This is my favorite park as the native trees and grasses combined with the no dog policy makes it…read moreperfect for wildlife lovers. I've hiked plenty of state parks in the region that were much larger, but I have never seen or heard so many birds at a park in the Portland region. The park is located right above I-205 so it's not quiet like other state parks, but that's not the reason you would visit here. You're here to see what the Willamette Valley looked like a couple hundred years ago before people of European descent arrived. This region used to be filled with Oregon White Oaks. We've lost about 99% of this species in the region and the associated meadows that went with them. Once you see how many birds, butterflies, and other insects relied on this type of habitat, you'll realize how important native oak trees are to our region, which will hopefully cause you to plant Oregon White Oaks on your own property and help restore the Willamette Valley to its former condition. Thank you to all the people that saved this savanna from development and keep it pristine for the native wildlife of our region.

This is a nice trail to walk through, there are white oak trees that have been on the land for 400…read moreyrs. And more then 100 different species of vertebrates have been identified in the area. 20 acers preserved as a natural sight. You can bring a picnic or sit and rest on one of the benches. Such a beautiful place to enjoy nature. Thanks Roberta & Ed for all your hard work and dedication.

On a sunny day this not so hidden gem is a refuge from the bustling city although it's in the…read moremiddle of an upscale neighborhood in west Linn you can't tell it's quiet secluded and a pleasant experience to indulge in nature or read a book. I've seen lots of wildlife here from eagles to deer and much more

'Tis the season to enjoy Maddax Woods Park…read more Like many parks in West Linn, a group of volunteers aid the city with seasonal displays and activities to make each public park a little unique. At Maddox Woods that means this is the 10th year of the Lighting of Maddax Woods, a seasonal light display and a wildlife scavenger hunt for the kids. There are 36 animals (woodcuts) throughout this 7 acre park along the Willamette River to try to find during your visit. This is a natural park and nature trail that is part of the Willamette Greenway Trail and when you head up the hill and cross the bridge that trail connects you to Burnside Park. Thanks to land donations to the city by early West Linn families there is a lot of open space along the river to enjoy with your human and canine companions. This location is also a prime spot for birders to view one of the largest heron rookeries in our area, that is across the river on Goat Island. This park is pretty hidden and I only discovered it a couple of years ago when you head downhill from the West Linn Public Library. It is more of a nature preserve and walking park without a playground or other amenities. There is a handicapped accessible porta-potty near the entrance. The volunteers sell Christmas trees for $20 to help fund their activities throughout the year. They also have a monthly work party to help maintain the space. You can contact the Friends of Maddax Woods here: http://westlinnoregon.gov/parksrec/friends-maddax-woods. ---- The Lighting of Maddax Woods - 4-9 pm November 16 - December 31, 2013.

Beautiful trail through nature anytime of the year, but absolutely stellar mid to late April and…read moreMay when the field's namesake, the blue camas, are in bloom and and along with other wildflowers, blanket the fields I'm soft shades of blue, pink, purple and yellow. It's spectacular! There are lots of other wildflowers, too, so keep your eyes out for the many tiny varieties. There's pink sea blush, western yellow buttercup, Oregon grape, pink purslane, trillium (even plum colored ones,) saxifrages and more. I even spotted a handful of white camas amongst the thousands of blue. It's a gorgeous walk, immersed in nature, with birds chirping, bees doing their pollinating thing, butterflies, squirrels, hummingbirds, and even turkey vultures flying above. There are also osprey. Its's an easy trail, .8 miles if you stay in the main loop. With just slight elevation in a few places and sometimes narrow areas, the vast majority of people, including kids, will find it an easy, pleasant walk. The trail itself is dirt and wood chips, and definitely some rocks and basalt in places, with wooden planks guiding you through the pastel wildflower prairies. However, if you require a cane or walker, this trail can be challenging in some parts. I'm using a cane due to labral tear, and the few places where there were slightly steep rocky paths, I waited until a passerby came by and asked for assistance. Fortunately fellow hikers were kind and happy to lend a hand or shoulder. There was a group of four with walkers and canes and they only made it a third of the way and had to turn back. In some parts the path is too narrow or too steep for a walker. The nature reserve is at the end of a neighborhood street so on a weekend in April or May when wildflowers are in bloom, parking is challenging. Definitely go on a weekday if your schedule permits. There is a porta potty on site. And a volunteer on the path should you have any questions about the wildlife and plants you encounter. Dogs are not allowed.

I love this hidden gem of a nature park! My family has come here to see the spring camas and…read moreseablush show a few times now, and we have a great time. Need to know: One-way trail, loop but connects to the high school and wilderness trail too Steep incline at beginning Can be muddy fall to spring Great signage Lots of Oregon natives Sensitive habitat, so stay on trail! Great views Yakima basalt formations Parking is extremely limited, and the reason I removed one star

We used your service for a wine tour of the Williamette area of Oregon and thanks to your company…read moreand our awesome tour guide Daniel Johnson we had the best experience. Our guide was punctual and very knowledgeable of the area and the van was very comfortable. Will use this company again for a future trip

We did a day trip of hiking, sightseeing and wine tasting with Kieron. Can't recommend First Nature…read moremore highly enough. It was a fantastic day and very memorable. Felt like we were able to fit in so much in one day. Kieron is a wonderful, knowledgeable guide and an absolute pleasure to spend your day with.

t's great for families and solo visitors alike. You can kayak here, but be prepared for a steep…read moretrail down to the water; bringing kayaks on dollies is recommended. Head past the bathroom and down the road to the launch area, then go right from the beach to reach Hog Island. The water is calm and relaxing. It's a nice spot for walking dogs, with easy trails and a sandy area by the river for them to enjoy.

