The lake is amazing. Parking is somewhat limited. Nice turn around to be able to unload. If you're…read moreout paddling make sure to go find the river. It's a nice challenge in winter to get upstream and in summer it's a relaxing place for summer. I will say I was unimpressed with the host the last time I was there in summer. An older gentleman had gone off the road and was stuck. A few other lake goers were helping him without success. I went up to let the host know that there was a situation going on and he said "what am I supposed to do". I'll leave it there without putting any non factual opinions in.

This is a great place to relax and just float on your kayak or paddleboard. It's fairly small with…read morenot a lot to see but the perfect place to relax. Parking is nonexistent so you want to get there early!!

We have been traveling through the area for the last week and this was, by far, our most…read moredisappointing experience. On our way here we visited multiple gardens and flower farms in Salem and the surrounding area that were completely free and FAR superior. They charge $14 per person to visit the garden and in my opinion it's not worth it. The employees we interacted with were unhelpful, unknowledgeable and apathetic but beyond the poor service, the grounds themselves were disappointing. There are dead and dying plants everywhere, shade and seating are scarce and there is very little of interest to see. If you enjoy paths and trees, visit any local park and the sites will be as good. If you love roses, visit Owen Rose Garden or if you like peonys, irises, etc there are multiple farms in the area to visit for free. Unless you love the smell of hot fertilizer and throwing your money away, this is not it. Their "Amazing" water garden consists of a few algae topped ponds. They also claim to be dog friendly but they are as dog friendly as a sidewalk. They have a tram tour that literally stopped in the walkway blocking all the walking guests from proceeding while robotically reading a speech and leaving everyone to stand there in the sun until they were done. This whole experience was just so unenjoyable. I rarely leave bad reviews and I Yelp to help others avoid my mistakes so if you are reading this, please don't waste your time or money here. There are so many other great options. Oh, and to the "Business Manager" who obligatorily responds all the unflattering reviews in an effort to appear as though customer service is important, but is ultimately condescending, it's not helping your cause, so feel free to spare us all.

So nice we visited twice over the course of the weekend! Once as guests of the Resort and the next…read morewith an WCCLS Adventure Pass. Even though the plants' condition in March leaves a lot to be desired, as not very much is coming into season yet, there was plenty to take in. The variety of landscaping/hardscaping is impressive, the views incredible, the plant collection inspiring (even my very non-aggie partner took notes on what we could possibly incorporate into our own yard). It's obvious that plenty of care and planning went into the garden spaces. Highlights for me included the conifer forest and the wetlands areas. The Lewis and Clark pathway with its stonehenge-like pillars was neat too. Each section has its own hidden treasures and spaces for reflection. Would love to come back in spring or summer to see what's changed.

Gnaw-howdy, folks! Let me tell you about the absolute crown jewel of the entire forest: the Trail…read moreof Ten Waterfalls loop at Silver Falls. I tackled the whole dadgum 7.2-mile circuit on a day so gorgeous the sun felt like a warm rock on a soggy pelt. If you are a connoisseur of fine water engineering like yours truly, this place is pure, unadulterated heaven. Ten waterfalls. Ten! And humans just let all that pristine, rushing current flow freely without a single lodge or dam blocking it! It's wildly irresponsible from a construction standpoint, but sweet mother of willow bark, is it breathtaking. The best part? Trudging underneath those massive basalt cliffs at South Falls and North Falls. Feeling the thunder of the water vibrating right through my webbed feet was a spiritual experience. The mist keeps the ferns lush and the air tasting crisp and clean. Final Verdict: 5 out of 5 peeled willow sticks. If you have webbed feet, boots, or just a deep appreciation for top-notch hydrology, you need to hike this loop immediately. Just try to ignore the urge to build a giant wall across the river. It's hard, but the views are worth it.

If you're gonna do the Trail of 10 Falls (or 8 as it was recently due to northside trail closure),…read moreI recommend a counter-clockwise route starting at South Falls to avoid crowds and work your way up the magnificence scale. Also helps to get there early as you can. Trails were wet from recent showers but well-maintained and not slick. If it's really been raining and the falls are pumping, be prepared for standing water behind a couple of the falls. (Luckily someone had put out small stones to balance on, but from the looks of their wet shoes many people were unlucky in their attempts to cross.) Walking sticks can be helpful in the steeper grades. It now costs $10 to park unless you've got an annual pass

Awesome spot, but you need a good car! Drove a RAV4 to the…read moregate, then walked a short distance. You definitely need a capable car because some uphill parts are rough and slippery (almost lost traction). The hike down is a bit steep and slippery but there are ropes to help. Tip: Bring gloves! After reaching the bottom, just follow the stream to the beautiful waterfall. We had a picnic there and it was so chill. There are no trash cans here,please take your trash with you. I felt like being at a childhood summer camp with the hiking and climbing. The water was too cold to swim this time, but I'll definitely be back during the summer!

Beautiful falls. Reminds me of Svartifoss falls in Iceland. The hike is little treacherous. Parking…read moreis not good at the main trailhead. Recommended parking at the OHV area which makes the hike 4 mile long in total.

This is a great place to walk around a lake! In the spring the rhododendrons are beautiful! It also…read moreis part of the path system in Albany.

very pretty but really needs clean. it's disgusting. don't know when the last time it was cleaned…read morebut... it really needs it.

Great little park with river access. You do have to pay a small fee. Plenty of picnic tables and…read moreplaces to set up for the day while enjoying the river.

This is a fantastic beautiful park along Eagle Creek! With that said, the only negative was the $8…read moreday-use fee. Other parks with day-use fees around Portland currently usually charge $5, but they do have an annual pass you can get for a certain group of parks if you plan on visiting them regularly. There is a restroom (not just a porta-potty, but an actual restroom. Yay!), a playground, baseball diamond, and lots of picnic tables. Some of the picnic tables have in-ground charcoal BBQ pits, too. They also have a picnic shelter you can pay to reserve. For hiking, they have a few different trails to choose from and all were very well-maintained when we visited. One of the trails is even accessible for folks with mobility issues, all flat and wide. The park & trails have plenty of huge trees for shade, and the big main trail goes along the creek in several places. There are even a few spots where you can hang out right along the creek shore. Aside from the easy accessible trail, I'd say the other trails are mild to medium in difficulty just due to some of the hilly inclines, but we saw families with younger kids walking them without a problem.

Great park for the kids! I love that it's enclosed. We were out of town and the kids desperately…read moreneeded to burn some energy and this was a great place to do so. Lots of shade for resting. My kids had an absolute blast at this park.

Really fun park for little ones. We are out of towners visiting family, and always looking for…read moresomething fun to do with the kids. Built by donors and run by volunteers. It has a castle and rocket motifs, with lots of different levels and activities. The only catch is that it is located on the grounds of an elementary school (fenced, but still,) so is only available outside of school hours.