LANE COUNTY PARKS
QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
Spring 2025
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A Message from the Division Manager
Bring on the spring!
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As the days get longer, it’s time to enjoy the wonders your Lane County Parks have to offer all within a two-hour drive or short bike ride from home. Let’s go outdoors again and feel those warm rays of sunshine as you take in a breath of fresh air. Come out and visit Lane County Parks to experience your vision set in motion when you passed the first ever five-year Parks Levy.
Change is happening everywhere within your parks. We hope you notice when going out on your favorite nature hike at Mount Pisgah, taking in that amazing panoramic view of Dorena Lake while camping at Baker Bay, or launching a drift boat to explore the roaring rapids along the McKenzie River at Hendricks Bridge Park.
Change is in the air and it’s wonderful to see how the sunshine lightens our senses and relaxes our minds.
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Lane County Expands Park Access with New
Parking Fee Adjustments
| | Great news for Lane County residents! The Board of Commissioners approved significant changes to parking fees at Lane County parks, making outdoor spaces more accessible to all. These updates reflect Lane County's ongoing commitment to equity and inclusion, ensuring that financial barriers do not prevent residents from enjoying the natural beauty of our public parks. | |
What’s Changing?
The newly passed motion introduces three key adjustments to Lane Manual Chapter 18.
- Enhanced Veteran & Disabled Veteran Discounts
Previously, disabled Veterans had to prove their level of disability to qualify for a discount. This amendment removes that requirement, ensuring that all disabled Veterans receive a free annual parking pass, while all Veterans qualify for a 50% discount on annual parking passes.
- Free Annual Parking Passes for WIC Recipients
Recognizing the financial challenges faced by many families, Lane County Parks will now offer a 100% discount on annual parking passes for Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) program recipients in Lane County. This initiative aims to provide families experiencing food insecurity with greater access to outdoor recreation.
- Free Parking on Federal Holidays
To increase access for all, Lane County Parks will offer free entry on all federal holidays. No pass required. These include:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- Washington’s Birthday
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth National Independence Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Indigenous Peoples Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Commitment to Equity and Accessibility
These changes stem from extensive community engagement and an equity-focused review of park accessibility. A recent survey highlighted financial barriers as one of the biggest obstacles preventing residents from visiting local parks. By eliminating some of these costs, Lane County is taking meaningful steps to ensure all residents can enjoy the parks they help support.
Additionally, Lane County continues to invest in infrastructure improvements, such as Universally Accessible trails and mobility support programs like David’s Chairs and Mobi-Mats. These enhancements further the County’s mission of making parks welcoming and accessible to everyone.
Looking Ahead
While these parking fee adjustments mark a major step forward, Lane County Parks will continue exploring new ways to enhance accessibility, including potential public transportation options to parks. We look forward to seeing more residents enjoying our incredible outdoor spaces!
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Restoration Efforts at
Hendricks Bridge County Park
Hendricks Bridge County Park, located along Highway 126 just east of Springfield, is a popular spot for McKenzie River access and picnicking. If you haven’t explored further, you may not realize the 20-acre park includes a sizable forested area. The forest is home to bigleaf maple, Oregon ash, black cottonwood, as well as scattered confers such as incense cedar, western red cedar, and Douglas-fir. A loop trail winds along the river to the east of the day use area. If you’ve walked the trail recently, you may have noticed ongoing habitat management efforts, as well as near the park entrance.
At the entrance, the Lane County Sheriff’s Work Crew has been hard at work clearing large patches of invasive blackberry and removing fallen limbs from the January 2024 ice storm. They’ve also cut ivy from the base of trees—a crucial first step in preventing the ivy from overtaking and damaging them. While these areas may not look lush just yet, removing invasive species is the foundation of a multi-year process to restore native habitat.
Along the river, in another area cleared by the Sheriff’s Work Crew, Lane County Youth Services crews have been planting and maintaining native trees and shrubs. Their work ensures that these young plants receive the care needed to establish strong roots. These crews are part of programs that provide youth and adults with opportunities to serve their community as an alternative to probation or jail time. By contributing to restoration efforts, participants give back in a meaningful way.
| | Before blackberry removal | Ivy tree and ground cover removal | | | |
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Removing ivy from trees is only the beginning. Ground-level ivy removal requires a more delicate approach. The Walama Restoration Project, a local nonprofit specializing in habitat restoration, has removed the ivy ground cover from a large area of forest along the loop trail. Their team has carefully removed the ivy and piled it onto logs to keep it from resprouting. Next winter, they will return to scatter now-dead ivy across the forest floor. This protocol helps native wildflowers and shrubs recover after being suppressed by the heavy blanket of ivy. In the short term, we’ll continue monitoring these sites to track the recovery of native species. Over the next few years, we’ll continue to manage invasive plants to ensure long-term success.
