Fall Creek | Farm to Forest Tour

About this event

Join us for a day where history, nature, and magic meet in an unforgettable journey of the senses, spirit, and imagination. Departing from The Graduate Hotel in Eugene, this immersive field experience traces a layered journey through Kalapuya ilihi, from urban valleys to engineered reservoirs and into the dense ecosystems of the Willamette National Forest. Guests begin with a mobile orientation of the Willamette Valley, as we leave Eugene and head towards the Cascades along the Willamette River. Our route follows Highway 58 into a region where rivers have been reshaped, re-stabilized, and enriched the soil, providing fertile land for several heritage Farms. We stop at Dexter Lake and the historic Lowell Covered Bridge (1907), which rose to unexpected fame as the supposed site of the “Dexter Lake Club” scene in the movie Animal House (1978). The lake sits near the Lowell Covered Bridge, Oregon’s most accessible and beautifully restored bridge that acts as a gateway to the Willamette National Forest, Salt Creek Falls, and numerous hiking trails. Our drive takes us through Lowell, past 3 covered bridges before journeying deeper into an anthropogenically altered landscape at Fall Creek Reservoir. Here guests walk the dam while listening to local residents share lived experiences of wildlife, seasonal change, and regional folklore. We venture deeper into the Willamette National Forest, a region encompassing eight wildernesses which total 380,805 acres. These areas, the majority of which encompass seven major mountain peaks in the Cascades, are popular with hikers, backpackers, and mountain climbers. The Wilderness Act of 1964 defines Wilderness as “an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain.” Our adventure takes us into the heart of burnt woodlands that have recently re-opened. At Dolly Varden Campground, pick from one of three enchanted spots and immerse yourself in forest bathing.…

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