Armitage Park is a riverside park between Eugene and Coburg featuring woodlots, an open field and nearly one mile of mostly undeveloped riverfront.  Formerly a state park with camping, it is now a 57 acre, day use only, Lane County Park along the banks of the lower McKenzie River.  There is a daily entrance fee; an annual Lane County park pass is also valid.  Don’t depend on obtaining a pass on site; pick one up at REI or the Lane County Parks Office at 3040 N. Delta Hwy.

Armitage Park has developed, reservable picnic areas, both in the open and in the woods. It also has restrooms, numerous parking areas, a dog park and a boat ramp. It is very popular on summer evenings and weekends. It receives much lower usage off season and on weekdays. Starting at the boat ramp, a paved 1/2 mile path suitable for walking and wheelchair use follows the McKenzie River.  Near the boat ramp, the Crilly Self-guided Nature Trail, with numerous steps, loops through the woods near and under Coburg Rd.  Numerous other paved paths and informal trails lead throughout the picnic and wooded areas.

Sightings:

Following the riverside trails, one can see Osprey, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Tree Swallow, American Dipper, Spotted Sandpiper and Common Merganser.   In the trees along the shore, look for Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, or Wilson’s Warbler in the spring. 

The wooded, edge area provides habitat for Western screech-owl, Spotted Towhee, Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Flicker, Brown creeper, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Fox Sparrow, Hermit Thrush, House Finch, Hutton's Vireo, Purple Finch, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Bushtit, Lesser and American Goldfinch, Stellar's Jay, Townsend's warbler, Varied Thrush, and Red-breasted Sapsucker, among other species. 

Other common species found in the more open areas and along the McKenzie River include Canada Goose, Great Blue Heron, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, American Robin, American Crow, and Western Scrub-Jay.

Belted Kingfisher