Golden Garden Park

Looking for a quiet place to take a walk or just sit and think in a relaxing location?

Look no further than Golden Garden Park. To find the park, drive west on Barger Drive and then take a right on Golden Gardens Road. It dead-ends at the park, with street-side parking. A dirt trail runs around the outskirts of the park, with a bench here and there. There is just one picnic table along a dirt path, and that completes the standard park equipment. Other trails lead towards the middle of the park which contains a number of beautiful serene ponds. A duck swam across the pond, while geese flew overhead. In one pond, lush plants grow in the water.

Signs indicate the ponds range in depth from 12 to 16ft deep and a series of trails and small bridges connect the ponds making easy access each one. The landscape is filled with tall uncut grass, dotted with many pink and yellow wildflowers and the air smells of mint plants. Signs recently put in tell about the wildlife in the park. One sign says that the ponds are habitats to turtles, and that they can be seen in the summer sun-bathing on the logs that float in the ponds. If you look westward, you can watch the planes taking off and landing at the Eugene airport. Locals call the park “The Pits” and speak of the peacefulness and quietness of the park, making it the perfect quiet get-away close to home away from the bustle of city life. There are rarely large groups of people here, each person pretty much keeping to themselves.

One person sat on a bench overlooking the ponds, quietly watching the birds and feeling the breeze, while two girls sat on a small bridge spanning two of the ponds and talked quietly, dangling their legs over the edge.

The trails are also perfect for walking the dog, pushing a stroller, or taking a jog.

Written by Sharon Phillips for DiscoverEugene.com

Photos by Sharon Phillips