A hike up wooded Skinner Butte, directly north of downtown, provides a good orientation and a little exercise. Eugene Skinner established the city's first business on the narrow strip of land along the Willamette River below, which is now Skinner Butte Park; there's a great playground for kids. If you're a rock climber, don't miss the columnar basalt formations along the butte's lower western side. You can drive up here too.

Follow the path around the northern side of Skinner Butte to the Owens Memorial Rose Garden, a lovely park with picnic benches and rose bushes (best June to August), along with the country's oldest black tartarian cherry tree, planted around 1847.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Saturday Market

0.54 MILES

For great fun and a quintessential introduction to Eugene's peculiar vitality, don't miss the Saturday Market, held each Saturday from April through…

2. Lane County Historical Museum

1.04 MILES

Most prominent at this good museum is a transportation collection that includes Oregon's oldest, best-preserved running gear (undercarriage) for a covered…

3. Eugene Science Center

1.05 MILES

Parents and kids will love this STEM-focused museum, located in Alton Baker Park. Hands-on exhibits about space, the human body and the natural world are…

4. Holiday Market

1.11 MILES

The regular Saturday Market relocates indoors to the Lane Events Center on weekends in November and December, with special holiday-themed events like…

5. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art

1.28 MILES

This renowned museum offers a 13,000-piece rotating permanent collection of world-class art, with an Asian art specialty. Highlights can include a 10…

6. University of Oregon

1.37 MILES

Established in 1872, the University of Oregon is the state's foremost institution of higher learning, with a focus on the arts, sciences and law. The…

7. Alton Baker Park

1.37 MILES

This popular 400-acre riverside park, which provides access to the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail System, a 12-mile bikeway that flanks both sides of the…

8. Museum of Natural & Cultural History

1.66 MILES

Housed in a replica of a Native American longhouse, this museum features a variety of displays on Northwest Native American culture and artifacts,…