Minto-Brown Island Park — Attraction in Salem

Minto Brown Island Park is a huge 900 acre city park (larger than NYC's Central Park). It has a variety of wetlands, including a large pond with lilypads, frogs, perch, and carp, as well as a number of sloughs and streams running adjacent to the mainstem of the Willamette River. Parts of the park are flooded regularly during the rainy season.

On a sultry Sunday afternoon, you'll see city residents strolling, running, rollerblading, biking, skateboarding, scootering, mountainbiking, unicycling, kayaking, canoeing, jetskiing, motorboating, drone flying, kite flying, and dogwalking -- along its 30 miles of paved, graveled or barkchipped paths and adjoining waterways. It has a crescent shaped rocky beach for wading, swimming, or picnicking along the river; many a family survived having toddlers and young children during the pandemic by playing at this beach. The park also has a couple of fishing docks and other wading areas.

Some parts of the park are beautifully manicured parklands with picnic tables and playgrounds amidst oaks and lush grass. Forests range from ash galleries and cedar stands to mixed woodlands. Other areas are open prairie; the open prairies were once farmed, even after it became a park. However, the open prairies and mixed woodlands are now a refuge for wildlife and waterfowl. I've seen deer, rabbits, herons, owls, hawks, Bald eagles, osprey, a variety of songbirds, and moles and mice. Occasionally a cougar is sighted. A well-known and well-loved local surgeon was even attacked by an angry Great Horned Owl while trailrunning.

One of my favorite summer activities is picking (and immediately consuming) large quantities of cherries and blackberries. There are always enough left to provide winter food for the birds.

The most beautiful dog park in America (in my experience) occupies 30 acres of Minto Brown parkland and forest. It serves at least 500 dogs of every size, color and breed on a any given day. Playful wrestling, dog sniffing, playing tag, catching balls and soft disks, digging for moles and mice, bird chasing, and exploring forest paths are the favorite canine activities. Many people owned by dogs visit every day or at least several times a week. While the people chat, the dogs play.

The parking lot adjacent to the off leash area is closed while the City paved it. So access requires a short walk on leash -- my goodness, we are spoiled!

The park is now connected with Riverfront Park by a splendid, picturesque bridge, along with Riverfront's unique features: the Earth globe sculpture, the Riverfront carousel, the Willamette Queen steamer, playgrounds, docks, pavilions, an amphitheater, and the A.C. Gilbert Children's Museum complex. What a rich, wonderful complement to Minto Brown’s natural paradise.

Come to Minto Brown and find your very own way...

Minto Brown Island Park is a rather large urban park not far from downtown Salem. You can access it from River Front park via Peter Courtney Bridge or head down River Rd to the entrance ir head to Homestead rd for another entrence. There is miles of paved paths for running, walking or bike riding. It also offers paths for trail running. Due to the fact that it is right next to the Willamette River it also is a good place to gather agates as well as view wildlife such as deer, birds, rabbits, people and occasionally cougars. There is a off leash dogs walking field in the middle of the park that is well maintained. But there are some dangers to watch for as well, mainly people. There is a rather large homeless population in Salem and thanks to the bridge they have free access to the park from the downtown area. So just keep a wye open for suspicious characters towards the back side of the park. On the flip side the park does have volunteer park patrol that rotate through the park both on foot and by bike. I have also seen bike police go through and at night I have noticed police patrol cars crusing in the park to keep it safe. There is also a dogs patrol office who enforces the leash laws. For the kids there is also a playground by the pavilion towards the back part of the main parking lot off of River Rd. The park opens at dusk and closes at midnight. When rainy season hits portions if the park flood and some of the trails are then closed off. All and all it's not a bad place to visit. Despite a few downsides, it's a good place to relax...

This park is INCREDIBLE! It's absolutely massive, with an enormous off leash dog park, play structure, and miles upon miles of trails that weave in and out of forestry and the Willamette river. You walk over bridges, next to the river, its seriously the best hiking spot in town there is. Me and my husband just completed our very first 5K today! However that is not our first time coming here at all. We have been coming to Minto brown for 2 whole years, since we moved here to Salem, and today marks the very first day we completed the 5K loop. We have walked so many of the trails in this park, however this loop, the 5K, is about 3 1/2 miles, and thats one of the short loops. You can begin to imagine how truly massive this park is. It's easy to get lost. Luckily they add trial markers and maps quite frequently at trail intersections. This park will never let you down. Without a bike, you could take years exploring this whole thing, as we have. It has a trail that connects to the riverfront bridge and park, which is cool. This is Salems best park. You feel far out in nature, and youre right in town. Bring water bottles if you want to try and complete a loop, and go on a cloudy day. I think that's what's gave up the chance to make...