Every trip, we try to go on a few hikes and this year one we chose was Skinner's Butte in Eugene. 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. read more

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Great experience I visited this place its like a adventure jungle and we can go with partner family and friends

Skinner's Butte is a neat city park that offers a variety of activities including rock climbing, short hikes, and a gorgeous overlook of the city and cokes with sufficient parking by any of the activities. During sunset, you'll find the viewpoint rather busy with all sorts of people hanging with their friends or loved ones eating, drinking, or blazing. A cool part of the city for sure. read more

Skinner's Butte - Parks Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

As far as Butte's go....this one is a real....um, Butte. But really, this offers up a great view of the city. In the distance you can see all of the city highlights including Autzen Stadium. A little history on Skinner Butte. It's a prominent hill on the north edge of downtown Eugene, near the Willamette River. Skinner Butte is a local landmark and the location of Skinner Butte Park. It's named after Eugene Skinner, the founder of Eugene. Not too many people up here on the day we visited as it was a pretty cool rainy day (welcome to Oregon in November). None the less, it was a great way to take in the sights of the city all at once. If you're in Eugene you should trek up the hill side to take in the sights. read more

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Playground review -- it's a beautiful summer day, 73 degrees and the splash pad is on, the playground slides and swings were warm but not too hot, and the kids were loving every bit of this place. Special shout-out to the pieces of cardboard left for the kids to slide down the faux grass hill with, thanks to whoever provided those! We stopped here on a road trip through OR, perfect location to release the wiggles. They have restrooms, picnic benches, plenty of grass and trees for shade. Great spot. read more

This reminds me of Mount Tabor in Portland... mainly because, if you're driving, you gradually wind up and up... and because it's a place people hang out to smoke cannabis. If you go there, I hope you like the smell of cannabis. Oh--als ok like Mount Tabor, it's a great place to see views of the city. If you want to take a hike without leaving the city limits and/or want to gradually get back into hiking, this is a great place to go. read more

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Love Skinners Butte Park! Nice place to enjoy a walk through west end Owen's Rose Garden. Along the Willamette River is pretty nice. Lots of areas for pic nic..Nice Play area and grounds for kids. Beautiful Skinners Butte nearby which you can hike up the hill to Amazing views of Eugene Oregon Cityscape! read more

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Nice short hike through the fog to get a killer view. Hike was not super intense but loved it none the less

Ahhhh so excited to be allowed to climb on columnar basalt of such fine hexagonal quality. I've enviously eyed the columns of devils post pile in Cali knowing that I would never be able to scale those rocks. I've scrambled over the columns at the Giants Cosway in Northern Ireland day dreaming about scaling them in a rock climbing manner, it is different here in Eugene. Rock climbing is encouraged here. Anchors are set up. There is a poster on site explaining the route difficulties. What a sweet, sweet place to be allowed to do something that is normally taboo. read more

Skinner's Butte - Rock climbing columnar basalt - Parks Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

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I'm not sure what I was expecting but what I got wasn't it, LOL! I made my way up to the summit for sunset on a Friday evening. After coming around the narrow road I was met with a parking lot that was filled with cars having what sounded like raves, clouds of smoke, and couples who were...well, ahem you know. I parked for a while and people-watched the eccentric individuals that were walking about before driving back down. This seems to be more of a local lovers lane, smoke sesh, gathering spot than a peaceful overlook of Eugene. The view was great though and I suppose would make it worth it, but I recommend Spencer's over this spot. read more

Have been going here since I was young for the breath taking view of Eugene! No matter the weather, it is sure to put you at peace here. Something about a skyline view of city lights, over looking the buildings to the next Butte across the way. It just takes your breath away! My daredevil boys used to take the big kid trikes, and bikes and coast all the way down the road at night until Mom found out. Haha Welcome to a BMX Mom nightmare. Glad that they are now grown, and do not do that anymore. Now it is the dunes, and the woods, I have to worry about! Oh 4 wheel driving boys drive a Mom nuts! Haha Which reminds me, while hiking stay on trails, stay together. Stay safe. Always tell some one where you are going. Make sure you are prepared. Stay hydrated! read more

Easy hike and a wonderful view of Eugene at the top! It's also possible to bike and drive to see the view. The hike was so pretty. I love the trees and fallen leaves on the paths. There are also lots of spiders and spider webs... EEEEK! Try to find the "rainbow tree" on the trail...! read more

