The Park Blocks Historic Market District Autzen Stadium East Skinner Butte Willamette River Eugene Airport Fern Ridge Lake Willamette National Forest Pacific Crest Trail Pioneer Cemetery

Mt. Pisgah Arboretum.

Mount Pisgah Arboretum is a 209-acre living tree museum with riverside trails, quiet paths through evergreen forests, water garden teeming with life, bright wildflower meadows, and open views across oak savannas. Located within Lane County's Howard Buford Recreation Area, the Arboretum lies between the Coast Fork of the Willamette River and the slopes of Mount Pisgah. Mount Pisgah Arboretum is dedicated to maintaining Pacific Northwest plant communities, offering environmental education programs and facilities. Once hunting grounds for the Calapooia Indians and later a pioneer farm, the Mt. Pisgah Arboretum features seven miles of scenic trails through diverse ecological habitats.

The Hult Center for the Performing Arts.

Constructed in 1982, the two-block civic center complex is one of the busiest performing arts centers in North America and a cultural cornerstone of Eugene. Comprised of the 2,500-seat Silva Concert Hall and the 500-seat Soreng Theatre, the Hult Center is a major architectural and acoustical achievement. The design versatility allows 800 performances, rehearsals, art exhibits and special events annually. Art at the Hult includes a permanent collection on display and architecturally integrated visual art - one of the Hult's remarkable features. Ranging from hand-painted tiles in the restrooms to the house curtain in the Silva Concert Hall, works by 30 artists and artisans were executed in concert with the construction. The Jacobs Gallery features temporary exhibits by regional artists. Visit www.hultcenter.org for information and tickets.

The Park Blocks.

The Park Blocks form an open link between the complex of government buildings to the north and east and the commercial area to the south and west. Historically a focal point of the downtown Eugene area and the site of the original County Clerks office, they were redeveloped on the site of an earlier park in conjunction with the present courthouse in 1959. The Park Block Fountain is located on the site which Eugene Skinner and Charnel Mulligan donated from their land claims. Each gave 40 acres to entice the county seat to locate in Eugene. They also stipulated that 4 blocks were to be maintained for public use. This is also the current home of Saturday Market.

Saturday Market.

The oldest weekly open-air crafts festival in the U.S., it is the original Saturday Market. Modeled after a combination of Central American open-air plazas and European markets, the market has over 800 active members and nearly 300 of these members sell each week. The outdoor Saturday Market features arts and crafts, food booths and music. Held each Saturday from April to mid-December, it's a good place to shop for unique craft items.

Oregon County Fair.

Celebrating its 35th year July 8-10, the Oregon County Fair is a unique outdoor musical festival and renaissance crafts fair, featuring world-class entertainment, hand-made crafts, delectable foods, educational displays and magical surprises. The Fair, located on a wooded setting 13 miles west of Eugene, is a spectacle of musicians, magicians, jesters and jugglers performing on 12 stages. More than 700 artisans offer an amazing array of wares and hand-made crafts, and 50 food booths and strolling vendors tempt your senses. For information and tickets, visit www.oregoncountryfair.org.  [Top]

Fifth Street Public Market/Historic Market District.

Dating back to the turn of the 20th Century, the Fifth Street Public Market - originally the home of a poultry plant - is situated in the heart of Eugene's Downtown Historic District. The area is home to some of the Pacific Northwest's finest cafes and restaurants and a fabulous assortment of eclectic boutiques and artist galleries.

Lane County Events Center.

Home to the Lane County Fair and the Ice Center, the Lane Events Center hosts over 125 public and private events each year. The Lane Events Center/Fairgrounds draws millions of visitors to annual events, such as the Oregon Logging Conference, Oregon Asian Celebration, the Lane County Fair, and a variety of tradeshows. The Ice Center and Hockey Arena is an Olympic-quality skating facility that features a 85' x 192' ice surface and arena-style seating for 2,700 spectators. Organized figure skating and Ice Center programs provide learning opportunities and competitive events. The Convention Center, with over 100,000 square feet of indoor facilities, 70,000 square -feet of continuous trade show space, loading docks, meeting rooms, on-site parking, and full-service event catering, is the ideal space for large trade shows, banquets or elegant sit-down dinners.  [Top]

Autzen Stadium.

Home of the Oregon Ducks and ESPN's Top 10 Intimidating Stadiums, Autzen Stadium is a legendary sports facility. Up to 54,000 fans attend every UO home game at the most feared stadium in the Pac-10 Conference. Intimacy and comfort rule in 32 new luxury suites and two private clubs. Autzen Stadium's $80-million renovation in 2003 increased seating capacity by 12,000 (to a total of 55,000) and added new luxury boxes. A wood roof over the 3,200 club seats honors one tradition, while the return of valet bicycle parking celebrates another.

Eugene Skinner's Cabin.

