During the week of the 2023 Gathering in Monmouth, Oregon, there will be organized group trips each afternoon as well as self-guided options for any time exploration. Trips vary in intensity, duration, travel time, and cost.
Oregon’s beautiful Willamette Valley has much to offer! Sign up for trips after you arrive at the Gathering.
Field Trips Schedule
Monday 7/3: McDonald Forest Hike; The Oregon Gardens
Tuesday 7/4: July 4th celebrations in Monmouth; Guided walking tour of Portland
Wednesday 7/5: Lincoln City (Beach/town; Devil’s Lake); Guided Luckiamute Landing State Natural Area hike
Thursday 7/6: Eloheh Farm; Chachalu Museum; Salem Waterfront Park
Friday 7/7: Silver Falls State Park; Chachalu Museum
Learn more about the options below!
Silver Falls State Park
Friday, July 7
Come join us and explore what many call the crown jewel of Oregon’s waterfalls, and we have a LOT of them that vie for that honor. We will be doing a 3.5-mile loop trail that is rated easy with an elevation gain of 400 feet. It will be at a modest pace that should take us 2 hours. For those looking for a bigger challenge on their own, while the rest of us take a more leisure hike, the park has moderate and longer Trail of Ten Falls, which is 8 miles long, take 3 ½ – 4 hours to complete, and has an elevation gain of 1200 feet.
Please bring a light waterproof jacket for the mist from the falls and possible light precipitation/rain. You should bring a water bottle, and wear good sneakers, light trail shoes or hiking sandals, e.g., Keens.
Follow this link to get a sense of the park, trails, waterfalls, and amenities in this park.
Walking Tour of Portland
Tuesday, July 4
Explore the very walkable central downtown along it’s many greenways. We will start in the Park blocks which are lined with the city’s first churches, capped at one end with Portland State University (the second largest university in the state), and the other with the city’s Performing Arts Center and the Schnitzer Concert Hall. We continue deeper into downtown and meander our way through to the old industrial area (revitalized and reborn as the Pearl District). We will pass the iconic Powell’s Books (purported to be the world’s largest independent bookstore), Voodoo Doughnuts, Stumptown Coffee, Union Station, and Old Town. We will finish our walk and return via the Waterfront Park along the Willamette River and passing the Salmon Fountain (and no there are no salmon swimming in the fountain). Bring good walking shoes, a water bottle, and dress lightly. This will be a leisurely stroll of 3-4 miles with stops along the way for ice cream, coffee, tea, doughnuts, and water splashing.
Eloheh Farm and Seeds – Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice
Thursday, July 6
Eloheh Farm and Seeds (ay-luh-hay) exists as a farm, community, school and much more. We are a non-profit corporation whose goal is to cooperate with all creation and co-create a model farm for an abundant future. We grow food for ourselves, and we share it with others. We respect the earth and her creatures. We use no chemical sprays or unnatural additives from soil, to seed, to plant, to harvest. We use and teach principles of Permaculture, Biomimicry and Traditional Indigenous Knowledge. In short, Eloheh Farm and Seeds seeks to be a model of regenerative agricultural, animal husbandry and wild-tending systems that support human needs, while improving the earth and all creation inhabiting the web of life. We desire to live in harmony with the land. ” Eloheh” is a Cherokee Indian word representing “harmony, balance, peace, abundance and the common good.
Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice focuses on developing, implementing, and teaching sustainable and regenerative earth practices. While there is an identifiable farm within almost 10 acres near Yamhill, Oregon, the whole property is considered vital to the farm and as part of the farm. We have created a center that embodies educating mind, soul, and body to fulfill our mission of living in harmony with the land, using North American traditional Indigenous knowledge (TIK), wisdom and practices as a guiding model. Eloheh Indigenous Center for Earth Justice, which includes Eloheh Farm & Seeds, is a 501(c)3 non-profit.
Randy and Edith Woodley are Co-Creators of Eloheh. Randy is one of our Evening Program speakers.
For more information see https://www.eloheh.org/about
Lincoln City – The Oregon Coast
Wednesday, July 5
Family-friendly trip to the Oregon Coast: Two choices: 1) Swim and picnic at Devil’s Lake, or 2) stroll along the beach and wander through the small community of Lincoln City. View the magnificent heritage Sitka spruce tree in Regatta Park, ospreys nesting near the beach, the statue of Abraham Lincoln in a casual pose, astride his horse, reading a book; search for hand-crafted glass floats along the ocean shore; explore the tide pools and the hidden cove at secluded Roads End State Park; shop for gifts and antiques, and check out the local eateries, in downtown Lincoln City.
