In 1970 then Oregon Governor Tom McCall approved the purchase of over 2300 acres of land to create the Mt. Pisgah State Park. Howard Buford, planning director for Central Lane Co., had been instumental in urging McCall to approve the purchase. In 1973 the state leased the park to Lane Co. and it was renamed the Howard Buford Recreation Area (HBRA). In 1982 ownership was conveyed to LCP. It is now by far the largest park in the county system and quickly becoming one of the most popular.
The dominant feature of the recreation area is 1531' Mt. Pisgah, which rises 1000' above the valley floor. Set between the confluence of the Coast and Middle Forks of the Willamette River the mountain offers a commanding view up and down the valley, and crest to crest of the Coast and Cascade Ranges. The lands around the mountain are of incredible natural diversity. In particular the wetland, prairie and oak savanna habitats are some of the most valuable left in existance in the Willamette Valley. Hundreds of plant species, dozens of birds and mammals, numerous reptiles and amphibians, and countless insects and fungi make the park their home. A trail system of over 16 miles allows access to the recreation area's natural beauty.
From the 1992 HBRA management plan:
"The purpose of the HBRA is to provide opportunities for
primarily low intensity outdoor recreation and educational activities
while protecting, conserving, enhancing, and maintaining the natural,
scenic, historical, rural and recreational qualities of this large,
strategically located regional park."
Quite a unique mission for a county park, one devoted primarily
to enjoying the natural beauty of the land itself, rather than
developed facilities.
The HBRA is SE of the Eugene/Springfield OR. area, east of I-5 and north of Hwy 58. The main entrance and the North and Main Trailheads are accessible off Seavy Loop Dr. off Franklin Dr. off the 30th Ave exit of I-5. This route is well signed. The East Trailhead is off of Ridgeway Rd., north off Hwy 58 in west Pleasant Hill.
Lane Co. Parks
90064 Coburg Rd.
Eugene, Or.. 97408
(541)682-2000, recorded info: (541)682-4414
Friends of Buford Park and Mt.Pisgah
P.O. Box 5266
Eugene, Or. 97405
(541)344-8350 Back to Home Page