Have you ever psyched your family up for an idea only to realize you should have done a little more research?
“Should we take Daddy to that place we went last week with our Wild and Free friends?”
“The one where we played in the creek? Yes! Let’s go!”
Perfect! It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and we wanted to get outside but didn’t have time for a massive drive.
We grabbed our hydration packs, a couple of snacks and hopped in the van.
The drive out is beautiful but curvy, and by the time we were approaching our destination, everyone was getting a little carsick.
It probably wouldn’t have been so bad if everyone had put down the books and devices, but I digress…
We got ready to turn in, and the gate was closed.
Crap.
Attached to the gate was a sign saying their hours had recently changed and they were now only open on Sundays.
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I pull it up online, and sure enough, there it is.
Lesson learned. I have now resolved to be better about doing a check before we head out.
Time to move to Plan B.
Except we had no Plan B.
Thank goodness we live in an age where we can just pull out our phones when we need info! We pulled up the map and started looking around for other options.
One of the options we realized was super close was Champoeg State Park. We had yet to visit but had heard great things.
Off we went. #alwaysasplanned
Thankfully, what could have been a massive fail on my part ended up with us finding another amazing Oregon gem.
Of course, we could have always defaulted back to one of our other favorite hikes near Portland. But, we are glad we tried something new.
Champoeg State Park
Champoeg State Park has activities to appeal to any outdoor family. Want to head out on a family bike ride? You’re covered. Prefer a game of disc golf? They’ve got you. Neither of those appeal to you? No worries. You can utilize the hiking trails, go camping, take your dog to the pet exercise areas, explore the State Heritage Area, go fishing, or launch your boat into the Willamette. There truly is something for everyone here.
Parking and Hours
When you arrive at Champoeg State Park, you first pass the Champoeg State Heritage Area. There is a parking area at the Heritage Area as well as at each of the Day-Use Areas. If you live in the area, we highly recommend purchasing a yearly parking pass ($30/yr or $50/2-years). If you aren’t ready to buy an annual pass or are just stopping by, you can pay the day-use fee of $5. Visitors Center and Day-Use Hours can vary by the season, so we recommend checking Oregon State Parks for current information.
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Champoeg State Heritage Area
Champoeg is designated on the National Register of Historic Places, and when you visit, you have the opportunity to take a guided walk. Our timing was off when we arrived, due to our…um… ”detour”, so we missed the chance to do the guided walk and learn more about the history of the area. However, we will definitely be returning at some point to do it! Even though we didn’t do the guided tour, we were able to walk through the Heritage Area. As you stroll through the grounds, you will be able to see log cabins, barn, and garden. If possible, we suggest planning your visiting in summer so that that you can appreciate the 1860’s-style garden to the fullest.
Camping
If you are considering a camping trip to Champoeg State Park, you have lots of options. You can bring your RV to a full-hookup site, tent camp, or even rent your own cabin or yurt. If you have a group, they also have options for your entire crew. We can’t wait to spend a weekend here…did I mention they have flush toilets and hot showers??
Bike Trail
Throughout Champoeg State Park, there are miles of trails for hiking and biking. The bike trail covers roughly 4 miles one way from the Riverside Day-Use Area to the Butteville Store and is easy to moderate. Even your newer bike riders shouldn’t have difficulty on this ride.
Hiking Trails
As far as hiking trails, you have several options, none of which are particularly challenging. We chose to take the bike trail from the Heritage Area towards the Riverside Day-Use Area and then continue along the Pavilion Trail. Other options are the Townsite Trail along the riverside or the Kitty Newell Trail.
The bike trail is paved and is an easy walk – perfect for families. Along the bike trail were gorgeous open fields, which were actually part of the original townsite. The boys had a ton of fun trying to catch grasshoppers in the fields….it doesn’t get much better on a lazy summer afternoon than a leisurely family walk with the opportunity to appreciate nature. We did also see a black snake, but I’ve been trying to block that from my mind.
Riverside Access Area
In addition to the Pavilion Trail, the Riverside Access Area also has plenty of wide-open spaces. We spent a good amount of time checking out all of the different trees, ground squirrels, cloud-watching, and climbing trees. We literally had acres of the park to ourselves (!)
After our walk, we stopped at the Pioneer Memorial Building, Pavilion, and Monument Plaza. Here we were able to learn about how we were standing in the place where the first Provisional Government in the Northwest was formed, 6 years before Oregon became a U.S. territory. On the monument, you can read the names of all the men who voted yes to forming the government. I grew up not genuinely enjoying or appreciating history, but the more I read the stories behind it and visit historic locations, the more impactful it becomes. There’s definitely something about standing on the ground where monumental decisions were made and realizing how they have shaped our country.
How Crowded Is It?
We were visiting on a beautiful Saturday in July and fully anticipated to fight some crowds. Surprisingly, there were actually very few people in the park…at least in the Day-Use Area. The campground was full, and there were quite a few boats on the water, but we barely saw anyone along the trails. I consider that pretty unusual for a gorgeous Pacific Northwest summer day. All in all, it made for an incredibly peaceful day.
It was exactly what we needed.
Even if Plan A was a complete flop.
If you’re wondering what Plan A actually was, it was the Magness Memorial Tree Farm, a fantastic piece of property that is privately owned and is operated by the World Forestry Center. Unfortunately, due to costs, personnel changes, and vandalism, they have currently restricted access to Sundays from 9 am – 5 pm. It sounds as though they are working on a long-term plan that may eventually change that, but for now, it’s only available to access on Sundays.
That said, if you have a free Sunday in the Portland area, we highly recommend giving it a try!