Eugene Skinner's one-room dwelling sits high up on the west side of Skinner Butte, a site that would help the cabin escape the floods of the Willamette River. Skinner's main purpose in building this cabin was to help him hold his 320-acre donation land claim. While the original cabin was dismantled in 1854, the replica of Skinner's cabin was moved to its current site in 1996 in conjunction with the 150th anniversary of the Applegate Trail.  [Top]

East Skinner Butte Historic Landmark Area.

Included in this area are 24 buildings of architectural and historic significance, dating from the 1850's to the 1920's. One feature that distinguishes this area from other older residential areas in Eugene is the variety of periods and architectural styles represented. The area is Eugene's only historically designated area, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House.

Known in the early days of Eugene as the "Castle on the Hill," the 1888-built Shelton-McMurphey-Johnson House is an ornate example of late Victorian Queen Anne revival style architecture. Located on the south slope of Skinner Butte, it provides an awe-inspiring view of the city and surrounding areas. The three-storey Victorian is all wood construction and set on a foundation of solid stone. While the house was mysteriously burned to the ground during the final stages of completion, rumored by a rival architect, it was immediately rebuilt on the original foundation.  [Top]

Willamette River.

Discovered in 1792 by Lieutenant William Robert Broughton of the Vancouver expedition, the Willamette River is the largest river entirely in the state of Oregon. Flowing through nine counties and 19 cities, the river drains 12,000 square miles of land. The River begins in the high Cascades from Lake Timpanogas southeast of Eugene. The Coast and the Middle Forks join in Springfield and the river flows northward (one of the few major rivers in the US that flows that direction) for nearly 300 miles before joining the Columbia River at Portland. Nearly 70% of Oregonians live within 20 miles of the Willamette River.

Rose Gardens.

Donated by Mr. and Mrs. George E. Owen in 1950 for development as a city park, this All-American Rose Selection accredited public display features over 4500 roses displayed in borders and in informal and formal beds. The peak bloom season is generally the second and third weeks in June. The park is home to the Black Republican Cherry tree which dates back to 1,860 and is the largest cherry tree in the state, and possibly the largest in the U.S.  [Top]

Eugene Airport.

Eugene Airport - the fifth-largest airport in the Pacific Northwest - is conveniently located 15 minutes from downtown Eugene. The Eugene Airport provides commercial air service to a six-county region in mid-Oregon, and direct service between Eugene and Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle, Salt Lake City and Portland. Major carriers include United Airlines, United Express, America West Express, Horizon Air and Skywest. The airport also has an expanded air cargo facility to serve the growing air cargo demands of the region. Visit www.eugeneairport.com .

Willamette Pass.

Willamette Pass, located 70 miles East of Eugene on Highway 58, is a skiers' paradise offering recreational and competitive ski racing. Willamette's diverse terrain and 430 inches of annual snowfall offer excellent skiing, snow tubing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding on open trails. While everyone in the family will enjoy Willamette, advanced skiers can challenge the eight black diamond runs and enjoy night skiing. Williamette Pass features 29 trails on over 550 acres, five ski lifts, and has a 1,563 vertical drop. A new six-person, high-speed detachable chair called the "Accelerator" has increased skiers' time on the snow. The mountain offers SKIcamp and BASEcamp (skiing and boarding instruction), a ski patrol, a restaurant, a snack bar and lounge, ski/snowboard rentals, women's workshops, a snowboard park and contests, a multi-terrain park, and learn to ski packages. Depending on snow conditions, Willamette Pass is open from Thanksgiving to April. For information, visit www.willamettepass.com/.  [Top]

Fern Ridge Lake.

Fern Ridge Lake is a dam-regulated lake just 12 miles northwest of downtown Eugene , that offers level waters for swimming, fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, windsurfing, jet skiing and watercraft rentals. Six park sites and several remote access points around the lake offer a variety of day use recreation opportunities. A private concession on the peninsula at the south end of the lake has overnight camping sites. Kirk Park - opposite the dam on Fern Ridge Lake - is a day use park offering paved roads, picnic tables, fire rings, trails, a fishing dock, canoeing and berry picking. Orchard Point Park offers moorage, boat ramp, group and individual picnic sites, game, play and swim areas, boat and kayak rentals and a concession stand. Extensive wetlands provide unique habitats for a variety of wildlife. Cereal grains and forage crops are planted on lands surrounding the lake to provide for wintering waterfowl populations. For information, call (541) 682-4414.

Cascade Mountains.

