Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park

My husband and I took the dogs to this park today. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&wrapid=tljp1305495942640040&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=martin+luther+king+park+corvallis&fb=1&gl=us&hq=martin+luther+king+park&hnear=0x54c0409daa14d77d:0xd70d808f22bdc0be,Corvallis,+OR&cid=0,0,8869148078492489677&ei=l0nQTZWlBZC4sQOCmIHDCw&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=image&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBsQnwIwAA
This park was re-named in 2009, so those who grew up in the area will remember it by a different name.

While not as large as the off-leash Willamette Park in South Corvallis off 99, it is large enough for the dogs to roam, and has a huge off-leash area (most of the park). It is also a smidge closer to our home, and on the way to PetCo, so it is a very convenient place to stop. Then there is that darn GeoCache somewhere near the bridge that I can't find. One of these days, I'll figure it out.

If you've never gone GeoCaching, you should. It is a great way to explore your neighborhoods or places you visit. It's how I've discovered a couple of places here in Corvallis, which I will write about later. Some of the caches are at the ends of long hikes in out-of-the-way places. Others, called "cache and dash," are ones in regular neighborhoods where you can jump out of your car, walk a short distance, and be done. I've met quite a few people who started with these and then worked their way up to longer and longer hikes - and lost a great amount of weight and got in shape in the process! http://www.geocaching.com/guide/default.aspx

But back to the Park. We took our dogs on a mile-long loop over a couple of bridges around the park. Most of the trail is gravel, though there is a section that is paved. This paved section continues on and is popular with runners and bike riders. Dogs are supposed to be leashed on the paved bike path. There were several other dogs around and chances for our pups to go swimming in the little creek. There is also a path that leads off into the woods, where you can definitely get your heart rate up climbing the hill.

Off of the bike path there is another trail that leads up to the top of a different hill (no woods), with stunning views of the area. There is a kids' play area here as well as the "Walnut Barn" which is available for rent for parties.

I really like this park. Although I generally think of it as being fairly small, it is actually 36 acres. You can find information and how to rent it at the Corvallis site here:
http://www.ci.corvallis.or.us/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=588&Itemid=529