These critical restoration efforts are made possible by funding from the 2022 Lane County Parks local option levy. We encourage you to venture beyond the developed areas of the park and see the restoration in progress. Just like construction, restoration work can look messy at first—but it’s a vital step in preserving the natural landscapes that make our parks so special.
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Honoring Dedication to Natural Areas
Lane County Parks is proud to celebrate Ed Alverson, Natural Areas Coordinator, for his decades of commitment to conservation. Recently, Ed was recognized by both the Oregon Recreation and Park Association (ORPA) and the Lane County Commissioners for his significant contributions to protecting and restoring natural areas.
ORPA Annual Awards – Each year, the ORPA Awards highlight professionals who make a lasting impact in the park and recreation industry. They recognized the role his expertise and dedication have played in preserving the region’s natural landscapes.
Employee Recognition – County Administrator Steve Mokrohiski also honored Ed under the core behavior "Driven to Connect" for his collaborative efforts in working with partners to maintain and restore critical ecosystems, particularly oak savannahs and prairie woodlands.
Congratulations, Ed, on this well-earned recognition! Your work continues to shape and protect the natural spaces we value.
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Campgrounds, Marinas and Day Use Parks Open Soon!
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Marinas Open April 1
Richardson Park - Fern Ridge
Orchard Point Park - Fern Ridge
Baker Bay Park - Dorena Lake
Moorage slip reservations open on April 1 To secure a spot, visit our online reservation portal 24-7, our office or call 541-682-2000 weekdays between 9 am – 4 pm on or after April 1.
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Campgrounds Open April 11
Archie Knowles
Armitage (year-round)
Baker Bay
Harbor Vista (year-round)
Richardson
To secure a spot, visit our online reservation portal 24-7, our office or call 541-682-2000 weekdays between 9 am – 4 pm.
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Day Use Areas open May 12
Gates will be open for more parking access. Get your parking passes and enjoy the longer days! To purchase, visit our online reservation portal 24-7, our office or call 541-682-2000 weekdays between 9 am – 4 pm.
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Plan Your Next Outdoor Adventure with
Lane County Parks
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Interactive Parks Map
Interested in finding Lane County Parks or access points to rivers and lakes in your area?
Visit Our Interactive Map!
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Picnic Areas and Shelters
Choose from several reservable day use picnic areas including covered shelters and open areas. May include picnic tables, bbq grills, electricity, water, and serving areas. See the reservations section for how to book.
- Armitage
- Richardson
- Orchard Point
- Hendricks Bridge
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Make a Reservation
To reserve a campsite, moorage, shelter or picnic area visit our Reservation Site. For an easy way to see what dates are open follow the steps below.
| - Choose the availability calendar to see open dates
| | | All Terrain Wheelchairs Available at two Lane County Parks | |
David's Chairs are available at two Lane County Parks—Howard Buford Recreation Area and Heceta Beach—offering free mobility chairs for outdoor access. Reservations can be made through David's Chair, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides track chairs at no cost to individuals with mobility challenges
Reservations are made through the David's Chair website under Request a Chair - Request Fixed Location.
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Heceta Beach in Florence, OR - Chairs available Friday, Saturday and Sunday
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Mount Pisgah Arboretum - Chairs available Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday 1-3 p.m.
Photo Credit - Shimizu Photography
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Mobi Mats at Heceta Beach County Park
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Lane County's Heceta Beach has non-slip pathways to provide easy access for wheelchairs, strollers, and those with limited mobility, allowing more people to enjoy the sand.
Thanks to grant funds from the Oregon Coast Visitors Association and support from Travel Lane County, the mats create a 120-foot-long, 6-foot-wide path to the beach.
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Equestrian Groups at
Howard Buford Recreation Area
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There is a new organization of people who love Mount Pisgah and are dedicated to its continual
management and use as a place for people to escape crowds and the noise of the city. This new group is named “Equestrian Friends of Mount Pisgah”. Although their perspective is an equestrian one, their goal is to improve the overall experience of all visitors to the Howard Buford Recreation Area. They look forward to collaborating with the various stakeholders.
To learn more, visit their Facebook page.
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The outdoor arena at Mount Pisgah, stewarded by the Lane County Sheriff's Mounted Posse, is a great place for equestrian activities during the dry months of the year. It's closed for winter, but with Spring in the air as the grass begins to grow and the ground begins to dry out, they are busy preparing for summer events. Normally used by Sheriff's Mounted Posse and in recent years, the Eugene Pony Club the arena is available to any group who would like to host an event such as family gatherings, either mounted or not, however, equestrian users have priority. They have a few picnic tables and a fire ring on site.
