The lake is amazing. Parking is somewhat limited. Nice turn around to be able to unload. If you're…read moreout paddling make sure to go find the river. It's a nice challenge in winter to get upstream and in summer it's a relaxing place for summer. I will say I was unimpressed with the host the last time I was there in summer. An older gentleman had gone off the road and was stuck. A few other lake goers were helping him without success. I went up to let the host know that there was a situation going on and he said "what am I supposed to do". I'll leave it there without putting any non factual opinions in.

This is a great place to relax and just float on your kayak or paddleboard. It's fairly small with…read morenot a lot to see but the perfect place to relax. Parking is nonexistent so you want to get there early!!

So nice we visited twice over the course of the weekend! Once as guests of the Resort and the next…read morewith an WCCLS Adventure Pass. Even though the plants' condition in March leaves a lot to be desired, as not very much is coming into season yet, there was plenty to take in. The variety of landscaping/hardscaping is impressive, the views incredible, the plant collection inspiring (even my very non-aggie partner took notes on what we could possibly incorporate into our own yard). It's obvious that plenty of care and planning went into the garden spaces. Highlights for me included the conifer forest and the wetlands areas. The Lewis and Clark pathway with its stonehenge-like pillars was neat too. Each section has its own hidden treasures and spaces for reflection. Would love to come back in spring or summer to see what's changed.

We have been traveling through the area for the last week and this was, by far, our most…read moredisappointing experience. On our way here we visited multiple gardens and flower farms in Salem and the surrounding area that were completely free and FAR superior. They charge $14 per person to visit the garden and in my opinion it's not worth it. The employees we interacted with were unhelpful, unknowledgeable and apathetic but beyond the poor service, the grounds themselves were disappointing. There are dead and dying plants everywhere, shade and seating are scarce and there is very little of interest to see. If you enjoy paths and trees, visit any local park and the sites will be as good. If you love roses, visit Owen Rose Garden or if you like peonys, irises, etc there are multiple farms in the area to visit for free. Unless you love the smell of hot fertilizer and throwing your money away, this is not it. Their "Amazing" water garden consists of a few algae topped ponds. They also claim to be dog friendly but they are as dog friendly as a sidewalk. They have a tram tour that literally stopped in the walkway blocking all the walking guests from proceeding while robotically reading a speech and leaving everyone to stand there in the sun until they were done. This whole experience was just so unenjoyable. I rarely leave bad reviews and I Yelp to help others avoid my mistakes so if you are reading this, please don't waste your time or money here. There are so many other great options. Oh, and to the "Business Manager" who obligatorily responds all the unflattering reviews in an effort to appear as though customer service is important, but is ultimately condescending, it's not helping your cause, so feel free to spare us all.

Gnaw-howdy, folks! Let me tell you about the absolute crown jewel of the entire forest: the Trail…read moreof Ten Waterfalls loop at Silver Falls. I tackled the whole dadgum 7.2-mile circuit on a day so gorgeous the sun felt like a warm rock on a soggy pelt. If you are a connoisseur of fine water engineering like yours truly, this place is pure, unadulterated heaven. Ten waterfalls. Ten! And humans just let all that pristine, rushing current flow freely without a single lodge or dam blocking it! It's wildly irresponsible from a construction standpoint, but sweet mother of willow bark, is it breathtaking. The best part? Trudging underneath those massive basalt cliffs at South Falls and North Falls. Feeling the thunder of the water vibrating right through my webbed feet was a spiritual experience. The mist keeps the ferns lush and the air tasting crisp and clean. Final Verdict: 5 out of 5 peeled willow sticks. If you have webbed feet, boots, or just a deep appreciation for top-notch hydrology, you need to hike this loop immediately. Just try to ignore the urge to build a giant wall across the river. It's hard, but the views are worth it.

If you're gonna do the Trail of 10 Falls (or 8 as it was recently due to northside trail closure),…read moreI recommend a counter-clockwise route starting at South Falls to avoid crowds and work your way up the magnificence scale. Also helps to get there early as you can. Trails were wet from recent showers but well-maintained and not slick. If it's really been raining and the falls are pumping, be prepared for standing water behind a couple of the falls. (Luckily someone had put out small stones to balance on, but from the looks of their wet shoes many people were unlucky in their attempts to cross.) Walking sticks can be helpful in the steeper grades. It now costs $10 to park unless you've got an annual pass

Awesome spot, but you need a good car! Drove a RAV4 to the…read moregate, then walked a short distance. You definitely need a capable car because some uphill parts are rough and slippery (almost lost traction). The hike down is a bit steep and slippery but there are ropes to help. Tip: Bring gloves! After reaching the bottom, just follow the stream to the beautiful waterfall. We had a picnic there and it was so chill. There are no trash cans here,please take your trash with you. I felt like being at a childhood summer camp with the hiking and climbing. The water was too cold to swim this time, but I'll definitely be back during the summer!