The Cascades are the mountainous backbone of Oregon running north-south across the entire state, dividing the state into the "dry" eastern and "wet" western sides. The major mountain peaks in the Cascades include Mount Hood , Mt. Jefferson and Mount Bachelor . Crater Lake - near the California border - is formed by the caldera of an ancient Cascades volcano that erupted thousands of years ago. Mt. Hood, Oregon's largest mountain, stands beside the Columbia River within the Mount Hood Wilderness , an all-season vacation destination. Mt. Hood is the most frequently climbed glaciated peak in North America. Reid, Zigzag and Sandy glaciers on the west and northwest slopes of Mt. Hood receive up to 300 inches of snow annually. All routes to the summit are technical climbs, only to be attempted by experienced climbers or with guides. One of 13 Casacde volcanos, Mt. Jefferson is located within the Willamette National Forest , the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness Area, and the Warm Springs Indian Reservation. Oregon's second highest mountain, Mt. Jefferson offers an alpine technical climbing experience where climbers gain 7,000 feet in elevation along some routes. The Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail crosses the mountains on the western slope. Visit www.ohwy.com.  [Top]

Willamette National Forest.

The Willamette National Forest stretches for 110 miles along the western slopes of the Cascades, from the Mt. Jefferson area to the Calapooya Mountains, and contains some 1.6 million acres. The landscape is glaciated and includes mountain peaks and volcanoes, as well as Oregon's largest glacier - Collier Glacier. At the 80-plus developed campgrounds in the forest with 1,500 campsites, facilities usually include water and toilets. Trails extend for 1,700 miles and include three that have been designated as National Recreation Trails. Limited Entry Permits are required between Memorial Day and October 31.

McKenzie River.

Originating on the slopes of the western Cascades, the McKenzie River flows in crystal-clear torrents through lush forests down into the pastoral McKenzie Valley near Eugene. Oregon's classic mountain rafting river, the beautiful Mckenzie River boasts a variety of whitewater, and superb trout and salmon fishing. The mountains around the river offer some of the most scenic and varied hiking in the Pacific Northwest. The middle 30 miles of the river serve up playful class II and III rapids in a rich alpine and deciduous forest. The most popular whitewater section is the 36 miles from Ollalie Campground to Leaburg Dam. A favorite for kayakers, the upper stretch between Ollalie and Blue River offers constant gradient class II-III rapids. At the end of this stretch, Redsides Rapid challenges kayakers and rafters with a powerful double wave and hole drops. Marten's - the most aggressive rapid - is an awesome finale. Commercially guided whitewater rafting trips are available on the McKenzie year-round. About 20 miles above the most popular whitewater stretch, water is forced up by a giant lava tube and emerges as the Great Springs near Clear Lake. An excellent fly fishing river, the McKenzie hosts steelhead salmon and trout galore.  [Top]

Eugene to Pacific Crest Trail.

The 108-mile Eugene to Pacific Crest Trail connects the Eugene-Springfield area with the scenic Pacific Crest Trail southeast of Waldo Lake in the Cascade Mountains. The Oregon section of the PCT - the easiest to hike or ride - is a wooded path following broad ridges in coniferous forests dotted with lakes. Oregon's Cascade Range is a volcanic landscape, having a gentle crest that is fairly constant in elevation. While volcanoes - Diamond Peak, Mt. Washington, Three Finger Jack, Mt. McLoughlin, the Three Sisters, Mt. Jefferson, and Mt. Hood - punctuate the skyline, lakes populate its floor, especially in the Sky Lakes Wilderness and Diamond Peak Wilderness. Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the nation and the seventh deepest in the world, and Mt. Hood (elev. 11,235'), Oregon's largest and most hazardous active volcano are chief attractions. One of Oregon's most hiked trails and a scenic highlight, Eagle Creek Trail passes deep pools, cascades and a waterfall into the town of Cascade Locks. August and September are favored months for hiking and biking. To learn more, visit www.eugenepct.com.

Oregon 's Pacific Coast.

The Pacific Coast area offers a chance to catch a delicious dungeness crab, dig for hearty clams, watch magnificent whales in their annual migration or view the massive sea lions in their caves just north of Florence. Oregon has the highest coastal sand dunes in the world, and beachcombing is a favorite pastime of locals and tourists. Odd shaped pieces of driftwood can be found on beaches, along with star fish and interesting marine life in the tide pools. The Oregon Coast Aquarium - former home of Keiko the killer whale and star of the motion picture “Free Willy”- is a few miles up the coast.  [Top]

Pioneer Cemetery.

One of the three oldest cemeteries in Eugene, the historic Pioneer Cemetary is largest in both acreage and in number of burials. Originally known as the Odd Fellows Cemetery, 119 Civil War veterans are buried in the cemetery along with 20 Spanish-American War Veterans.

Pine Mountain Observatory.

Pine Mountain Observatory is a University of Oregon facility for astronomy education and research. The observatory consists of three Cassegrain reflecting telescopes, with mirrors of 15", 24", and 32" diameters, each in its own domed building. Digital cameras are mounted to the 24" and 32" instruments and a high-speed T1 internet server connects the site. Located 26 miles SE of Bend, near Eugene, PMO has an elevation of 6,500 feet. The telescopes are operated by the U of O Physics Department and group of amateur astronomers called the Friends of Pine Mountain Observatory who operate the summer visitor's season and visit classrooms as part of an outreach program. Visit www. pmo-sun.uoregon.edu.  [Top]