Skinner Butte Park — Attraction in Eugene

This a great park located near downtown Eugene. It's right next to the Willamette river, has a bike/jogging/walking path running thru it that stays busy all day! The play structures are top notch! Multiple slides, climbing structures, bridges and educational interactive rides/structures.

There are 3 areas for play all nestled together... The main playground structure is 3 levels with all the usual attachments i.e. wind chime music maker, telephone line pipe, wobbly stilted bridge steps, huge twisty slide, side by side bump slides, rock climbing tower and ladders/stairs/bridges.

For the wee ones there are 3 separate structures with slides, a mock store front, mock jail, 3 walled classroom with blackboards (bring your own chalk!) and a couple more little buildings which provide shade and seating for kids 3/4 & under.

The best part is the large sand pit which has many different fossils buried throughout which the children can unearth and learn about on the corresponding signage. These fossils appear to be made of brass and are non removable.

There are many swings for all ages with soft wood chip substrate for safety. There also many shady trees and picnic benches/seating all around and plenty of lush green grass to lay your picnic blankets!

During the hotter summer months they have a "shower ring" that stands about 7' and rains cool water on the kids below! It's seems to be on a timer and goes off every 10 minutes or so.

Lastly, there is a hand crank operated bridge with canopy, hand pump water fountain that runs into a trough and into a watermill (all stainless) and a scaled down river/waterfall structure that runs into the sand pit and is decorated with fossils.

Overall, this is our go to spot for my 3 year old, there are always plenty of families enjoying the park so plenty of kids to play with. It does get crowded in the summer and on the weekends so make sure your kids have patience for taking turns.

Also, plenty of free parking, regular park restrooms(usually not too clean, at least the men's side). Don't forget to bring your shovels, blankets, snacks/drinks...

This a beautiful park. They have a fantastic kids playground, a bike trail that goes on for miles, you can take a shortcut over the bridge to Valley River Mall!! The best part they keep this park clean and the grass is nice and green and the bathrooms are clean too!! Go for a walk , have a picnic, there's long benches everywhere so u can relax and enjoy this great park. The river is absolutely beautiful and relaxing!! Unfortunately the spot where we went down to the river there was what looked like an abandoned campsite with alot of garbage everywhere!! I know it's tough being homeless I have been there myself, but please clean up after yourself as we all should!! Saturday I walked from one end of the park to the other end!! It's gigantic and spacious with alot of focus on everybody!! Great playground area with swings and slides, then away from that playground are the cement dinosaurs and lots of sand. I love it here . There's people everywhere, laughing, talking , celebrating birthdays, a nice place!! There's benches spread out all over!! The grass is green it's so nice here!! You know I was reading other reviews and I just want to say if there's loud music that you can't handle the park is big enough for you to remove yourself from the music!! Nobody is forcing you to stay there!! Not all parks are full of homeless people!! That's actually incorrect. I live on Irvington and I don't see a bunch of homeless people!! One more thing, homeless people are people too!! We don't know their circumstances to be acting holier than though!! They have as many rights as we do!! For whatever reason homeless people are on the street, we don't know?? Always be kind and treat people how u want to...

Great park. Just wach out for surenges and the men having sex in the bushes, other than that it's a nice park. I would not leave my kids there alone. With parent you should be fine. I haven't been there since the phentanil and homeless problems. It may have gotten worse. I grew up in Eugene. It's sad to see the way its going. Bad management of the coti and the police are pretty corrupt. I'm sure there are a few good cops. I just never met them or saw them. They are rude people with a big chip on thier sholder. They target the poor and people of color. Just wanted to warn you. Not trying to be a jerk. Just my personal experience growing up in the area. I saw them behaving like that my whole life. It's like they were trained to be abusive to the public. They remind me of gang members. Except the gang members were more polite and helpful than the police. Check any area your children are going to play in for surenges. Not kidding around. Check picnic area as well. It was not so bad when I was younger. Pay attention. Be careful, have fun....