Lane County Parks

10/24/2026

🚻 Let’s be honest, restrooms don’t always make for the most exciting photos. 😂 But if you’re making the drive between Eugene and Mapleton, we hope you appreciate the fresh updates to the Linslaw restroom!

I wish I could share the smell through a photo, but trust us, it smells clean and fresh! The new paint even has a scent to help keep things smelling nice. 🌸

And just beyond the restroom, the Siuslaw River is a beautiful spot to fill your lungs with fresh air before hitting the road again.

10/21/2026

Plants (and fungi) of the Mt. Pisgah Summit Trail is a monthly series that highlights plants hikers have spotted and shared through our Summit Trail at Howard Buford Recreation Area project on iNaturalist. Keep an eye out as you explore — if you notice something interesting along the way, you can add your observations too.

For October, we’re featuring oak mazegill (Fomitopsis quercina), a mushroom with a maze-like pattern on its underside. We chose a mushroom for this month because we are looking forward to the Mount Pisgah Arboretum’s Mushroom Festival on Sunday! We hope to see you there.

Oak mazegill grows on rotting wood, especially oak trees and stumps. Its sturdy, fan-shaped caps can range from tan to brown, and the underside starts out with tiny pores that develop into maze-like grooves as the mushroom matures. While it may look interesting, it’s too tough to eat.

Beyond its unusual appearance, oak mazegill plays a role in breaking down dead wood. It causes a type of wood decay that helps return nutrients to the forest, making room for new growth.

This mushroom is found in many parts of the world and is often associated with oak trees. As you explore the forests around Mount Pisgah, keep an eye out for mushrooms growing on fallen logs and stumps — there’s a lot more to discover than what grows above ground!

Check out what others have been spotting along the trail: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=180689

Photo Credit Left to Right

https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/599652804
https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/455027921
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/104718008
https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/182747199
https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/360681838

10/18/2026

We love the birding at Perkins Peninsula on Fern Ridge Reservoir! 🪶💙 You never know who you might spot along the water.

10/15/2026

Thinking about attending the Mushroom Festival? Volunteering is a fun way to particpate. The Mount Pisgah Arboretum is looking for volunteers. See their post below.

We need YOU! Help us fill the last few volunteer slots for this Mushroom Festival on October 25th.

Volunteers make this incredible community event possible while having fun, building community, and enjoying free admission to the Festival and a commemorative poster!

See open shifts and sign up: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/tvvfvw8

Curious about volunteering with kids? Have accessibility needs to volunteer? Email volunteer@mountpisgaharboretum and we'll help get you signed up for a spot that will work well for you!

10/14/2026

🌲 Making Mount Pisgah More Accessible!

This summer, trail improvements by Lane County Parks and two new all-terrain track chairs from Mount Pisgah Arboretum helped Larry and Julia reach a longtime goal: to summit Mount Pisgah! Larry, who has used a wheelchair for more than 50 years, had tried to summit before, but was stopped by the rough trail and chair issues.

This milestone is a testament to the collaboration, advocacy, and dedication of community members and partners working to make our parks more accessible. Thank you to everyone helping make experiences like this possible!

Help others experience the outdoors! The Arboretum’s free track chair program relies on volunteers to check out chairs and teach visitors how to use them. The role is flexible and makes a meaningful difference!

Interested? The next volunteer training is November 9 at 10:30 a.m. Learn more and sign up through the Mount Pisgah Arboretum at this link - https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/mz56fjr

To reserve a track chair at no cost, call the Arboretum at 541-747-3817 or fill out the online form on their website.

10/12/2026

🚲🥾 New Hiker-Biker Sites at Harbor Vista!

We’re excited to welcome hikers and bicyclists to our new hiker-biker campsites at Harbor Vista!

Available first come, first served, these sites offer a new place to stay while exploring the Oregon coast.

🏕️ A few things to know:
• $10/night
• First come, first served
• Walk-in or bicycle only
• Stay up to 2 nights within any 7-day period

These new sites were created by our Lane County Parks maintenance staff, who saw a need and made it happen!

And our first guests? A couple from Switzerland, traveling through the area by bike. 🌎🚲

Hikers and bicyclists can check in at the campground office or with the host on duty.

For more information, visit our website. https://www.lanecounty.org/government/county_departments/public_works/parks/our_parks

10/08/2026

🎯 A New Way to Play at the Park!

You’ll still find the classic horseshoe pits at our parks, but now Armitage and Richardson, have a more modern favorite to the mix: co****le!

Bring your friends and family, grab your co****le bags, and enjoy some friendly competition during your next park visit.

10/08/2026

If you see smoke at Howard Buford Recreation Area today, please know that a planned burn is taking place in the South Bottomlands.

For safety, the burn area will be closed to the public while the burn is underway. Volunteers will be stationed along the trails to help redirect hikers around the closure.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work to safely manage and care for the park.

10/05/2026

🌿 **Northwest Youth Corps at Armitage Park!** 🌿

Over the past two weeks, Northwest Youth Corps crews have been hard at work helping restore areas at Armitage Park.

The crew focused on removing invasive blackberry from the forest understory and cutting ivy vines that were climbing into trees. In some areas, they also dug out blackberry root crowns to help prevent these invasive plants from returning.

This work builds on similar restoration efforts completed in other areas of the park during the winter of 2025–26. Removing invasive plants gives native vegetation more room to grow and helps improve the health of the park’s forest.

A big thank you to Northwest Youth Corps for all their hard work and for helping care for Armitage Park! 🌲💚

10/01/2026

🌿 Join Friends of Zumwalt for Upcoming Work Parties! 🌿

Help support Friends of Zumwalt Park as they care for and improve the park! Volunteers will be spreading mulch along the trails and removing invasive species.

🗓️ Upcoming work party dates:
• October 10
• October 24
• November 7
• December 5
• December 19
• January 9
• January 23

⏰ 9–11 a.m.
📍 Meet at the center parking lot from the Jean Road entrance.

Your time and effort make a real difference in keeping Zumwalt Park welcoming, we’d love to see you there! 💚