This is one of the nicest parks in Eugene. The butte has multiple trails up to the top which afford a lovely view of the cityscape. The north side has a plethora of native plants and a nesting pair of bald eagles. The west side has rock columns that every climber in town has scaled at least once. If you feel like being a lazy American you can even drive to the top and eat your fastfood. There are plenty of hidy holes for you 420 friendly folks to enjoy the view and go up in smoke. In addition the top boasts multiple picnic tables for your eating pleasure, be it munchies or aforementioned snacks. The surrounding park connects to the bike path and has lovely walking paths along the river. For the breeders out there, there is plenty of room for your screaming rugrats to tire themselves out. For the parents of pooches there is never ending strolling action. Some people let their dogs swim and frolic down by the water. The only downside to this park is the folks who live here year-round. While most are cool as hell, there are a few rowdy n crazy people that can make it unpleasant. Hence the 4 star review. read more

Skinner's Butte - Sunny summer day - Parks Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

Not as good as a hike as other spots, but worth checking out once. There's a small section for climbing on some basalt rock, which is pretty neat. read more

Skinner Butte was one of my first introductions to the beauty of the big trees of Eugene way back in 2003. It still does it for me all those years later. It is a pretty easy to get to as it is right near town. I love that it is close to the Willamette River and the bike path. The hike is mellow yet invigorating. I enjoy people watching seeing the runners of track town USA and people walking their dogs along with the moss covered trees with giant trunks. There is a nice view of Eugene from the summit where you can sometimes see folks doing yoga, tai chi, playing chess, or smoking cigarettes from the summit. This is Eugene and the quirky eccentric humans are equally fascinating as the nature that makes the NW such a great place to live as well as visit! read more

Love this place. Great walking trails that you can run, bike, or walk the dogs on. Friendly people and most keep dogs on a leash. The River view is awesome. read more

I drive up to the peak a lot, and really wish there was more parking there. It's such a great place to hang out at sunset! However, beware as during the summer there are many mosquitoes. The last time I went I was bit 5 times after walking down the trail a little while. But it's great for looking over Eugene or taking photos. I drive up here every so often just for sunset. read more

Skinner's Butte - Came here to take photos at sunset, this is up the trail to the right of the parking lot - Parks Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

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Unbelievable View! You can drive, hike the trail or ride your bike. Regardless of how you get to the top of Skinner's Butte, one of the best views of Eugene is waiting at the top. I usually hike up the from the old Victorian Shelton-McMurphy-Johnson house at the bottom as the path winds it's way up the butte. It's not a difficult hike and it's well worth the effort. It's not as good of a hike or view as Spencer's Butte but it's a lot more accessible being right downtown. read more

Skinner's Butte - Parks Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

Great, easy hike to the summit for nice views of Eugene. + Trails are well-marked and maintained + Dog friendly read more

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Skinner's Butte summit is the pentacle of the recreation complex. It is a great place for people to view Eugene and soak in the scenic beauty of the Emerald Valley. There isn't much for parking, but there is plenty of other ways to get there if you want to park at Skinner's Butte Park or in downtown Eugene. Then take a short walk to the summit by taking one of the trails. read more

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I love to come here and look at the city. It's mostly peaceful, but you may run across a particularly rowdy bunch on occasion. This location attracts various types of people who come there for various reasons. Sometimes it's not kid-friendly because a lot of people sit in their car and smoke pot. But if you grew up in Eugene, you're used to the Butte being like that. Personally, I like having a quiet moment to myself up there and visiting during different seasons. It's awesome seeing the city when it's covered in snow. It's also a cool place to watch fireworks if you can find a space because you can see fireworks from all around the city. read more

Do you like to watch people make out? Do you enjoy the smell of a freshly lit blunt? Do you want to hear the soothing sounds of people getting it on? Well do I have the butte for you. Skinners has been the gathering place for all people doing everything mentioned above. It is a great view tho. read more

Best place to post in the car and shmokey smoke beautiful views of Springfield and Eugene also a pretty sweet local historic landmark

You know when you are driving a long, long way with your kids, and then you stop at a playground and try to convince them that the playground visit constitutes a really amazing excursion rather than a driving break? Well, this is the playground that will totally make that strategy work. We stopped for what was supposed to be a short break, but it turned out to be such a fantastic playground that we hung out for an hour and a half. Giant climbable rock mountain with slides!! Hand-crank cablecar thingy! Play houses galore! Pump-powered, dam-able water wheel! Awesome rock-creek-dirt-pile to stare at longingly while your mom explains why you can't get wet when you are about to get back in the car for 3 hours! And while they aren't technically part of the playground infrastructure, the teenaged parkour enthusiasts who were using some of the playstructures to practice tricks made for a whole other level of entertainment. The kids loved watching them! Truly a top-10 playground experience. Worth a detour!! read more

