We love Hendricks Park in Eugene. On this visit we took a leisurely walk throughout the…read morerhododendron section and then a drive through the wooded section. If you're in Eugene or visiting Univ of Oregon (Sco Ducks!) be sure to take a moment and visit this park.

A Beautiful Return to a Place Full of Nature and History…read more Both my wife and I had visited this spot before when we lived in the area, so with a little time to spare before lunch nearby, we decided to revisit it with her son and daughter-in-law. Nestled on a forested butte just east of the University of Oregon in Eugene, this area is absolutely stunning. The rhododendron garden is especially beautiful, offering a peaceful and scenic escape that feels tucked away from the city. Beyond its natural beauty, the area is steeped in history. One of the most notable connections is to Steve Prefontaine--a legendary runner and seven-time NCAA champion for Oregon. He trained in and around Hendricks Park and tragically passed away in a car accident on a winding road just below the park. His legacy lives on not only in the running world but also in the early success of Nike, where he became the brand's first sponsored athlete and helped elevate it to global prominence. Whether you're a nature lover, a history buff, or just looking for a quiet place to explore, this area is well worth a visit.

Nice neighborhood park, mostly a big grassy field with a pathway, popular for dog walkers. There is…read morea smaller playground area on the south side of the park with four swings (including two infant/toddler ones), a slide structure, teeter totter, and picnic tables. While there are trees in the park and surrounding, I feel like on a very sunny day there wouldn't be very much shade for reprieve from the heat. A small public parking lot is available off of Irvington Dr for this park, but it seems like most people just park on the street near the south end of the park (likely people with kids for the lay area). No restroom facilities. My daughter and I have been checking out as many new playgrounds as possible to find our favorite one. I wouldn't say this is it, but bonus points for the cleanliness of this public park, at least the day we visited.

This is a cute little park in the River Road area of Eugene. It has a couple benches, small play…read morestructure, big grass area, teeter totter and swings. It's right in a neighborhood with houses and street parking. While it's not the most exciting park, it's nice to take little kids here and isn't too crazy on the weekends. It's kept pretty clean but there isn't any sand, only wood chips and grass with some concrete paths. There are two tables you can have lunch or snacks at as well. It seems pretty quiet in this neighborhood and very safe for families.

I love this park! My favorite (close by) dog walking location. It's a beautiful area that makes you…read morefeel further from the city than you obviously are. There are multiple ponds with a nicely kept wood chip path going around the largest one, lots of trees and wildlife to spot (all kinds of birds, fish, turtles sunning themselves in summer). I definitely recommend Golden Gardens, but also don't want word to get out too much because I love how quiet and less trafficked this park seems to be. Parking is just along the street and plentiful. No restrooms.

Decent quick flat walk with birding and dog friendly areas…read more Not a lot of amenities, no bathroom, no playground, minimal shade in the summer. However good travel path if you don't run on pavement!

Brewer Park has 3 swings (1 baby swing), 2 slides, teeter totter, play structure for climbing,…read morebasketball court, picnic tables, and a large grassy area with lots of trees for shade. The ground covering is wood chips and there is no sand which is a plus if like me you don't like bringing home souvenirs from the park in your kiddos' shoes. The only down side was that the slides are not shaded and can get hot in the summer sun.

Adequate and quiet place to play, but not amazing. The equipment was pretty standard: they have two…read moreregular swings and a baby swing, slides, monkey bars, tunnel, and seesaw. Everything is pretty tall, so I would say it's probably better suited to kids over 8.

I drive by on W. 1st all the time and would have never known this park was located just a few…read moreblocks away, had it not been for a recent afternoon where I was carting my daughter around with me everywhere on errands and felt like she needed to get some wiggles out! So, I searched for a nearby park and found Sladden. This is a great park with newer playground equipment, a big open field, what looked like a basketball court (?) in the far corner, lots of bench and table seating, and restrooms. Big trees provide some nice shade as well. Will definitely be coming back!

