History and Nature Interwined at Champoeg State Park

 

Looking west

I was a bit jealous of boaters on a hot day

Champoeg State Park, set along the verdant banks of the of the Willamette River, is the sit of a  pioneer town of the 1840s where settlers gathered to talk shop and politics. Today it is a fine place to show off some of that history juxtaposed to the natural beauty of the area.  

Part of the disc golf course

Seven miles west of I-5, the park’s quaint visitor’s center helps people get a feel for the area’s history and natural beauty.  After I had my fill of displays explaining regional Native American linguistic influence, endangered wildlife species in the area, and settler arguments over government influence, I set out for a walk in the midday heat.  

Blackberries at various points along the ripeness continuum.

I started down a paved path along fields dotted with the largest hay bales I’d ever seen. Eventually I skirted a disc golf course, which seemed an anomaly in a state park, but why not?  

Ivy coating half of the tree trunk

There are a couple main day use areas.  At each one, there were pint-sized campers, accompanied by a few adult counselors.  The kids seemed excited to go by the river.  

Nice spot for a boating adventure

The water was certainly a shiny beacon, but I continued along a giant field, in the middle of which there was an apparent archaeological dig.  The walking was mostly flat, so I was surprised to see few other walkers.  There were actually more cyclists on the paved paths. 

Campers near the trail

More history

After a couple hours at Champoeg State Park, I came to appreciate it on a few levels.  I was a great spot for historical reference, nature appreciation, hiking–even a game of disc golf.  After sweating my way through the sun scorched open fields, I was mostly appreciative of my car’s air conditioning. 

Walking back up to the visitor’s center