Hiking In & Around Eugene:

Explore hikes and climbs with spectacular views not far from the Eugene/Springfield metro area.

Fall Creek

Some of the dearest old-growth forests to this area is found on this hike and not to far from Eugene at all. While some of the Fall Creek trail was affected by the 2003 Clark fire, much of it was not damaged at all and the trail is still a local favorite. The trail mostly follows the creek, up and down through the old-growth forest. The creek has some good swimming holes during the warm months which can get pretty busy at times. A good turn-around point is about 2.6 miles up the trail at Timber Creek, which is about where the fire boundary is. Continue on to the main road crossing, and cross the road to continue on the trail and see some of the fire area if you like.

From Eugene and I-5, travel on Highway 58 about 14 miles and turn left over Dexter Reservoir towards Lowell at the covered bridge. Follow the Jasper-Lowell road 2.8 miles through Lowell as it veers left and then right. Just before another covered bridge, turn right on Big Fall Creek Road and stay on this paved road. The lowest parking area is on the right across from the Dolly Varden Campground after about 10.3 miles.

Mount Pisgah

Overview: Several hiking trails are maintained by the Lane County Parks Department on Mount Pisgah. The summit is accessible by a steep 1.4-mile trail from a parking area near the base of the hill. Several other trails make their way through the adjacent arboretum and up the slopes.

The summit offers a panoramic view of the southern Willamette Valley and includes a bronze relief sculpture illustrating the surrounding topography and identifying many nearby geographic features.

The hill consists of basalt or its intrusive equivalent diabase. Small crystals of calcite and various zeolite minerals are often seen where the rock outcrops, especially near the summit.

At the base is Mount Pisgah Arboretum a 209-acre living tree museum. Its riverside trails, quiet paths through evergreen forests, water garden teeming with life, bright wildflower meadows, and open views across oak savannas delight all ages.

Tips: There is a $3 fee to park here.

Watch out for poison oak as it covers the hill.

From the North: From I-5 South, take exit 189. Turn right at stop light and remain on Frontage Road to stoplight at 30th Avenue. Turn left, crossing the freeway east. Turn left at the blinking light. Turn right just after the Shell Station onto East Franklin Blvd., going under the bridge. Follow this road approx. 1/3 mile. Take the first left onto Seavey Loop Road. Continue straight 2 miles to the Arboretum.

From the South: From I-5 North, take exit 189. Go straight at the stop sign and turn right after the Shell Station onto East Franklin Blvd. Follow this road approx. 1/3 mile. Take the first left onto Seavey Loop Road. Continue straight 2 miles to the Arboretum.

From South Eugene: Take 30th Aveneue past Lane Community College. Cross the freeway overpass and turn left at the blinking light. Turn right after the Shell Station onto East Franklin Blvd. Follow this road approx. 1/3 mile. Take the first left onto Seavey Loop Road. Continue straight 2 miles to the Arboretum.

From Springfield: Take Main Street west, crossing the river at Island Park. Take the first left after the bridge onto Franklin Blvd. (U-Haul is on the corner.) Follow Franklin South, turning left at the first light (this will turn into East Franklin Blvd.) Continue on E. Franklin and turn left just before the Shell Station. Follow this road approx. 1/3 mile. Take the first left onto Seavey Loop Road. Continue straight 2 miles to the Arboretum.

Family Friendly • Dog Friendly

More About Mount Pisgah>>

McKenzie River and Sahalie Falls

These hikes offer spectacular scenery of old growth forests, waterfalls and the wild McKenzie River. There are two or three good hiking options from the Sahalie Falls parking lot area. The best one is to set up a shuttle with one car at Sahalie Falls, and one a few miles downstream at the Trailbridge Reservoir road/trailhead. Hike from Sahalie Falls downhill past Koosah Falls, past Carmen Reservoir (when you come to the road here, take a right over the bridge, turn right again to get back into the woods, and then take a left on the McKenzie River trail), and along the "dewatered" McKenzie River channel. The one-way trip from Sahalie to Trailbridge is about 6 miles, easy to moderate. Sahalie to Koosah Falls round trip is a pretty easy 1.5 miles. Trailbridge to Tamolitch Pool round trip is 4.2 miles easy to moderate.

