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!

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."

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.!

So I live down the road from this park and I highly recommend going there and have a picnic or just…read morejog around the place. I've seen people play ball there and well it's a nice park. Trees all around so there is plenty of shade around. I will have some pictures but have to wait for a sunny day. The people who live in the area are pretty nice. People need to check this out and take your family to have a nice and enjoyable, relaxed day. Plenty of parking and it's pretty much well maintained.

One of our favorite places to visit. Fantastic views and not far from outside of Corvallis.read more

Great hidden hiking gem of Corvallis. Nice views, dogs allowed on leash, not crowded, and bathrooms…read moreavailable. Limited parking, extra parking located at the trail entrance if the parking lot is full. Trail does have a moderate incline/decline.

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.

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.

The Old Growth Trail is a majestic stand of Douglas fir trees in the OSU Research Forest. It's a…read moresteep, demanding hike... and it's worth it. In the 90s, old growth forests were the center of controversy over spotted owls. There are breathtaking views of the Cascades, Marys Peak, and on a clear day you CAN see forever, westward to the Pacific Ocean. It's a great hike. There may not be picnic spots or amenities, but it's definitely worth it! At the foot of Vineyard Mountain, one can see Sulphur Spring with its crude signage. On the other side of the Pacific Rim, it's nothing like the healing sulphur springs of Japan: http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2292.html The small, bubbling Sulphur Spring is a subtle reminder of the Cascadia subduction zone that runs along the Pacific Northwest coast, beginning at the Mendocino Triple Junction where Juan de Fuca, Gorda&the Explorer plate collide. The Old Growth Trail is a hidden treasure of the Willamette Valley.

The best way to see what the coastal range used to lol like before European settlers and modern…read morelogging. The massive trees here were sheltered by the steep valley and later donated to OSU as part of Research Forest. I