OVERCROWDED in the summer. Hardly any parking. LO Police give $120 parking tickets. Dogs off leash…read morefine $145. Steep hill to lug your inflatable up. "Beach" is very small. Insider tips: come off season or early morning in the summer. Enter on Green Street off of Hwy 43. Great walk off the lower parking lot along the river to Old River Road.

I don't have a dog and I don't live anywhere near here. This place is gorgeous! What an amazing…read morespace and I really want to bring some friends and go exploring. There is an ample parking lot and seems like a great spot to spend a day wandering around and having a picnic. I came for an event in the evening which was just gorgeous an even with a huge crowd in one area, it was pretty perfect.

Really cool dog park with a nice trail through the woods at mostly leveled elevation so it's a…read morefamily friendly walk. There's abundance of parking in the main parking space with a lot of shaded parking as well do it all the trees . If I lived a lot closer, I will definitely come here regularly just for a nice fresh air walk. Starting to hike near the bathrooms, there was a couple steep section so I would recommend not wearing sandals like I did and something a little more comfortable just in case.

Me and my girlfriend did the upper clackamas river full day experience and it was nothing short of…read moreamazing. From start to finish we had the absolute best time. Ari our guide was super fun and helpful. I had some worries going in as it was my first time but they went through all the safety precautions and eased my nerves. They provide lunch half way through and we even got to cliff dive and swim. Cannot recommend enough.

My family and I had such a fun, memorable experience! We recently did a half day on the Upper…read moreClackamas at the end of August. Water levels were lower but still had some exciting Class 2 and 3 rapids. My husband and teen boys have rafted a few times before but it was my first time. The guides were excellent, very organized and put my mind at ease. Our guide, Willow, did a great job and I would definitely recommend O.R.E. to locals and tourists if you've never done it before! At the end of the trip they give each boat a USB drive with pics of your experience!

Burnside Park is a nature park set aside for hiking, river access, and wildlife viewing in West…read moreLinn. It is located along the Willamette River. You can walk along the main Willamette Greenway Trail, cross a bridge over Bolton creek and eventually enter into the adjacent Maddax Woods Park. There are also views of Goat Island in the Willamette where an important Great Blue Heron nesting area is located. There are actually several entrances to the park. The easiest access is at the Edgewater Court Trailhead. The next easiest trailhead would be at the end of Holmes Street. This trail has nice views, and some fairly steep steps that lead down to the Greenway Trail. Many Trillium flowers can be seen along here in March and early April. A third trailhead leads down from the end of Buck Street. The Buck Street trail is a dirt trail that is steep in parts. I have seen Bald Eagles, Red Tailed Hawks, and Hummingbird nests along this trail. The trail is scenic but it can be slippery when wet. Traction shoes and/or hiking poles would be good to have here. Basic park rules are: 1) Dogs are allowed, but must be on a leash at all times. (Leash law strictly enforced) . There is a dog park at nearby Mary S Young Park. 2) No fires allowed anywhere in Park. 3) Park closes at dusk 4) No littering 5) No removal of native plants and trees. The trees have all been rescued from invasive English Ivy at least once by wonderful volunteers. If you wish to join a Burnside Park volunteer group you can sign up at solveoregon.org . This nature park was set aside many years ago by Mrs. Caufield to preserve and protect it in a city park. It is a natural little paradise which has been preserved for future generations.

Burnside Park is connected to Maddox Woods Park along the Willamette River on the Willamette River…read moreGreenway Trail. It is common for hikers to start their trip in one park and then walk through the other over the connecting bridge. I should note that this park has two entrances in the local neighborhood. If you enter the park on Buck Street, your hike will start with quite a steep downhill path, so it definitely is not the place to start for those with mobility issues or any concerns about rolling ankles. Or if you have a dog that tends to pull you down trails. The entrance off of Edgewater Court would be a better bet. This is a 10-acre nature park ideal for wildlife viewing and hiking along the lovely Willamette River under a nice canopy of trees. No play structures or amenities.

This was our first time here ever! The water, of course absolutely stunning. Driving out on the bar…read morewas such a fun experience and we found parking nice and easy because we got there very early. We did forget our cooler but other people were well prepared and we're quick to provide us with anything we asked for out of basic necessity like one single bottle of water. we were going out on a standard little inflatable boat, nothing fancy and we were out on the water for maybe an hour, but we did give up and go in because the jet skis are an issue. Everyone has a jet ski, there's so many jet skis! As we were packing up, the sheriff showed up and was starting to crack down on them, looking at lifejackets and parking permits, and some of them were starting to leave thank goodness, but we had already had our fill of their noise. Several of the jet skis were coming extremely close to our boat, which of course we don't have the reactivity that they do since we were motorless, and it felt incredibly uncomfortable overall. The view was gorgeous for three dollars. It was a fun experience and I definitely would come back and enjoy looking at other parts of the park. If you come prepared in the morning and set up a clear space for you and your loved ones this could be a fun all day experience, but don't be afraid to stand your ground against the jet skiers as They need to follow the rules and respect everyone's boundaries and safety. There was plenty of parking and there's a vault toilet on site by the bar so that was convenient too.

This used to be a great accessible park to local residents. I don't want to pay to use this park…read moreevery time I visit since that's what part of my taxes go to already. It's too bad used to be a great spot.