Hiking
There are a lot of hiking options in this area of Oregon and below we picked out a few of our favorites, but depending on what you’re looking for you can find hikes of any distance, skill level and type at these resources:
- Best Hikes in Eugene – Statesman Journal
- Hiking – Eugene Outdoors
- Hikes in the Willamette Foothills – Oregon Adventures
Spencer Butte – This is one of our favorite hikes, it’s 2 to 6 miles roundtrip depending on which trailhead you start from. It’s a pretty steep climb at points but the view at the top is well worth the sweat. (You might recognize the terrain from our engagement photos.)
Mary’s Peak – This is closer to the city of Corvallis but is definitely worth the trip. There are 4 different hikes up to the top of Mary’s Peak, they vary from 1.5 miles to 9 plus. If you want a moderate hike the Mary’s Peak East Ridge is 5.5 miles and the payoff on a clear day will be pretty amazing. Check out all the hike options here.
Iron Mountain – Probably our all-time favorite hike. This is a difficult hike up to the top of an old fire lookout in the Cascade Mountain range, on a clear day you can see every mountain in Oregon (no kidding). We combined the Iron Mountain and Cone Peak hikes to make one long hike, but they can also be done separately.
Mt. Pisgah Arboretum – If you want a sneak peak of the wedding venue you can explore the trails at the Arboretum. There are gardens, wildlife habitats, and more to take in and wander around.
Breweries
The Eugene area is home to more than 14 breweries, you can get a full list and learn about the Eugene Ale Trail at EugeneCascadesCoast.org. But here are 4 of our favorite breweries to get you started:
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Wineries
The Willamette Valley is famous for its wines and Eugene’s location provides great access to many different wineries in the area, not only with delicious pinot but also with views, food and more. Here are some resources to get your started:
- The Eugene Wine Trail
- South Willamette Wineries Association
- Wineries and Tasting Rooms – Eugene Cascades Coast
- Wine Tasting Weekend in Eugene – The Oregonian
- Heart of Willamette Wineries
University of Oregon
Eugene is also home to the University of Oregon, famous for it’s ridiculous athletics facilities, uniform combinations, relationship with Nike and most importantly.. Puddles:
The University campus is a great place to just wander around, lots of trees and old buildings and food options nearby. Here are some attractions that are definitely worth checking out if you’re on campus:
Autzen Stadium – Consistently ranked one of the best college football stadiums in the country, Autzen is a little bit of a hike from the main campus but its imposing presence is cool to behold.
Prefontaine Trail – Probably the most famous Oregon Duck athlete not named Mariota, Steve Prefontaine is a legend in the running world. The Prefontaine Trail was built after his death along the Willamette River. Definitely worth checking out if you’re a runner or just a fan of sports, Pre’s story and continuing legend are part of what makes Eugene Tracktown USA.
Hayward Field – The other reason Eugene is known as Tracktown USA is the historic Hayward Field. Home to multiple Track & Field Olympic Trials and Pac 12 championships the stadium and track are right in the heart of campus.
Matthew Knight Arena – From the unique floor to the displays of school pride there’s a lot to see in the arena, it almost makes you forget they had to tear down historic Mac Court to build it.
Ben & Marie Wedding 