Abiqua Falls! I just visited this beautiful 92-foot waterfall sort of in the middle of nowhere in…read moreOregon but located about 50 miles south of Portland. I have a lot to relay about the experience. This review could take the maximum 5000 words, lol, but I'll try my best to keep things as concise as possible... There are many questions about what to expect from Abiqua Falls. Even myself, I had concerns and doubts. But...I survived and it's an easy adventure to a very secluded waterfall. I'll try and answer the following questions... - Can you drive to the trailhead? From my POV, it's a VERY ROUGH ROAD down to the bottom. There's one specific section (and you'll recognize it immediately) where the road is practically cracked in half with divots and potholes. I actually witnessed a Ford Explorer trying to drive over it on the way back up and it was a big struggle for them! They eventually got past it, but I thought they were stuck. You absolutely need a high clearance 4x4 vehicle to make it down to the base to access the trailhead to Abiqua Falls. For me...I have a Suburu and I parked 2 miles away at the Abiqua Falls "Parking Lot" (according to Google) and then walked 2 miles down to the bottom and 2 miles back up. There was no way I was risking a flat tire, especially with not knowing how to change a tire and there barely being cell phone reception in the area. Btw...just to arrive at the Abiqua Falls parking lot, you must first drive 1.5 miles on a dirt road. For me, dirt and gravel roads are like nails on a chalkboard. I cringe driving over them. - Where is the trailhead located? This is a good question because there's no specific sign for Abiqua Falls, but it's easy to discover. Here's how...the road down to the bottom only goes so far. Eventually, you'll confront a white fence where you can leave your car (if you drove). But...there's a clear opening to the forest on the left-hand side of the road as you're going down. People say it's hard to find, but truly...you can't miss it. If you're any sort of outdoors enthusiast, it's simple. The hike is 7/10ths of a mile out and back. That's it! Again...there's barely any hiking involved, especially if you drive down to the base. - What is the ropes section like on the trail? I must be transparent. I read other people's AllTrails and Google reviews, and this can be deceiving. Let me explain... There were many reviews saying how the ropes section is intense and you're practically repelling down the cliff side. WRONG! WRONG! WRONG! It's an easy pathway. The ropes are no big deal. I have a serious fear of heights, and I casually made my down to the creek. Using the ropes was necessary for the most part, but it wasn't scary. It didn't strain my hands. IT IS NOT STRESSFUL! I'd rate the trail as easy - moderate. Do not fear the incline/decline slope. There's nothing of that sort. It is 100% safe to get up and down the trail. Once down at the bottom of the creek, hang on the left hand side. You'll notice the trail continuing around the bend that leads straight to Abiqua Falls. It's easy. I had no problems at any point in time. I've been on much, much rougher trails during my explorations. I visited on a random Thursday morning at the end of August and pretty much had the falls to myself. There were a few people that came along towards the middle of the day. I believe if you're coming to Abiqua Falls, you must bring a bathing suit and towel. I think it's a right of passage. The waterfall is scenic and the setting is charming, but other than admiring the views and maybe having a picnic, you must take the plunge in the pool of water that Abiqua Falls splashes down into. - Was the water cold? Absolutely! Lol, I was dreading the cold water but made the premeditated decision that I was swimming to have a fun memory. It wasn't even hot outside as well, but I forced myself in and I'm glad I just did it. Obviously, your body adjusts to the cold and it's not too extreme. Overall, the ambiance at Abiqua Falls was liberating. The canyon walls sort of engulf you from high above. You're standing at this dramatic waterfall and when the sun reaches above the tree line, you can notice some slight coloring in the waters which can make for a magical moment. In all, maybe you need a few hours to hang out at the falls before returning to the ropes section and heading back up to the trailhead and road. Again, the hike back up to the top is barely strenuous. It's a slight workout. Most folks can handle it. Lastly, if you're someone who left their car all the way at the top of the road (like I did), it is possible that you may get offered a lift from those hikers who took a chance driving their cars down to the base. If so, hop in, lol. It'll save time not having to trek back uphill. In the end, I enjoyed getting to witness Abiqua Falls. The journey to arrive here was not as daunting as I initially anticipated. And again, from my POV, be kind to your car tires. Don't risk the drive.

This is a great place to walk around a lake! In the spring the rhododendrons are beautiful! It also…read moreis part of the path system in Albany.

It was winter but a very nice walk. The ducks and geese made the sidewalk a little messy but…read morethat's part of nature!

Great little park with river access. You do have to pay a small fee. Plenty of picnic tables and…read moreplaces to set up for the day while enjoying the river.

This is a fantastic beautiful park along Eagle Creek! With that said, the only negative was the $8…read moreday-use fee. Other parks with day-use fees around Portland currently usually charge $5, but they do have an annual pass you can get for a certain group of parks if you plan on visiting them regularly. There is a restroom (not just a porta-potty, but an actual restroom. Yay!), a playground, baseball diamond, and lots of picnic tables. Some of the picnic tables have in-ground charcoal BBQ pits, too. They also have a picnic shelter you can pay to reserve. For hiking, they have a few different trails to choose from and all were very well-maintained when we visited. One of the trails is even accessible for folks with mobility issues, all flat and wide. The park & trails have plenty of huge trees for shade, and the big main trail goes along the creek in several places. There are even a few spots where you can hang out right along the creek shore. Aside from the easy accessible trail, I'd say the other trails are mild to medium in difficulty just due to some of the hilly inclines, but we saw families with younger kids walking them without a problem.

Great park for the kids! I love that it's enclosed. We were out of town and the kids desperately…read moreneeded to burn some energy and this was a great place to do so. Lots of shade for resting. My kids had an absolute blast at this park.

Really fun park for little ones. We are out of towners visiting family, and always looking for…read moresomething fun to do with the kids. Built by donors and run by volunteers. It has a castle and rocket motifs, with lots of different levels and activities. The only catch is that it is located on the grounds of an elementary school (fenced, but still,) so is only available outside of school hours.