Five stars for Spencer's Butte! It's absolutely breathtaking up there. Steep enough to get your…read moreheart racing and leave you glistening, but mercifully short so you don't drag through miles of misery. Winding through lush greens, the trail gifts you sweeping panoramas at every turn. And that summit, oh, it's postcard perfect, three sixty bliss that'll recharge your soul. Towering peaks hug you tight, like nature's own fortress, yet its spitting distance from Eugene urban escape turned wilderness wonderland. If panoramic payoffs without epic treks are your jam, this spot delivers pure gold.

Well, I'm an idiot and I took my 8 and 11 year olds up the hard way because they were so full of…read moreenergy. TERRIBLE mistake. It was slippery and way too dangerous for kids. That's on me. I would say that on a dryer day, that level of excitement would be perfect for someone younger than 40, but older than 15. It was beautiful. I just wish there had been more of a warning.

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.

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

It was a beautiful drive. It is run by a contractor so no park passes are accepted. I think $12 is…read moretoo much, something around $5 would be more acceptable. There is a 2 hour time limit, I think that is annoying (they mark the time on your receipt that goes on the dash of your vehicle). The parking area is tiny and the chalk lines are far too narrow, difficult to put a normal size car in the lines let alone a truck. There are a LOT of rules. Can't do this, can't do that... on and on. But oh, you don't have to wear clothes. It's just over controlled. There is a really gross toilet at the springs -some sort of belt driven system, yuck, a pit toilet would have been better. There were 26 people there when I got there and it felt crowded. I can't imagine the 50 people they allow, that would be ridiculous. The water was nice and warm. I wouldn't rush to go back.

This is a clothing optional Hotsprings, we learned this the hard way after driving 5 hours my…read moregrandson was not so pleasantly surprised lol. So we immediately left..our bad. Oops....But the host was so friendly gave us recommendations on when to come back without him. What the best times are and nearby campgrounds. $12 a person 12 and up. Short walk from the parking lot up to the springs. Pack it in pack it out, porta pots in the lot. We will be back.

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.

I love this park! 25 minutes outside of Eugene sits Dexter State Park. You can swim, boat, kayak,…read morepicnic, and play disc golf here! This is a day use park and there's a boat ramp in the lower parking lot. Speaking of parking lots there is a ton of parking space. You can bring your leashes pups here, heck bring the whole family! Big open fields, tall trees and picnic tables makes this place perfect for an afternoon in the sun. You can swim here but there are only a couple spots where you can access the water and they are a bit rocky. They have bathrooms here and there's a little trail that walks around one side of the reservoir. Sometimes I miss the turn from the main road but just remember when you're coming from Eugene it's right after Elijah Bristow State Park.

This park is located about 20 minutes south east of Eugene, Oregon in Dexter, OR. The park has…read morebeautiful coniferous and deciduous trees, a large dog run, hiking, biking and horse riding trails. There js a parking area for equestrian trailers and an area to saddle horses. There are several trails of varying lengths around the marsh and streams running off the Willamette river. There are wheelchair accessible picnic areas and bathrooms. Some of the trails look even and compact enough for wheelchairs but we didn't venture down any this time. I would definitely come back here again for some trail walking, biking, fishing and wildlife watching. There are heron and turtle here.

Last stop on our trip to Oregon before heading back to San Diego. It was May 1st and we arrived…read morearound 9am so it was not that busy. Drive: Basic mountain roads. Most roads feel brand new with well marked lines and signs. Parking/trailhead: Signs clearly marked parking area for Blue Pool. Long road leading up to trailhead is unpaved and parking is only allowed on one side. Luckily we were early so got a spot not too far down. Two restrooms, pretty stinky but what can you expect? Trail: Pretty easy hike. Mostly even paths I think overall theres about 300 feet gain on it. Some parts were very muddy, a big portion is rocky with lots of lava rock. Some parts have tree roots sticking up. CAUTION: Parts of trail have a really high cliff that drops off into the river with no markings so be careful especially with dogs or kids. Pool: Of course amazing views once you get to the pool. The side you arrive on is on a cliff with the view of the pool below. You can hike down to the pool by hiking around the edge but some parts are really close to the edge. Descending and ascending is difficult and is not for the weak. Over all we had an amazing time. The hike was a little longer than I thought but nothing too crazy even for a novice hiker. I would suggest bringing water and snacks, we didn't and regretted it. If you get down to the water at least dip your feet in. We did and it felt amazing and we actually felt reguvenated for our hike back.

