Riverfront Park is a well-known Salem destination, less than a mile from Willamette’s campus and stationed right by the Willamette River. Across the Pedestrian Bridge at its edge, Riverfront links itself to another of Salem’s parks; Minto-Brown Island Park. It's the largest in the city, spanning over one thousand acres, and offers a multitude of outdoor activities right next door to downtown Salem.
Minto-Brown is not a true island as a portion of it is connected to Salem’s mainland, though the Willamette River separates the rest of it from Salem. Its spanning biome is covered in roads, open fields, sloughs, ponds and creeks. There is also a conservation area within, providing the opportunity to see wildlife. Throughout different areas of the island, you’ll either find yourself in a wide grassland or beneath overhanging trees within a small, densely packed forest.
Upon crossing the Pedestrian Bridge, the surrounding horizon shifts from the tall and numerous business buildings that characterize downtown Salem to a widening view of trees, marshes and open fields. The shift in scenery offers an escape from the urban environment less than a mile away, and once you travel further down the road through the island, you’re so surrounded by it that the buildings become obscured and it seems as if you’ve exited Oregon’s capital city despite being so near to its center.
The roads and trails that populate the park split off and return to one another through multiple routes for miles, which leaves plenty of options for people who wish to choose to travel at different distances. There are ten trails and loops running throughout the park, all of different lengths. The quantity of routes through the park gives opportunities to explore different parts of the island on repeat visits; paths are flat and even, proving to be a popular choice for joggers or those searching for a scenic walk. Because of its size, there are restrooms littered throughout several areas in the park for pedestrians who go longer distances.
To the island’s south lies a 30-acre dog park which can be accessed by trail or car if entering the park from the southern side. Picnic areas are available as well as shelters that can be reserved online. There are multiple designated fishing spots: one at the duck pond, and three more along the length of the Oxbow Slough, all of which are near the dog park and parking lot.
Upon a visit to Minto-Brown Park, one can only see so much of the massive island it encapsulates. It encourages the visitor to come back again and again, fully experiencing the many loops, scenes and amenities it has to offer. The park’s closeness to Willamette helps make return trips convenient, so Bearcats can easily access it at their leisure. It remains a proper spot for exercise, sightseeing or a simple short escape from the urban environment we’re all accustomed to.
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