Love this little gem. It's nice to have a viewpoint that's fairly central in Eugene's boundaries that we can all drive to the top of. There are of Course a few others that offer better views (Spencer's & Pisgah), but that's a hike. I come up here several times a month to enjoy a lunch/coffee and a view. Sometimes I just take a nap or listen to that giant flag above me flapping with the wind. It's a very nice place to be. For all the reasons I love it up here.... so too do many many other folks. Which can and does often make parking a real issue -- particularly so on nice day/eves. So be prepared that there may be nowhere to park once you're up there. My advice would be to go during typical work hours, or get there as early as you can on nice days/eves. Most of the time, when it's cold or rainy out, this isn't near as big an issue. Things that kinda suck, as a result of the ability to drive up here: 1) There's almost always at least one real douchebag that seems to think everyone atop the butte NEEDS to hear their particular flavor in music. Very loud. Often cRap music, with cursing and all that. (let's try to remember that this IS, or should be, meant as a family-friendly place). 2) There's usually a person who parks right next to you and thinks it's a good time to smoke a bowl of some smelly green sh_t. Or a cigarette. Because why not, right? 3) The folks who come up here and drink beers in or out of their car and then drive those same cars away and into the public again. NOTE: IF you're one of these people, and I'm up there and see you... I'm definitely calling the police. I will even follow you while on the phone with dispatch until the unit finds you. Drinking and driving is never a responsible choice. I had the pleasure of calling in on two men just days ago who were up there drinking Busch light from the can and munching on pot brownies. Pretty sure it won't stop them from doing it again... but they got what was due that day. DUII is in fact dangerous to everyone you or I know that happens to travel the roadways alongside these folks. I like my people alive and enjoying a life as free from injuries as possible. The folks in #3 here run in direct conflict with my notion of flourishing. So yeah... I'll report your azz everytime. It would be great if everyone could agree that coming up to such a spot, for such a view, is meant to be RELAXING. Or at least that is what I presume most peoples intentions are. I know that relaxing is also an idea as different to each of us as is good food. As such... how about we NOT impose harmful crap on others? i.e. let's not crank our stereos up. Let's not make others breathe our cigarette/weed smoke. Lets not drink alcohol and then drive back down the road with the beer still in hand. I'm not saying people don't have the right to "relax" in their own way. But I am saying that you shouldn't force others to be a victim of your vices simply because they want to share some fresh air in the same place as you. This place should be viewed as an 80's middle school library.... you keep it quiet, and smoke/drink free. Then everyone up there gets to have the same quality experience, free from anyone else' crap. But hey... that's just my approach to it. And this is my PSA to anyone who chooses to read it. read more

WOW!!!!! This was a great place for a break. We really needed to get the kid out of the car as she was driving us crazy. It is amazing what a 2-year old can do. Anyway, when we pulled her out of the car, and ran and ran and ran. We got on the swings, played on the play structure, and then checked our the river. This is one of the nicer kid friendly parks I have seen. We are from Chico, California, and they have a GRET children's park, and this one gives ours a run for its money. Take you kids, let them play, and enjoy their time. I suggest you take a turn on the swing also as it is a good stress relief. read more

This was a nice place to visit during our time in Eugene, especially because it's one of the few places where you can see the skyline of this college town. There are hiking trails everywhere and a rock-climbing wall! The drive up to the peak is not long nor is it very high. It's also very accessible from Downtown Eugene. read more

While in Eugene on a recent trip, I had to return here to see the City from above. It's always nice to see Eugene in the mist, the sunlight or in the cloud from this spot, and it's always a lovely view. The walk to the other side from the lookout point isn't as well-cared as when I lived there a year ago, and sad to see the over-growth was really high! Great spot though to catch the sunset but depending on season, you may not see the sunset due to trees, etc. Park closes at night so don't attempt driving to the top at night. Skinner Butte was dedicated in 1914 making it one of Eugene's oldest parks. Always interesting to see people climbing at the column climbing rock area, and there was a good turnout of female & male climbers when I passed by. A good spot to sit and watch the day go by quietly!! Parking lot is somewhat small so if you reach the top and it's full, you'll have to drive back down. read more

