My Trip Leader Log By Mark H
UPCOMING – Eugene’s Millrace is the historic center of Eugene’s industrial beginnings, roughly 175 years ago. Today, much of the millrace has been paved over, and what remains is often overlooked by passers-by. We will have a closer look using old maps, historic photos, and legwork.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: June 15, 2025 | Duration: 1 day | Driving and Walking | Participants: 4 | Elevation Gain/Loss: n/a.
Lane County has 20 covered bridges. Lane County has the distinction of having more covered bridges than any other county west of the Mississippi. Seventeen of these bridges are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. On this trip, we visit 5 that are to the east of the Eugene-Springfield area. Our first stop was the Parvin Covered Bridge. Then, the Lowell Covered Bridge (which was unfortunately closed). Third, the Rolling Rock Park in Lowell, where we saw exhibits that showcase the town’s logging and railroad heritage, and saw a pedestrian-covered bridge. The fourth is the Unity Covered Bridge, and the fifth is the historic Pengra Bridge. We stopped at the Henton Produce Farmstead for some seasonal produce.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: June 12, 2025 | Duration: <1 day | Walking Distance: 4 Miles | Participants: 6 | Elevation Gain/Loss: n/a.
The University of Oregon has a treasure trove of architectural artwork in public spaces for visitors to enjoy. Our 2-hour walk explored many of the pieces on the south and western side of the campus.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: June 6, 2025 | Duration: 1 day | Walking Distance: 3 miles | Participants: 8| Elevation Gain/Loss: n/a.
The evening light brings out the colors and often unseen angles of Eugene’s colorful murals and street art. We saw some old favorites and some newer additions. Curiously, several art pieces that were visible last autumn (along an alleyway) have been painted over, including a life-sized tribute to David Bowie.
Shown: A wall-sized mural titled, “Nature’s Child.” In an alley at 957 Willamette Street.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: November 30, 2024 | Duration: 1 day | Walking Distance: 2 miles | Participants: 10| Elevation Gain/Loss: n/a.
The weather was cool and cloudy as we explored building-sized and small “graffiti” murals in Springfield, Oregon.
We easily saw about 3 dozen art pieces while exploring the downtown area.
Afterward, we enjoyed lunch at the Public House.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: October 27, 2024 | Duration: 1 day | Walking Distance: 8 miles | Participants: 8 | Elevation Gain/Loss: 200 feet
The weather threatened a downpour at the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge, but the clouds parted and sunlight welcomed us to the trail. Halfway through the hike, near the Cheadle Barn area, the clouds returned as did some showers though they soon passed. We saw a good number of ducks and geese at the Cabell Marsh. Dark rain clouds were starting to return so we skipped the Woodpecker Loop and ended the day dry with beautiful weather. We saw: an eagle, lots of geese and ducks, one newt, one banana slug, a frog, fluttering bugs that appeared to be mayflies, and several in our group saw Roosevelt Elk! Several rainbows were seen too!
Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Kiger Mustang Management Area in southeastern Oregon. Getting there is an experience, as it is on backroads. Then, seeing the mustangs involves some luck as the management area is about 36,000 acres. I was very fortunate to see these amazing animals on such a beautiful day. The area is about 50 miles south of Burns, Oregon, and several miles east of Diamond. An all-wheel drive vehicle is recommended.
For more information visit the BLM’s Kiger HMA webpage.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: February 9, 2024 | Duration: 1 day | Walking Distance: 4 miles | Participants: 8 | Elevation Gain/Loss: 200 feet
This was the final day to see the Maude Kerns Art Center’s 2024 season opener, “In the Realm of the Spirit: Work by Maude Kerns,” an exhibit of her non-objective artwork (abstract art). We enjoyed a pleasant 4-mile walk to/from the art center on side streets and through the University of Oregon campus. Maude Kerns was a visionary artist and educator, the first head of the Art Education Department at the University of Oregon (1921 – 1947). She is an internationally recognized artist in the Non-Objective Art Movement.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: December 27-28, 2023 | Duration: 2 day | Walking Distance: 7 miles | Participants: 4 | Elevation Gain/Loss: 300 feet
The end of the year is a great time for whale watching on the Oregon coast as migrating Gray whales pass just offshore. This year, the wave heights easily exceeded 18 feet, which made whale watching difficult. The trip focused more on looking for wildlife and watching gargantuan waves strike the coastline.
