Spencer Butte and Skinner Butte
Eugene is home to two buttes that offer stunning vistas. Around a 20-minute drive south of the city, Spencer Butte is reached via a trail running over 1.7 miles through vivid evergreen forests, culminating in a dramatic valley landscape. More beginner friendly Skinner Butte involves a shorter, more moderate climb directly above Eugene’s downtown.
McCredie Hot Springs
Around an hour southeast, you’ll find the bubbling spring-fed waters of McCredie Hot Springs, which sit alongside the cold-flowing Salt Creek. A range of depths and fluctuating temperatures — check before you step in, as some pools can be scoldingly hot — create an invigorating experience.
The Museum of Natural and Cultural History
Located on the University of Oregon campus, the Museum of Natural and Cultural History looks back on 300 million years of history in the region. Set in a longhouse-inspired building, exhibits include one of the world’s oldest pairs of shoes, fossils of giant salmon, and artifacts from Oregon’s oldest cultural site, the Paisley Caves.