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Family fun all year long

30 Parks in the Heart of the Willamette Valley

Linn County is located in the heart of the Willamette Valley and stretches from the Willamette River on the west to the Cascade summits of Mt. Jefferson, Three Finger Jack and Mt. Washington on the east. In Linn County you are surrounded by serene farmland, clear lakes and rivers, waterfalls and dense forests. Visitors to the County Parks enjoy an almost limitless variety of outdoor recreational opportunities including hiking, swimming, fishing, picnicking, camping and more.

We also manage 12 US Forest Service Parks located along Hwy. 22 in the Detroit Ranger District; 6 US Forest Service Parks located in the McKenzie River Ranger District; 7 US Forest Service Parks located along Hwy. 20 in the Sweet Home Ranger District.

Family-Friendly Recreation

Linn County offers family-friendly well maintained parks, museums and historic sites with modern amenities for boating and camping for both groups and individual use. County parklands provide excellent access to lakes, rivers, ponds and trails throughout Linn County including opportunities to hike through lush green forests past cascading waterfalls. The Parks offer a multitude of recreation opportunities for families to enjoy in the beautiful, western Oregon outdoors. Many of the parks also offer family-friendly areas such as playgrounds, swimming holes, disc golf courses and boat rentals.

Linn County History

Linn County was created in 1847 and named for U.S. Senator Lewis F. Linn of Missouri, who was the author of the Donation Land Act, which provided free land to settlers in the West. Linn County is in the center of the Willamette Valley, with the Willamette River as its western boundary and the crest of the Cascades as its eastern boundary. The climate and soil conditions provide one of Oregon’s most diversified agriculture areas, allowing a wide variety of specialty crops and leading the nation in the production of common and perennial ryegrass. Linn County is also home to major producers of rare and primary metals, processed food, manufactured homes and motor homes as well as the traditional logging and wood products industries.

Parks & Recreation Advisory Commission

The Linn County Parks & Recreation Commission, established in 1961, is a citizen advisory commission consisting 11 Linn County citizens representing various geographic areas of the County. The overall goal of the Parks Commission is to assure that Linn County will provide present and future generations with adequate access to public lands and water ways for recreational use by the general public. The Commission implements this policy by acquiring and developing public recreation lands and by encouraging other governmental agencies, private companies and individuals to do the same.

Meeting Schedule

The Linn County Parks & Recreation Commission generally meets on the second Thursday of every other month at 6:30 pm. The Commission meetings are held at various County communities and parks throughout the County. Notices of meeting dates, times and locations are published in local newspapers, and are available by contacting the Linn County Parks & Recreation Department at (541) 967-3917 or by sending an e-mail.

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Plan Your Trip

Linn County Parks offers family-friendly well-maintained parks, fishing, boating, camping, museums, and historic sites.

Find a Park

Hiking trails, waterfalls, covered bridges, and swimming areas are among the points of interest at our 30 parks.

Places to Camp

Spend a weekend in the heart of the Willamette valley at one of more than 400 campsites.