Skinner's Butte - the view - Parks Near Me - Eugene, Oregon

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Skinner's Butte now hosts Riverplay Discovery Village, the best playground I've seen in a long time. I visited with my 2-year-old on a Saturday morning and it was full of kids, but also so full of diverse things to do that everyone was having fun. I saw new toddlers up through 10-year-olds playing with the various water features, slides, swings, climbing areas, and structures for imaginative play. I'm from Seattle, and I make a habit of visiting as many new parks as I can with my son, and this is the best combination of kids' play structures that I've seen yet. There were lots of activities I haven't seen and an unusually thoughtful deployment of the often-wasted space beneath the play structure (little see-through tunnels!). My son especially liked pumping water to the wheel, butt-sliding down the astroturf under the bridge, and the super tall slide (which scares the daylights out of me, but it's good for parents to experience danger because it helps us grow and learn). The people were great too--friendly kids, lots of dads showing up, and visiting dogs all stayed on leashes and out of the play area. Note: there are bathrooms, but alas, no soap. read more

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My favorite part of the park is the river walk. Dog friendly. I love hearing the birds and the water .... drawback is that you can also hear the highway. read more

For Toddlers, it is somewhat fun, but scary the big play structure is geared more toward older kids with it being very tall and having lots of holes kids can fall through if they are not paying attention or not old enough to be unsupervised for climbing up and down. The water feature is cool, therefore it draws all ages, but safety for toddlers, not the best in town. Definitely want to be right with them and watch them close and go on the play structure with them so they do not fall through a hole. It seems alot of parks around town have these structures with holes (not as tall as this one). read more

Love this view. It's scary driving up cos it's a narrow road with no lanes. There's sometimes no parking is the top either. It's a pretty small parking lot. But once you park the view is amazing. Can see the whole town. I wish we had some sky scrapers but the view is amazing none the less. read more

What a delight! Nature right behind the city. A bit hard of a hike for awhile as there are spots with no trail and picking one from the large rocks takes concentration and then a glorious view of Eugene. Life in Eugene was and still is so healthy. You will not regret this hike. read more

Nice view, after reading this location was "a great spot for the whole family..." I checked in and checked it out. I don't know who these families are who bring their kids here, I can see how it COULD be an ok place. However, dog poop everywhere, broken glass, garbage, graffiti, just trash everywhere. I dare say we seen a pair of men's underwear in the bushes. I don't recommend stepping out of the parking lot, just checkout the view and your good. Unless of course you want an authentic experience and don't mind feeling a little uncomfortable, it's sketchy! read more

I have only lived in Eugene since last November, and recently found Skinner's Butte. It offers a fantastic view. I agree with a previous review: be aware of your surroundings. I look forward to visiting for a sunset. read more

Eugene has a more than enough awesome parks. I think this one offers the best view of the town, and it's quick and easy, so if you've got any out-of-towners with ya, pack 'em in the car and head up the butte. I've never actually followed the hiking trails, but there's a road that goes right to the top, where a giant yellow O (formally a giant cross with a dark history...) watches over the city of Eugene. A great view and a great spot for pictures. There is a walking path (maybe half a mile) that circles the top of the butte, offering more views and a quick shot of nature. If you're in town, it's worth the brief detour from downtown (it's right by the 5th street market). read more

This overlook of the city is a must see if you're new to town and definitely a local favorite spot to breathe some fresh air and enjoy the view. This butte is an easy drive but a decent work out if you decide to climb to the top from the parking lot below. There is a small loop trail at the top that takes about 10 minutes which provides you views of the city and some lush tree cover. You can usually find people eating lunch at the picnic benches or walking their dogs in this recreational area. At the base of the butte there is a large park that runs along the river as well as a rock climbing area for the more adventurous. I love driving up here to show my visiting friends a cute little spot to enjoy before moving onto the next adventure. read more

Viewpoint is sketchy...as in, expect bums or pot smokers to be hanging around. The views are excellent, however. The rest of the park seemed nice....a typical urban park providing green and shade near downtown. Didn't check out the trails. read more

Nice place to go drive up to and relax. Not very safe to walk up to the top, due to the narrow streets. Some trash, but decent overall. Nothing too exciting, but a nice place to go to get away from the town for a few minutes. read more

Stopped here on the way road trippin. Kids loved it has a small water feature too. The playground, trails and view of the river were all nice. The drug dealers/crackheads/bums hanging all around not so much. read more