Cascadia State Park
| Cascadia State Park | |
|---|---|
 Park entrance | |
   | |
| Type | Public, state |
| Location | Linn County,Oregon |
| Nearest city | Cascadia |
| Coordinates | 44°23′53″N122°28′22″W/ 44.398181°N 122.4728589°W[1] |
| Operated by | Oregon Parks and Recreation Department |
Cascadia State Parkis astate parkin theU.S. stateofOregonnearSweet Homealong theSouth Santiam RiveratCascadia.The park includes a day use area, campsites, hiking trails and 150 foot Lower Soda Creek Falls.[2]
History[edit]
Prior to settlers arriving, groups from theMolallaandKalapuyatribes visited the park site to harvesthuckleberries,fish and hunt. Cascadia Cave is nearby. The cave is an 8,000-year-old American Indianpetroglyphsite considered to have the largest concentration of rock engravings in western Oregon.[3]
Willamette Valley settlers developed a bypass at the park site for horse-drawn wagons. Old wagon ruts are still visible near where Soda Creek meets the South Santiam River.[2]
In 1896, George Geisendorfer opened a resort to capitalize on what he called the "curative powers" of Soda Creek's mineral spring water. The resort included a hotel, tennis courts, croquet course, garden and bowling alley.[4]The hotel later burned and the property was acquired by the state of Oregon in 1940.[5]
Hiking trails[edit]
Cascadia State Park includes two primary hiking trails. The one mile Soda Creek Falls Trail follows Soda Creek to Lower Soda Creek Falls. The 3/4 mile loop River Trail descends to the South Santiam River.[2]
Flora[edit]
A forest canopy of Douglas-Fir, cedar and hemlock shades the ground, encouraging the growth of ferns, mosses and mushroom species. Wildflowers include Oregon trout lily, fairy slipper, western trillium, camas, fawn lily, Hooker's fairy bells, snow queen, false Solomon's-seal, stream violet, Oregon Iris and Pacific bleeding heart.[2]
Access[edit]
The park is located alongU.S. Highway 2014 miles east of Sweet Home and 59 miles west ofSisters.
Gallery[edit]
-
Autumn colors at Cascadia State Park on the South Santiam River. -
The South Santiam River at Cascadia State Park. -
Soda Creek Falls at Cascadia State Park.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^"Cascadia State Park".Geographic Names Information System.United States Geological Survey,United States Department of the Interior.RetrievedJune 21,2011.
- ^abcd"Cascadia State Park Brochure"(PDF).Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on October 26, 2004.RetrievedMay 19,2012.
- ^"Over the Rivers Through the Woods Scenic Byway Tour".Willamette National Forest, United States Department of Agriculture. April 23, 2009.RetrievedMay 19,2012.
- ^"Rangers Pick -- Cascadia State Park".Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. June 9, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon March 12, 2016.RetrievedMay 19,2012.
- ^"Rails and Roads in the Upper Santiam".Benton County Historical Society and Museum. Archived fromthe originalon December 13, 2010.RetrievedMay 19,2012.
External links[edit]
- "Cascadia State Park".Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.RetrievedJune 21,2011.
- Cascadia State Park Brochure