The weather is usually cooler at the beach than inland, and it can get windy, so bring light jacket and wear slacks rather than shorts. A hat is also a good idea.
For more information see: https://www.oregoncoast.org/
Chachalu Museum and Cultural Center
Thursday, July 6 and Friday, July 7
Chachalu tells the story of the Tribes and Bands of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon and honors our Elders who kept Tribal traditions and dreams alive during the years of Termination. It is a center where the Tribe’s Restoration is celebrated, and our culture is being revitalized.
The Yamhill Kalapuya people called this place Chachalu, which translates to “place of the burnt timbers”; a massive forest fire burned through the Grand Ronde Valley shortly before the time of Relocation in 1856.
This vision of the Museum is to tell the story of the resiliency of the land and of the people who have lived here since time immemorial. The land, once devastated by fire, has now revitalized with healthy forests and abundant wildlife. Our salmon have once again returned to our streams; the Grand Ronde people, once uprooted from their various homelands and then Terminated by the federal government, are renewed through Restoration. This is a center for cultural activity where the Tribe’s stories, history, and culture continue to be practiced and shared.
For more on The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde see https://www.grandronde.org/history-culture/
McDonald-Dunn Forest Hike
Monday, July 3
We’ll be taking a 3.2 mile hike through the beautiful McDonald-Dunn Forest just 20 minutes south of Monmouth. Enjoy all the lush trees and plants of the Pacific Northwest as you walk around on the trail by a small lake and over a creek. This is a loop hike with 380 feet elevation gain and is relatively easy.
Come prepared wearing shoes you can hike in and a filled water bottle as we are expecting warm weather.
The Oregon Garden / Silverton, Oregon
Monday, July 3
Take your pick of two options on this trip out to Silverton:
1) At The Oregon Gardens, you can stroll around 80 acres of beautiful flowers and trees featuring 20 specialty gardens. With an optional trolly tour ($3 fee), a café, and a gift shop, there is lots to do for those who want a good walk along with those who just want to relax in beautiful surroundings.
Entry fees: (Senior 60+ – $10, Adult – $12, Student 12-17 – $9, 5-11 years old – $6, 4 years old and under– Free). With enough people, we have a group rate of $8 for each adult 12 years and up.
2) Stroll around the charming downtown of Silverton, Oregon. With eclectic shops, galleries, and restaurants, Silverton is a town with a passion for the arts. Try using the interactive map to see all the art murals or simply get lost in this walkable town with its parks and historic homes.
Salem Riverfront Park
Including Gilbert House Children’s Museum & Riverfront Carousel!
Thursday, July 6
Salem Riverfront Park is a fun afternoon for all ages.
For adults: Take a walk around the park or explore the shops, galleries, and restaurants of downtown Salem. At The Bike Peddler located in downtown Salem near the park (503-399-7741) you can rent a bike for $10 per hour and ride across the bridge in Salem Riverfront Park to all the paved trails of Minto-Brown Island Park.
If you want a bike, it is recommended to call and reserve one. Helmets are included.
For families: Salem Riverfront Park is packed with fun activities for the kids. At the north end is the Gilbert House Children’s Museum ($10 for kids, $5 for chaperones), with indoor exhibits and a wonderful outdoor playground. Ideal for ages 2-10 years old, plan for 1.5-2 hours. Just South of the museum is a fun splash pad (so be prepared for the kids to get wet!) and a bit further down is a hand carved wooden carousel. We’ve arranged for free carousel ride tokens and you can talk to the wood carvers who are there on Thursdays. Next to the carousel is a fun playground the kids can enjoy. Both the north end of the park and the area around the carousel have public restrooms.
- The Bike Peddler: https://www.bikepeddler.com/
- Gilbert House Children’s Museum: https://acgilbert.org/
- Riverfront Carousel: https://salemcarousel.wixsite.com/salemcarousel
- Salem Riverfront Park: https://www.cityofsalem.net/Home/Components/FacilityDirectory/FacilityDirectory/110/599
- Downtown Salem: https://www.travelsalem.com/things-to-do/sub-regions/downtown/
- Minto-Brown Island Park Paved Trail Map: https://www.traillink.com/trail-maps/minto-brown-island-park-paved-path/
Luckiamute Landing State Natural Area Guided Hike
Wednesday, July 5
Join us on a guided hike through Luckiamute Landing State Natural Area. A ranger will be sharing with us information about the local wildlife and restoration of this natural flood plain. Full of waterfowl, shorebirds, amphibians, and turtles, join us in this beautiful area along the Willamette River. For this hike, wear shoes you can hike in and bring a full bottle of water as we are expecting warm weather.