Golden Gardens Loop Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Golden Gardens Trailhead
- End point: Northeast Pond
- Hike type: Loop
- Distance: 1.0 miles
- Elevation gain: 15 feet
- High point: 385 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Seasons: All year
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: Yes
Contents |
Description
Gravel borrow pits dug out for the construction of Eugene’s Randy Papé Beltline Highway are now ponds reflecting stands of cottonwood and willow. Threatened western pond turtles have been introduced and are now breeding here along with native painted turtles. An additional 170 acres of publicly owned open fields surround the ponds. These are now being leased to commercial grass growers, but the long-term plan is to convert them to playing fields and other recreational amenities. For now, you can take the bark chip trail around the ponds, binoculars in hand.
Walk straight north from the kiosk at the corner of Jessen Drive and Golden Gardens Street. To the right, you can see Buck Mountain and Mt. Tom in the Coburg Hills. The meadows around the property are currently leased to grass growers, so you need to keep to the vicinity of the ponds. You’ll cross a ditch and see the Main Pond to your left. Ducks of various species, geese, cormorants, grebes, herons, and egrets can be observed here year-round.
At a junction, keep right to pass through a line of cottonwoods. The trail cricles around the Northeast Pond passing thickets of snowberry, willow, and wild rose as well as plantings of ponderosa pine, plum, big-leaf maple, and incense cedar. Continue straight on the chip trail where a gravel path comes in on the left. Ahead you can see the long shape of Prairie Mountain in the Coast Range.
In a grove of cottonwoods, you’ll make a turn south at the northwest corner of the Main Pond. To the south, the skyline is dominated by the dromedary hump of Spencer Butte. A fenceline protects a shoreline nesting area for western pond turtles. (On a sunny day, look for turtles basking on logs in the ponds.) The trail turns east to follow a causeway between the Main Pond and South Pond. At an interpretive sign about the pond turtles, bear right to cross a narrow footbridge. Then follow the east shore of South Pond out to Jessen Drive.
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- Dogs on leash
- Open 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
- Information kiosk, interpretive signs
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Golden Gardens (Eugene Parks & Open Space)
- Eugene Parks, Open Space & Rec Map (Eugene Parks & Open Space)
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Golden Gardens Loop Hike
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Golden Gardens Loop Hike
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- Best Easy Day Hikes: Eugene, Oregon by Art Bernstein & Lynn Bernstein
- Eugene Oregon Walks by Tyler Burgess
More Links
- Golden Gardens Park (Eugene Parks & Open Space)
- Golden Gardens Ponds Loop (All Trails)
- golden Gardens (Birding Eugene)
- Turtle Tales: A Story of Conservation (Long Tom Watershed Council)
Page Contributors
- bobcat (creator)