Sladden is terrific, one of the best parks in town.  Few know of it…read more ​ It rests on four acres in the heart of the Rose Garden district just north of Whiteaker and is shaded by a majestic grove of old Douglas firs.  It's restful, covered and offers this:​ ​ -picnic table seating for about fifty​ -a children's playground​ -a tennis court​ -a basketball court​ -frisbee golf course​​ -restrooms with fountain​ -plenty of room to stretch out​ ​ It's half a block fom Maurie Jacobs Park/the Willamette River and a long block fom Eugene's Owen Rose Garden.​ ​ Terrific place for a summer potluck for just you and a few friends or an entire family reunion.​

Beautiful spot to bike, walk or run along the water. They also have a soccer field, small ground…read moreand several picnic tables in the shade and benches to enjoy. Love the bridge that connects you to the other side of the trail and saw several people fishing.

This is my favorite place to go roller skating during the day! I especially love going in the…read morespringtime to see the baby ducks. There's also a playground here if you have kiddos, and it's a great place to take dogs for a walk. Everyone is always pretty respectful when it comes to sharing the path too. I do have to agree this is not the safest place to be after the sun sets.

A free garden with a wide variety of roses. We went there mid morning and there were quite a few…read morevolunteers tending to the grounds. They also have some dahlia and a few plants that I've never seen before (I had to look these up). Lots of happy bees here too. Some shaded tables if you want to hang out for a while. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area.

Wow, I love this place and I'm so happy to have found it during my stay in Eugene…read more What a beautiful, wholesome yet exciting spot! This is indeed too free things to do in town. It is very well maintained and I enjoyed seeing so much variety there. Easy to visit as there are enough parking spot in the lot.

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

Skinner's Butte is a neat city park that offers a variety of activities including rock climbing,…read moreshort 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.

Skinner (not Skinner's) Butte Park is the the location of the homestead of Eugene's founder, named…read moreEugene Skinner, and is one of the city's oldest parks. It's a large park right on the banks of the Willamette River and offers a variety of activities. There's the playground, RiverView Discovery Village, which is fairly large and has some pretty cool. It has various structures for kids to play on and around, representing storefronts, a stagecoach, and so on. There's the typical slides and swings and stuff that you'll find at a playground as well. They also have a "splash pad", which is a circular pipe sticking out of the ground about 10 feet, but it does spray so I guess it's something. The park fronts the river, and although the playground is not immediately on the bank of the river it's close enough that you'll want to keep a close watch on your children (every year there are tragedies along the Willamette). There is no fencing or anything around the playground, which seems like a no-brainer in this location but I guess not, and that's why I give the three-star rating instead of four. It's just a really nerve-wracking park especially for parents of small children. There could be more picnic tables around the playground... there's at least three, but that may be it. There's lots of green space for folks to spread out on the grass as well, which several people were doing whilst we were here celebrating my daughter's birthday. There was a drum circle that showed up about 20 minutes before we left as well and that was kinda cool. Part of the general park area are the Columns, remnants of a basalt quarry that existed for a few decades in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a pretty popular spot for rock climbing. It's a short distance from the playground area. I went with a class as a middle schooler and was not too keen on climbing myself. Then there's the titular Butte, which one can hike to the top or drive. I've never hiked up myself, but the drive is sometimes closed to traffic when fires are a concern. There are biking trails, a community garden, and the Campbell Senior Center is on the eastern edge of the park as well. There are bathrooms here, and although I didn't go into them my sister and friend did and apparently they're kinda weird--no doors on the stalls. I suppose that must be some sort of safety measure? It's fairly odd, regardless. There's a fairly decent sized parking lot to the east of the playground as well, and parking along the southern end of the park (at the base of the Butte).

It's always a nice time at Skinner's Butte Park no matter what time of year it is. A little colder…read moreon the path by the river, but still a breath of fresh air!

This is a neat little park that is quite small but out of the way. Nice place to just stop and…read morechill from time to time.