Great trail leading up to the pool. Not a difficult hike at all. Wouldn't suggest doing it when…read moreit's dark though as there are small rocks and rocky areas that can seem to pop out of nowhere and destroy your ankles. The pool is Absolutely beautiful and this is my favorite color. Once you see the one sign that says no bikes allowed, turn towards the water and look over the cliff.

Got our car broken into parking here so be careful and stay safe everyone :/…read more Beautiful place with a beautiful path/walking trails Just don't leave anything in your car

The ridgeline trail system is often an forgotten about (or unknown) hiking option in Eugene. It…read moresprawls throughout south eugene with various trailheads and is very easy to follow. I would rate the difficulty as easy, more of a somewhat hilly walk, for most of the trails. It's a beautiful and accessible option for getting outside!

Although it was / is raining, the scenery is wonderful; the running river, the beautiful trees ,…read morethe quaint towns on either end. If you love peaceful contemplation you will find the trails to be a perfect elexair.

Mountains, forests, lakes, streams, rivers, waterfalls, birds, fish, trails, campgrounds ... This…read morehuge National Forest has them all, and lots of them. The people are friendly. The few restaurants have good food. The roads are busy, winding around the hills, but well kept. If you're a camper, kayaker, fisherman, this is a go to place.

I recommend parking at the Koosah Falls parking lot- there is ample parking available there…read more Parking at Sahalie Falls is overcrowded and some folks had to park across the highway. There is a dig out restroom available in the parking lot. The trails are very well maintained and the overlooks offer excellent views of the falls. The path between the falls offers views of the BLUE McKenzie River. Across the river you will see the McKenzie River Trail with runners and hikers. There are several unmaintained paths going from the trail to the river- wander down at your own risk! Definitely a low effort high reward hike! Do not miss this one!

Koosah Falls sits right along Waterfalls Trail beside the McKenzie River. It's not difficult to…read morereach and there are a bunch of overlook viewpoints with benches offering different perspectives. The first few lookouts are partially obstructed by trees and branches, but eventually as you keep walking, you're afforded undisturbed panoramas which are special, imo. And before walking over to this Koosah Falls (since it's barely strenuous, I wouldn't even consider it hiking), you'll immediately confront another terrific looking waterfall, and that's Sahalie Falls. You get two scenic waterfalls by simply stopping here for an hour or so. That's pretty efficient in my opinion, lol. I showed up in late July around 3:30pm and although the small parking lot was mainly full, I was still able to nab a spot. It's free to visit at your own accord. This Highway 126 situated next to the McKenzie River is the epitome of exploring around nature and is "one of Oregon's most famous recreation areas". Just 3.5 miles up the road from here at Koosah and Sahalie Falls is the iconic Tamolitch Falls - Blue Pool. That should not be missed as well. Including hiking to the colorful Blue Pool, it takes about half the day to visit. Back to this Koosah Falls...while walking along Waterfalls Trail, you'll have opportunities to relax at any point and soak up the McKenzie River forest surroundings. It's a pleasant setting. Extra notes... - Koosah Falls is 64 feet tall but appears more grand in real time. Sahalie Falls is about the same length. - Although you can't reach down to the base of Koosah Falls, Sahalie Falls is accessible and I suggest climbing over the railing for closeup views. It's not hard to do. Last thing I can say, I discovered Koosah and Sahalie Falls through TikTok mentions. TikTok is a great source of information for adventurers looking to find hidden gems among the great outdoors. Thank you to TikTok.