Gladstone Nature Park
Gladstone Nature Park, Webster Road, Gladstone, OR, USA
Everyday 6 AM - 10 PM
$
hikes
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Gladstone Nature Park, an 11.5-acre wooded nature area, surrounded by white oak savanna, outcroppings of basalt, and an abundance of wildlife, not to mention a host of native plants, is a local gem where you almost forget that you're not further out in the woods.
Start by parking in the gravel parking lot off of SE Webster Rd. Here you’ll find a handicapped-accessible porta potty and the paved trail leading to the park. An unattended information booth has posters about local things going on in the area, but if you keep on the paved path you’ll quickly come to a sitting area with carved wooden benches and a Free Little Library to browse (be mindful the glass on the door to the library has been broken and there are still some pieces of glass left on the door). This area is pretty open as there’s a grassy area, some picnic tables, and a little wood-chipped path leading up closer to the apartments that are next door.
If you keep following the paved path, it’ll lead you straight through the park and onto the street at SE Oatfield Rd. You’ll notice several wood-chipped paths leading into the forested area as you're walking. These mostly flat paths loop through the trees and around the bushes, making it so the almost one mile of trails seems longer as you meander though. Although this is a wonderful place for small children to explore, there are several signs alerting you to the presence of poison oak, so make sure to be on the lookout.
One trail does go down a slightly steep decline, where if you follow it to the right will lead you to the small corner of SE Webster and Oatfield where there is Gaffer’s Pub and a convenience store, Kearns Market. There’s a picnic table there which is set away from the building and encompassed mostly by bushes, making it pretty private, besides the noise from the road. This same trail will take you back to the parking area if you choose as well.
I like to let my kids lead along the paths at this park or take turns choosing which path to take, because although there seems to be several choices of paths, the nature area itself isn't large and it’s easy to find yourself back to the main trail.