Looking to spend some time in Eugene? There’s a lot to keep you busy.
Between beautiful local parks, fascinating museums, and recreation areas for hikers, cyclists, kayakers and rock climbers, it’s clear that the college town is more than just a place to catch Ducks games. That’s not to mention the local food and craft beer scene, nor the fantastic scenery found just a short drive away.
Whether you’re in Eugene for the World Athletics Championships Oregon22, there for the University of Oregon, or just visiting for the fun of it, you won’t likely leave disappointed.
Here are 15 things to see and do around town:
The view of the Willamette Valley from the top of Spencer Butte in Eugene, Oregon on Tuesday, April 5, 2022. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian
SPENCER BUTTE
Offering some of the best views overlooking Eugene, Spencer Butte is the perfect place to enjoy a sunny day, with family-friendly trails leading up to the top. Hikers can do a moderately easy 1.7-mile loop from the main trailhead up to the summit and back. The butte is part of the larger Ridgeline Trail System.
Open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily; 85397 Willamette St; eugene-or.gov
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RUTH BASCOM BIKE TRAILS
Eugene has a reputation as a great town for cyclists, and the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Path System is a big reason why. The roughly 14-mile system of interconnected multi-use pathways run along either bank of the Willamette River in Eugene and Springfield. The paths are heavily used by local cyclists as well as runners and walkers.
MOUNT PISGAH ARBORETUM
The 209-acre Mount Pisgah Arboretum is a beautiful hiking destination, with educational and artistic installations strewn throughout its forests, wetlands and hills. The many winding trails add up to about seven or eight miles in all, allowing visitors to embark on adventures short or long.
Open dawn to dusk, daily; 34901 Frank Parrish Rd.; parking is $5 per vehicle; mountpisgaharboretum.org
A Gyrfalcon eats a meal at the Cascades Raptor Center in Eugene.Samantha Swindler
CASCADES RAPTOR CENTER
A wildlife hospital first and foremost, the Cascades Raptor Center also operates a nature center that is open to the public, where visitors can see some 40 birds of prey. Look for owls, eagles, falcons and more.
Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday; 32275 Fox Hollow Rd.; admission is $10 for adults, $9 for teens and seniors, $7 for kids; cascadesraptorcenter.org
OWEN ROSE GARDEN
Tucked away on the banks of the Willamette River beside U.S. 105, the Owen Rose Garden is a small, but beautiful destination that features more than 400 varieties of roses. The garden is also home to the Owen Cherry Tree, the oldest and largest cherry tree in the state.
Open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; 300 N. Jefferson St.; eugene-or.gov
EUGENE SCIENCE CENTER
Located in Alton Baker Park across the street from Autzen Stadium, the Eugene Science Center is one of the best family-friendly attractions in town, with ever-changing exhibits and playrooms that teach kids about science and engineering.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday to Sunday, open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday; 2300 Leo Harris Pkwy.; admission $5; eugenesciencecenter.org
Climbers enjoy the close proximity of the Skinner Butte Climbing Columns in downtown Eugene.Thomas Boyd/The Oregonian
THE COLUMNS
Skinner Butte Park comprises 100 acres along the Willamette River near downtown Eugene, but it’s perhaps best known for The Columns: a wall of columnar basalt that is popular among rock climbers. Climbers can tackle the 50-foot wall, while spectators can sit and watch from nearby benches.
Open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily; 248 Cheshire Ave; eugene-or.gov
ALTON BAKER PARK
The largest park in Eugene, Alton Baker Park offers biking and walking trails, riverfront access, a concert venue, canoe canal, BMX track, disc golf course and undeveloped natural area. The park is also home to Pre’s Trail, a running trail designed by local track legend Steve Prefontaine.
Open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; 200 Day Island Rd.; eugene-or.gov
DELTA PONDS
The 150-acre Delta Ponds is a great spot to do some wildlife watching on the north side of town, home to beavers, turtles, herons and other waterfowl. A short interpretive trail circles the ponds, and a scenic pedestrian bridge connects to the Ruth Bascom bike trails.
Open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.; parking lots on Goodpasture Island Road; eugene-or.gov
A past exhibit on minimalism is on display at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in Eugene.Benjamin Brink/The Oregonian
JORDAN SCHNITZER MUSEUM OF ART
Located on the University of Oregon campus, the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art features rotating exhibitions and a permanent art collection across nearly a dozen galleries. The museum has been operating on campus since 1933 and continues to grow.
Open Wednesday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday to Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; 1430 Johnson Ln.; admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors, free for kids and UO students; jsma.uoregon.edu
SHELTON MCMURPHEY JOHNSON HOUSE
The Shelton McMurphey Johnson House is a beautiful 7,000-square-foot Victorian mansion, currently owned by the City of Eugene and operated as a local attraction. The mansion houses a museum, serves tea on select weekends and hosts local events.
Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; 303 Willamette St.; admission is $6 for adults, $5 for students and seniors, $3 for kids; smjhouse.org
PRE’S ROCK
Legendary local runner Steve Prefontaine was expected to take home gold in the 1976 Olympic Games, but in 1975 he was tragically killed in a car crash in Eugene. A small memorial, Pre’s Rock, sits at the site of that crash, and has become a place of pilgrimage for runners.
Located on Skyline Boulevard near Birch Lane in Eugene
Maggie Simpson graces the back of a building in downtown Sprinfield. Many of the downtown murals are on unnamed alleyways between Main and A streets.
“THE SIMPSONS” MURALS
Oregon has deep connections to “The Simpsons,” from the Portland streets that gave so many characters their names to the very real city that inspired the fictional town. Springfield (the real Springfield) is attached at the hip to Eugene, and today features dozens of murals depicting Simpsons characters scattered across town.
FERN RIDGE LAKE
The Fern Ridge Reservoir is the largest lake in the Willamette Valley, capping out at about 9,000 acres in the summer. It’s the perfect place to get out on a kayak, canoe or paddleboard, with access points at several lakeside parks, docks and boat ramps. Find it just west of Eugene off Oregon 126.
MUSEUM OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY
Visitors to Eugene’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History are greeted by a big mammoth statue outside, and inside they can find exhibits featuring Oregon’s ancient natural history, as well as more recent cultural history. The museum is located on the University of Oregon Campus near Hayward Field.
Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday and Friday through Sunday, open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday; 1680 E. 15th Ave.; admission is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and kids; mnch.uoregon.edu
— Jamie Hale; jhale@oregonian.com; 503-294-4077; @HaleJamesB
