well as how the environment around it has changed through the years. The path is well-maintained, fairly flat and easy, with an even gravel surface. Seemingly in the middle of nowhere, the Starker Forestry Tour has a beautiful setting and offers a simplistic way to learn a bit more about the gorgeous Oregon forests.

My girlfriend and I came here for a event called the Northwest Art and Air Festival. It was great,…read moreit was filled with all sorts of venders and tons of food trucks, we ate at this place called Thai Express, they are located in Corvallis on 9th street really good food I'm considering going to their restaurant.

Nice park, but there's lots of acorns from the oak trees. Our dog eats everything and acorns are…read morevery toxic to dogs. she got very sick for over 2 days. i called my vet and she said acorns are very harmful, especially smaller breeds.

Here to just review the lake. If you're a paddler do not sleep on this lake. Such an amazing lake…read moreto get a little bit of mileage on. I will be back when it's not foggy.

Okay time @ Cheadle Lake Park in Lebanon, OR…read more Even though the path around Cheadle Lake is clean and wide, I would not recommend this area. The path is lined with blackberry bushes, and that equals to massive amounts of vines with thorns. There are also limited areas where dogs could safely sniff around in green space, but doggy bags and trash cans are available. This is, however, a great place for people to fish. We saw 3-4 small groups of people casting their lines to fish. There are also informational plaques throughout the trail about the wildlife, inhabitants, and history. I stopped here one time before, but did not get out of my vehicle to enjoy this area because there were a couple people walking their dogs with no leash and many others just sitting in their cars, which made me feel uneasy.

Mary's Peak, highest of the Oregon coastal range, was a terrific day trip for our group, Eugene…read moreBurnbootcamp. Our 10:30 meet was in flux for a few days at the gym. Without confirmation, I proceeded and without incident arrived solo at Conner's Trailhead. At this point, I attempted calling the lead, who started their ascent along the summit trail. Still no contact, which usually indicated that I had not gone far enough. The lure of an artesian spring led to a brief stop and subsequent text- "Hey guys, where are you? Was it a scrub?" The sound of crunching gravel beneath my tires on the shoulder calmed my nerves a bit. That, and the fascination of an artesian well flowing off a mountainside. Two stops before the parking lot above, I encountered a small group of campers. At the Campsite, the chemical toilet was a welcome amenity. I usually find the camp signs to be interesting reading, and probably spotted the dogs on leashes or notification right away. Last stop before the top and still no word. The parking lot above is open with minimal vehicle activity. Trails are well marked and spring abounds. I set off toward the There is a group of 10-12 hikers flopped on their day packs sipping water, nibbling munchies, regarding the city beneath fog. It's also the rooster crew looking for photo ops taking a break. Several call out to me, "Look who it is." I'm splurging now on red and green Holiday Reindeer gummies and taking sips from the Camelbak. Although my trip was much shorter, uncertainty multiplied the effects of altitude. It's good to see these faces becoming more familiar in this outdoor light. I recommend familiarity with the Internet trail maps in preparation for the Mary's Peak trip. I like to have face to face contact and phone checks with others, a pancho, and small flashlight. Water, and something to chew on is a good idea. Check with the park website for rules regarding your pets. Be safe, have fun!

Just went on this hike last weekend with my fiancé and our two eight year old boys, we had a great…read moretime! The views are pretty stunning and the hike was moderate, easy trails to follow, different terrain made it fun, we even saw snow at one edge which the kids got to make snow balls with! Wasn't too busy on a Saturday afternoon either, highly recommend this adventure.!

It was gorgeous and slow. Ran across this park purely by accident. I was coming up into Corvallis…read morefrom the south and ran across it as the dog was starting to show signs he needed a break.

Whether you are arriving from Corvallis or heading towards Albany, this park is a beautiful spot to…read moreput in or take out from the Willamette River. Operated by the county, it is a simple park with a good boat launch, partially shaded parking and your basic picnic and bathroom facilities. It is located 7 miles Northeast of Corvallis and roughly 2-1/2 miles from downtown Albany. My favorite part with was the arched pedestrian bridge over the boat lunch. Who says basic functionality can't have a little style?