Hiking and Walking Wherever We Are!

Cattail in Marsh When we lived in Silicon Valley, CA, we were very lucky to be in an area with great weather and lots of outdoor activities very close by. We did a lot of walking around our neighborhood during the week and hiking or walking in the baylands or the various mountain parks that make up the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space on the weekends. Both of us have arthritis so it is really important to keep moving (a really 'use it or lose it' situation).

Since moving into our motorhome which is located (for the time being) near Corvallis, OR, we have been spending a lot of time at the Finley National Wildlife Refuge. Since this park is a refuge for the Dusky Canadian Geese, the flat trails through the marshes are closed from November 1st until April 1st. The photo at the right is a cattail at the edge of one of the ponds. We have seen Great Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Redtail Hawks, Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, ducks, geese, raccoons, beavers, muskrats, snakes, newts, and rabbits near the marshes.

During the winter closure there are two hilly trails that are not near the marshes that remain open. In the hills, there are fewer birds, more newts, lots of mushrooms, and we even saw a male Western Tanager in his bright breeding colors. Because we live so close to this park and it is so quiet and peaceful, we usually walk here several times a week.

There are many, many places in Oregon to enjoy the beautiful and varied outdoors. Gorgeous beaches, cliffs, and trails along the coast; the Oregon Zoo, the Oregon Garden, rivers, parks, and mountains along the I-5 corridor; fossils and painted rocks in John Day; lakes, rivers, mountains, and volcanoes in central Oregon around Bend. We've made one trek through the Oregon Zoo in Portland on a very hot afternoon. The large animals inside the cages were much smarter than we were - they were sleeping in the shade instead of wandering around in the sun and heat.

Parks and Hiking Links

REI - Recreational Equipment Corporation	"In 1938, mountain climbers Lloyd and Mary Anderson joined with 23 fellow Northwest climbers to found Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI). The group formed a consumer cooperative to supply themselves with high-quality ice axes and other climbing gear. During the past six decades, REI has grown into a renowned supplier of specialty outdoor gear, currently serving more than 2 million active members through 60 retail stores in the U.S. and by direct sales via the Internet (REI.com and REI-OUTLET.com), telephone and mail."
William L. Finley NWR	"William L. Finley NWR was created to provide vital wintering habitat for dusky Canada geese. Unlike other Canada geese, duskies have limited summer and winter ranges. They nest on Alaska's Copper River Delta and winter almost exclusively in the Willamette Valley."
Oregon Birding Trails	"The Oregon Birding Trails Working Group announces the recent dedication of the Oregon Cascades Birding Trail, the first of seven major trails planned for the state. The Cascades Trail covers over 1,000 miles and nearly 200 key birding sites in Oregon's spectacular Cascade Mountains. Riddled with 22 Wild and Scenic Rivers and providing access to 9,000,000 acres of public land, the trail is truly one of a kind."
The Oregon Garden	"The Oregon Garden is your garden - a unique blend of public and private partnership. Our staff and volunteers are ready to help whether you seek professional research, general education or pure enjoyment. Come watch us grow!"
The Oregon Zoo	"The zoo is committed to providing the best possible facility for its animals as well as the community. A comprehensive plan, 'A Great Zoo: Framework for the Future,' examines the entire zoo, and incorporates the vision, 'Caring Now for the Future of Life,' into each department's goals for the next 25 years and beyond. The building master plan balances animals, natural habitats, native culture, technology, plantings, and innovative architecture. As always, the zoo will continue to be a source of discovery and fun that allows visitors to understand and experience the natural world and our place in it."
Wildlife Safari	"Exotic animals roam freely over 600 acres of grasslands and wooded areas, much as they would in their native habitat, while you the visitor are on safari in your own car. Sorry, no convertibles are allowed in the Bear, Lion, Cheetah exhibits. Discover a photographer's paradise, where opportunities for spectacular shots of lions, giraffes, rhinos, and many more present themselves daily. Exotic animals from Africa, Asia, and South America as well as many native to North America can be seen anytime of the day."
West Coast Game Park, Bandon, OR	"Experience West Coast Game Park, the original walk thru Safari, where visitors meet, pet, film, and walk among hundreds of FREE roaming wildlife."
Smith Rock State Park	"Smith Rock State Park encompasses 651 acres on the Oregon high desert plateau which hovers around 3000 feet in elevation." The park offers a variety of activities including hiking, photography, and rock climbing."
Midpeninsula Regional Open Space	"The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, currently manages nearly 50,000 acres of land, in 26 open space preserves. The District's purpose is to acquire, permanently protect, and restore lands forming a regional open space greenbelt. The diverse and unparalleled beauty of District preserves is enjoyed by the public 365 days of the year."
Mountain View, CA Shoreline Park	"West of Stevens Creek near the Bay is Shoreline at Mountain View. Shoreline at Mountain View Park is a beautiful 700-acre park with a saltwater lake, golf course, rolling grassy hills, and bay trails. It's hard to believe it was built on mountains of trash. For 13 years, starting in 1968, 500 acres of the land near the bay was used here as a landfill for trash from the city of San Francisco. In 1983, Mountain View closed the dump and began turning it into a park."