We arrived at Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area Interpretive Center as heavy rain slammed the coast. We explored the picturesque Quarry Cove Trail and Quarry Cove, then hiked to the beautiful Cobble Beach where the incoming waves created impressive acoustics among the thousands of fist-sized cobbles. We continued to the lighthouse and kept watch for whales in the distance, but they remained elusive. A Peregrine Falcon kept watch on the adjacent Colony Rock. We continued to Salal Hill and saw a deep blue wall of water and wind approaching from the south. As we made our way off the hill, the wall of water hit – we were thoroughly soaked! Returning to the interpretive center, we explored the exhibits and then retreated to our hotel to warm up.
That evening, we enjoyed a superb dinner at the Local Ocean Seafood as we overlooked Yaquina Bay.
We met at the Oregon State Parks Whale Watching Center in Depoe Bay. After viewing the exhibits, we walked past the impressive blow hole on the coast and up the Sunset Street Access Area, where we watched waves pound the rocky cliff-lined peninsula. Even crashing against a cliff, the wave splashes exceeded the rooflines of nearby 2-story houses. Just after noon, we walked back to town and ended the trip.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: October 12, 2023 | Duration: 1 day | Walking Distance: 3 miles | Participants: 6 | Elevation Gain/Loss: 50 feet | Type: Urban Walking
This seasonal walk for lifelong learners to experience the murals and street art in Eugene, Oregon, revealed some great surprises, including a creative featuring musician David Bowie (shown). The weather for our walk began on the cool side but quickly warmed up. It was a great day to meander our way through the downtown alleys and streets to discover new designs.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: in October 2023 | Duration: 1 day | Hiking Distance: 10 miles | Participants: 9 | Elevation Gain/Loss: 200 feet
Our hike made a 10-mile loop through the William L Finely National Wildlife Refuge, home to the largest remaining tract of native Willamette Valley wet prairie. Our autumn exploration was held just at the end of the refuge’s April-October open season. Our goal was to look for wildlife and observe changes on the land during this time of seasonal change. The morning began on the cool side but quickly warmed to a comfortable temperature. The fields, which were barren several weeks ago, were now populated with carpets of green. On one field evidence of a wallow where large animals had rolled which we speculated to be from Roosevelt Elk that live in the area. Our group saw Oregon white oak, Oregon ash, and big lead maple. We also enjoyed seeing numerous ducks, and while on Bruce Road and the Cheadle Marsh Trail, we witnessed several hundred geese flying overhead.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: in September 2023 | Duration: 1 day | Walking Distance: 3 miles | Participants: 6 | Elevation Gain/Loss: 30 feet
The weather delivered a light rain and the fragrance of the forest “waking up” after a dry summer was beautiful. On the far side of Pigeon Butte, we observed a burned patch under some oak trees. This appeared to be from a controlled burn within the last 24 hours, there was one smoldering patch. The location was recorded. We observed on our short walk: Egrets, a California Quail, a Newt, 4 Deer, 1 Barred owl (shown), Grebes, Herons, Ducks, Wrens, a Jay, one Red-winded blackbird, and 20 Turkeys. Shortly after we left the Finley area the rain came down.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: in September 2023 | Duration: 1 day | Walking Distance: 3.5 miles | Participants: 3 | Elevation Gain/Loss: 30 feet
Snag Boat Bend is the eastern unit of the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge. The centerpiece of the property is an old meander of the Willamette River that connects with Lake Creek. On our walk, we saw four River Otters (one is shown), herons, egrets, one turkey, several kingfishers, numerous skeletal fish scattered on the bank which are believed to be carp, several ducks, signs of beaver, and a large burrow in the bank located near the water level. We were the only people on the trail during our 2.5-hour walk. Separately, we visited the Mennonite Bakery that was in the area and returned home with some delicious snacks.
Trip Report:
Group Leader: Mark Hougardy | Organization: Eugene-based hiking group | Date: in September 2023 | Duration: 1 day | Walking Distance: 4 miles | Participants: 8 | Elevation Gain/Loss: 200 feet
This was a meandering nature-viewing hike to the highest point of the William L. Finley National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon. Our hike began with a short side trip to the Prairie Overlook on the south side of Bruce Road to enjoy the view, then we walked north along the Pigeon Butte Trail. We looked for band-tailed pigeons and songbirds. We did see one raptor. There were signs of a previous fire on the south side of the butte as much of the grasslands had been charred. We saw a large white oaks along the trail going up the butte. At the old quarry, several roosting turkey vultures observed us. At the top of the butte, we could easily see 40 miles to the south of Skinner Butte even though there was smoke from an area forest fire. On the return walk, we had lunch under a tree then Cheadle Barn then continued on the Cheadle Marsh Trail to observe a wetland. The area was very dry. We saw signs of elk, a lizard, a frog, several white-colored praying mantis, and a Great Blue Heron eating a frog.
