Orange Loop Trail
Posted by: 
Bandmaster
N 44° 55.617 W 123° 04.377
10T E 494243 N 4974838
The Orange Loop Trail is unique in that it is the only trail that begins in Minto-Brown Island Park,winds its way along the river into Eola Bend County Park,makes its loop and returns to the same park where it began.This trail is 3.4 miles in length.
Waymark Code: WM26HE
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 09/12/2007
Views: 24
While almost everyone in Salem knows about Minto-Brown Island Park, hardly anyone knows about Eola Bend County Park. The Loop of the Orange Loop Trail introduced the unique nature of this new park without most people realizing it, unless they read the interpretive boards very carefully. If they did, they would be aware that these were two different parks with entirely different personalities.
The original site of Eola Bend County Park, located between the old Browns Island landfill and the Willamette River, was badly eroded cropland until the Environmental Services staff enrolled it in the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. Through this federal and state program, hundreds of volunteers planted 45,000 native trees and shrubs along the river on April 15,2000. These native plants will help control erosion, reduce flood damage to the property, and provide critical wildlife habitat along the Willamette River. A footpath, made from recycled asphalt grindings, loops through the park and provides visitors year around access. An arbor and interpretive signs have been completed on an existing all weather pad also constructed of recycled asphalt grindings and rock. The arbor serves as the entrance to the county park and provides a location to post interpretive signs with information about the CREP, history of the area and aspects of the Willamette River Watershed. There are also several picnic tables located at the arbor and along the Willamette River for an afternoon picnic. Please take some time to visit the site and check out the signs and the arbor when you get a chance.
Facilities at a glance:
Picnic area
Direct connection with Salem’s Minto-Brown Island Park paths
Views of the Willamette River
Wildlife viewing of osprey, bald eagles, herons, waterfowl, and other river-dwellers
A 60-acre restoration, featuring over 45,000 native plants
A year around, all-weather footpath
Interpretive signs describing restoration efforts, history of the area, and the Willamette River watershed.
Hours
8:00 am to Sunset
Without the Orange Loop Trail, the uniqueness of Eola Bend County Park would not be realized.
Picture location 1: N 44° 55.632 W 123° 05.142
Picture Location 2: N 44° 55.745 W 123° 06.009
Picture Location 3: N 44° 55.661 W 123° 05.772
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