PARKS AND RECREATION
Introduction
Marion County, located in the heart of the Willamette Valley, shares in the many desirable recreation features that the valley possesses. Highly variable terrain ranges from the fertile, streamfed valley floor to the forested ridges and mountains of the Cascades. The County’s climate is, for the most part, mild, with winter conditions in the mountains hardy enough to challenge cross-country skiers and other winter sports enthusiasts. Over 30 Federal, State and County campgrounds dot the rivers and valleys in mountainous areas.
Forming the western boundary of the County is the Willamette River. Numerous other rivers and streams course through the County. The increasingly strong water quality standards being applied by Federal, State and local agencies have had a significant effect in restoring the suitability of the County’s waterways for swimming and sport fishing.
Each of the cities in Marion County is developing an inventory of its recreational facilities and is putting together a plan to provide for the recreational needs and demands of the community.
The Regional Parks and Recreation Agency has developed a parks plan and is responsible for operating a recreation program in the Salem area. They have also developed a regional parks system plan and are responsible for building and maintaining parks within Salem, Marion County and Polk County.
In March 1976, the Oregon Transportation Commission approved the State Parks System Six Year Plan. The plan serves to identify specific objectives for the next six years and will guide the future growth of the State parks system. The plan is significant in that it outlines park improvements proposed by the State in terms of both land acquisition and development. Through system planning, the State Parks and Recreation Branch of the Department of Transportation desires to create a greater awareness of State park programs and activities while promoting more coordinated planning among all agencies concerned with public outdoor recreation.
Marion County and the State Parks and Recreation Branch have the responsibility of administering the Willamette River Greenway program established by the State Legislature.
Increased awareness by the people of Marion County of the recreational opportunities in the County, and the increasing numbers of persons to be served, naturally leads to pressures for the provision of additional facilities.
In order to determine what is needed in Marion County the Parks and Recreation Agency completed an inventory of existing recreation areas and compared these with the current and future recreation needs and desires of the citizens.
Table 25 is an inventory of existing parks and recreation facilities. These existing sites are also identified on the Parks and Recreation map located in the Comprehensive Plan report. This provides a basis for developing the goals, policies and standards listed in the report to provide a framework for developing the ideal park system.
|
Name |
Type |
Acres |
|
|
||
|
State of Oregon |
||
|
Champoeg State Park |
Regional Park/Natural Area |
567 |
|
Willamette Mission State Park |
Regional Park/Natural Area |
1700 |
|
Silver Creek Falls State Park |
Regional Park/Natural Area |
8300 |
|
Detroit Lake State Park |
Regional Park |
567 |
|
North Santiam State Park |
General Park |
120 |
|
St. Louis Warm Water Fishery |
Fishing Area |
260 |
|
Shellburg Falls |
Campground |
8 |
|
Santiam River Rest Area |
Picnic Area |
120 |
|
|
||
|
Marion County |
||
|
Bear Creek County Park |
General Park |
15 |
|
Bonesteel County Park |
General Park |
30 |
|
Spongs Landing County Park |
General Park |
62 |
|
Joryville County Park |
General Park |
27 |
|
Minto County Park |
General Park |
111 |
|
Niagara County Park |
General Park |
60 |
|
North Fork County Park |
General Park |
12 |
|
Packsaddle County Park |
General Park |
6 |
|
Salmon Falls County Park |
General Park |
22 |
|
Roger’s Wayside |
Picnic Area |
2 |
|
Evergreen Wayside |
Picnic Area |
6 |
|
San Salvador |
Fishing Area/Boat Ramp |
1 |
|
|
||
|
Bureau of Land Management |
||
|
Canyon Creek |
General Park |
80 |
|
Elkhorn Valley |
General Park |
58 |
|
Fisherman’s Bend |
General Park |
120 |
|
|
||
|
Additional Recreational Areas |
||
|
Aurora Trout Farm |
Fishing Area (private) |
14 |
|
Beaver Creek |
Picnic Area |
– |
|
Briar Knob |
Picnic Area |
– |
|
Detroit Lake Fishing Resort |
Fishing Area/Boat Ramp (private) |
3 |
|
Horseshoe Lake |
Fishing Area/Boat Ramp (private) |
180 |
|
Lombar Bridge |
Picnic Area |
– |
|
O’Henry |
Picnic Area |
– |
|
Pudding River |
Picnic Area |
– |
|
Sullivan Falls |
Picnic Area |
– |
|
Sunny Bay |
Picnic Area |
– |
|
Big Cliff |
Fishing Area/Boat Ramp |
– |
|
|
||
|
U.S. Forest Service Campground |
||
|
Breitenbush |
|
35 |
|
Breitenbush Lake |
|
7 |
|
Cleator Bend |
|
2 |
|
Dunlop Lake |
|
2 |
|
Elk Lake |
|
16 |
|
Humbug |
|
25 |
|
Lower Lake |
|
8 |
|
Olallie Meadow |
|
4 |
|
Piety Island |
|
12 |
|
Pearl Creek |
|
3 |
|
Round Lake |
|
6 |
|
Shady Cove |
|
9 |
|
Upper Arm |
|
5 |
|
Whispering Falls |
|
11 |
|
Whitewater |
|
16 |
|
|
||
|
Private and Quasi-Public Campground Areas |
||
|
Elkhorn Woods |
|
– |
|
Old’s Mobile Park |
|
7 |
|
Slayden’s Resort |
|
7 |
|
Camp Crestwood |
|
– |
|
Canyonview Campground |
|
– |
|
Skukum Tum Tum Youth Camp |
|
– |
|
Taylor Park Campground |
|
– |
|
Golf Courses |
||
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
Holes |
Location |
|
Auburn Golf Club |
9 |
Auburn Road (East Salem) |
|
Elkhorn Woods |
9 (18) |
Elkhorn Valley |
|
Evergreen Golf Club |
9 |
Mt. Angel |
|
Santiam Golf Club |
18 |
Stayton |
|
West Woodburn Golf Club |
9 |
West Woodburn |