Dense woods, lush meadows, verdant wetlands, a free-flowing river, abundant wildlife, and miles of easy trails. That’s Elijah Bristow State Park.
The Riding
Located off Hwy. 58 near Eugene, the 847-acre Elijah Bristow State Park is an excellent place for a day ride. Horses are permitted on over 10 miles of trails that provide access to wildlife viewing sites, beautiful forest and meadows, and the Middle Fork of the Willamette River.
The wildlife viewing opportunities are exceptional. Keep an eye out for egrets, herons, eagles, turtles, beaver, deer, elk, and coyotes. And all this just a few miles from Eugene!
The trail network allows you to create a variety of loops, so whether you want to ride all day or do a quick jaunt after work, you can tailor your route to fit the amount of time you have.
Named in honor of Elijah Bristow, the first pioneer settler in Lane County and founder of the town of Pleasant Hill, the park does a remarkable job of preserving the wonderful things about this area that may have attracted Bristow to it in the first place: beautiful meadows, forest, and marshes, and diverse wildlife.
Most of the park’s loop trails are located near the equestrian trailhead, while the longer River Trail runs all the way to Dexter Reservoir. Parts of the River Trail may be impassable in winter due to high water, as may the fords over Lost Creek. However, the Elk and Heron Trails are nicely graveled, providing suitable winter riding surfaces. The Angler’s Trails are not maintained for horses, so they are narrow, brushy, and rocky. They offer close-up views of the river, though, so if you are an experienced rider with a steady mount, they are worth exploring.
Please keep in mind that all of the trails in the park are multi-use trails, so you’ll need to keep an eye out for mountain bikers and for anglers carrying scary-looking fishing poles.
Trail Obstacles
Volunteers from Oregon Equestrian Trails worked closely with park officials to install a series of “trail training stations” scattered beside the trails. Each station has a different trail obstacle you can use to familiarize your horse with the kinds of challenges they may face in everyday trail situations, including downed logs, bridges, step-up/downs, and gates. Getting your horse comfortable with these challenges in a controlled environment can make a huge difference in his confidence in real trail situations.
Trailhead Facilities
Elijah Bristow State Park has day-use parking for many trailers, plus a toilet, drinking water, garbage cans, four corrals, and a 60-foot round pen. It also has a group shelter with picnic tables, a fire pit, and two barbecues. Parking is free.
More Information
Elijah Bristow State Park trails are covered in more detail in the park’s namesake chapters in Riding Northwest Oregon Horse Trails and Riding Southern Oregon Horse Trails, by Kim McCarrel, available at www.nwhorsetrails.com.