For more information visit their website.
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Our dedicated team of Caretakers and Hosts serve visitors in eleven different Lane County Parks, including all our campgrounds, and some of our most unique day use areas. They are indispensable to our success, providing a visible site presence, keeping facilities and grounds clean and beautiful, supplementing the work of Parks Maintenance Staff, and providing valuable feedback and observations.
Caretakers and Hosts act as ambassadors for Lane County Parks and may be the only human touch point guests experience during their visit. If you are interested in joining them, see below for more information!
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Brad van Appel - Campground Coordinator
Brad van Appel joined the Lane County Parks team last October as Campground Coordinator. In this newly established position, Brad is focused on improving visitor experience in the County’s campgrounds and other parks where we engage paid caretakers and volunteer hosts. By supporting and coordinating a team of about forty people who directly serve visitors in eleven different parks, he aims to promote smooth and effective operations that make the most of County resources while providing optimal service to the public.
Brad comes to Parks with a strong background in management, hospitality, and natural resources. Most recently he spent sixteen years as the Executive Director of Mount Pisgah Arboretum, a nonprofit organization aimed at engaging people with nature that has partnered with Lane County Parks since the 1970s. Brad’s career has also included: managing a program that reviews inputs to organic agriculture; owning and operating small businesses; teaching sustainable living skills; creating fuel efficient, low emissions wood cook stoves for developing countries; leading both volunteer and professional programs to monitor and care for water quality and wildlife habitat in Alaska; taking care of campgrounds for Washington State Parks; and overseeing passenger services on natural history cruise ships, among other things.
He is an Appalachian Trail thru-hiker who is passionate about the outdoors and has explored the natural world on multiple continents.
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Laura Linn - Communications and Volunteer Coordinator
Laura, originally from Eugene, is excited to be back. As the Communications and Volunteer Coordinator she plays a key role in fostering community engagement and stewardship within Lane County Parks. She builds meaningful connections with volunteers and partners, supporting the Adopt-A-Park program. From planning events to overseeing recognition efforts, she creates opportunities for people to contribute to the parks in impactful ways. Beyond volunteer coordination, Laura also strengthens the parks' presence through marketing, social media, and website outreach, helping to inspire more community involvement.
Laura has experience in program management, partnership development, communications, and volunteer coordination. Her career has centered on connecting people to the outdoors. She started at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia, which sparked her passion for education. At Friends of the National Zoo, she inspired over 8,000 students and 200 volunteers in environmental stewardship. Later, at Mt. Adams Institute, she mentored 175+ Veterans transitioning into natural resource careers. Most recently, she managed education and outreach at Northwest Natural Resource Group, developing a 4-week forestry curriculum for high schoolers and coordinating the Northwest Innovative Forestry Summit.
When she’s not working, Laura enjoys hiking, birding, exploring the outdoors and thrifting.
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Your Park Levy Dollars at Work
| | New Upgrades in Place for Boating Season | | |
Just in time for the 2025 boating season, the parks maintenance team has completed dock and boat ramp upgrades at two popular destinations: Baker Bay on Dorena Lake and Perkins Peninsula on Fern Ridge Reservoir.
At Baker Bay, several improvements have been made to enhance access and convenience. The courtesy dock and marina dock fingers have been replanked, providing improved stability for our moorage holders. The boat ramp has also been paved to address rutted areas, making launching smoother. Additionally, the bridge to the day-use area has been refreshed to help maintain its condition for the future.
| Boat Ramp Paving at Baker Bay. | |
At Perkins Peninsula, maintenance staff worked through winter conditions to complete a much-needed dock restoration. More recently, they paved the boat ramp to improve access.
These updates are now in place, providing better facilities for boaters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy the upcoming season on the water.
| Above - Before and after of dock repairs at Perkins Peninsula | |
Moorage is available seasonally from April 1 through the first Monday in October as water levels allow. See our Moorage Webpage for water level charts.
New moorage rentals open April 1. For reservations, visit our on-line reservation portal 24-7, or phone the call center Monday - Friday between 9 a.m. - 4 p.m at 541-682-2000.
These improvements were made possible thanks 2022 Lane County Parks local option levy, which allows us to better maintain and enhance our parks.
| | Courtesy Dock at Baker Bay | Moorage Dock Fingers at Baker Bay | Dock upgrade at Perkins Peninsula | Boat Ramp Paving at Perkins Peninsula | | And we're not stopping here—more projects are underway. Stay tuned to our website and social media in the coming months to see the latest updates on improvements happening at your favorite park! | | | | |
