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We went to the Beaverton Farmer's Market this morning and were surprised by a brand new playground at Library Park!    Located at 20900 NW Amberwood Dr., Hillsboro, OR 97124, Orchard Park is small open space area and disk golf course. This park also serves as a start point for the Rock Creek Trail. There is also a quick paved trail with a nice creek, perfect for strollers or dog walking.
  Henry Hagg Lake, and the surrounding Hagg Lake Park, are located in rural Washington County, Oregon, 50250 SW Scoggins Valley Road, Gaston OR 97119 about ½ hour from Hillsboro and right outside of Forest Grove. The park is actually owned by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, but is managed by Washington County. There is a $6.00 fee per vehicle to enter the park.  ADA Accessible fishing pier Henry Hagg Lake was created in 1975 as a reservoir for neighboring populations and farm lands, providing “irrigation and drinking water as well as flood mitigation services. The cities of Forest Grove, Hillsboro, and Beaverton, along with smaller communities, rely on the reservoir for drinking water and other municipal needs, and for industrial uses. The lake also provides recreational opportunities, including trout fishing, swimming, and boating and several picnic areas and hiking trails.” The area that is now the lake was originally part of Scoggins Creek.
Check out the youtube video of this local family who had the summer of a lifetime visiting 10 National Parks throughout the country in 45 days!  The International Rose Test Garden, part of the larger Washington Park area in Portland is a great place to walk, picnic or just check out the award winning roses. The garden, which was first envisioned by Georgiana Burton Pittock, socialite and rose lover in 1888 when she wanted to show off her roses. As things usually do, when the wealthy decide something is worth doing, funding follows. Roses became a craze in Portland and by 1912, the Royal Rosarians had formed and continue to this to be "ambassadors of goodwill" for Portland Events, particularly the annual Rose Festival.  There gardens within the main Rose Garden, including a Shakespeare Garden (originally located Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden) which was installed in 1945 and designed to only include plants found in Shakespeare's plays. There is also a Miniature Rose Garden, which is one of only 6 test gardens for miniature roses in the country. We visited in the morning and were rewarded by lots of urban wildlife, including two bunnies and a swarm of hummingbirds. The garden is free, but you need to pay to park, unless you take public transit.
However, there is a an amazing beauty to this 30 mile trail that runs from the Portland Zoo to the farmlands. Although you can do the trail in one day as this guy did, most people break it up into several sections. The majority of the trail is not for young kids, and make sure you pack plenty of food and water. 
Westmoreland Park, located at SE McLoughlin Blvd & Bybee Blvd in Portland is part of naturescape movement taking over in the Pacific Northwest. Although the park was originally acquired in 1927, and has been in continuous use since the 1930's and has a fascinating history. The park began with lots of concrete but by the early 2000's city planners decided to restore much the natural wetlands and creek bed of crystal springs, which runs through the park. The park was revamped in 2014 and 42.01 acres is now a mix of play area, ponds, stream and wetlands.
No local posts this month as we are across the border in Vancouver, Canada. Here we are at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.   Strawberry Tree The Oregon Garden, located at 879 W. Main St. Silverton, OR 97381 and offers 80 acres of botanical displays, a cafe and even a hotel . It's a bit pricey at $6-$14 a person, but it's a good place to go once or twice a year. We went in November and found lots of wildlife, but in keeping with Oregon's winters, it was very wet (umbrellas and rain jackets are recommended). The garden also boasts the only house in Oregon designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.  A little frog we found on the path |
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