From Eugene, follow Highway 126 east. To get to the parking lot at the downstream end of the hike, turn left into the Trailbridge Campground area (about 14 miles past McKenzie Bridge), across a bridge, and right on Forest Road 655. Park about 1/3 mile up on the curve - the trailhead is on the right just past the curve. To park at Sahalie Falls, continue east to the well-signed parking lot near milepost 5.

Mount June Trail

The Mount June Trail provides a short, constantly uphill hike to the top of Mount June, which offers magnificent 360 degree views of the Willamette Valley and Coast Range to the west and numerous peaks of the Cascade Range to the east. Mount June was once the site of a 50' pole platform fire lookout station, circa 1920's, later replaced by a 50' wooden tower and cabin quarters. All structures have since been abandoned and destroyed.

The Mount June Trail provides access to the western end of the Sawtooth Trail #1401. One-way trip durations average 1 hour. Trail grades range from a gentle 5% to steeper, rocky portions of approximately 30%.

Obsidians

Organized in 1927 by a group of men from Eugene who were concerned about a mountaineering accident, the Obsidians have grown to more than 500 people actively involved in a wide variety of outdoor activities.

The Obsidian Trips Committee schedules trips and outings the year round. These vary from easy afternoon walks to strenuous hikes and overnight backpacks. We hike the trails through deep forest or across lava beds, visit wilderness lakes, climb up rocky crags to high promontories, saunter along ocean beaches, camp near glacier-fed torrents, or stand in admiration of flower-filled mountain meadows. When the snow begins to fly in the high country, our thoughts turn to cross country skiing and other outdoor winter sports. In all these activities, the ultimate objective is to explore the more scenic areas of our environment, and savor to the fullest the aesthetic experience of wildness.

Visit The Obsidian's Website>>

Sawtooth Trail

The Sawtooth Trail traverses the ridge between Hardesty Mountain and Mount June. It's about an 8 or 9 mile round trip, so be prepared. You can start at either the Hardesty Mountain end (off of Road 550, see below), or the Mount June end (off of Road 941, see below) with side trips to the top of both mountains if desired. The view from Mount June is spectacular, but the old lookout site at the top of Hardesty is overgrown and not worth it unless you just have to climb mountains.

The trail goes up and down through mostly 100 year old forest that naturally regenerated after a fire, and it offers good views along the way, mushrooms in the fall, and plentiful wildflowers in the spring.

To get to the Hardesty Mountain end of the Sawtooth Trail, take Hwy 58 to a right turn onto Patterson Mountain Road, between milepost 24 and 25. Follow this road (aka Road #5840) for 5.1 miles to the summit, then bear right onto Road 550. Follow this unimproved road 1.7 miles to trailhead on the left.

Skinner Butte

Skinner Butte (also called Skinner's Butte) is a prominent hill on the north edge of downtown Eugene, Oregon, near the Willamette River. Skinner Butte is a local landmark and the location of Skinner Butte Park, a municipal park.

Perfect for watching the beautiful Eugene sunsets, Skinner's Butte is the perfect way to get and eagle's eye view of the city and is a good choice for first time visitors to the area.

Spencer Butte

Easily visible from anywhere in Eugene, 2054ft Spencer Butte is a great hike with 360° views of the Willamette Valley and even the Three Sisters on a clear day. Because of its proximity to Eugene, it is fairly busy, especially in summer. No trip to Eugene would be complete without a hike up "the Butte".

The paths up the Butte are steep and challenging, but the effort is rewarded with a full 360 degree spectacular view of the Oregon countryside.

Hikers will need to provide their own water; there is none on the trail. At 2,000 feet, there is a subtle temperature difference, and so layering clothing is important on those in-between days. Cell phone reception is generally good on the Butte, but is not a substitute for planning and safe hiking.