Growing up I moved a lot and I often found myself creating “special places” that only I could access. In West Virginia there was a park that I loved that if you walked beyond the playground and followed the creek, you would find yourself secluded amongst beautiful slate rocks. In Florida, I found this adorable low maintained “park”. The park wasn’t regularly maintained and was mainly used by local fishermen. The level of simplicity the park provided was so refreshing to me. For me, it was my “spot”, my “thinking place”. It is where I would go whenever I needed that break from life, that time to journal, to contemplate my next step, to just sit amongst the trees and breathe a little.
I love accidentally just finding places like that. So you can imagine the joy I had when I took a wrong turn and stumbled upon Joryville Park. Out one day, my little guy and I were headed to a playground when we stumbled upon this County run park. Unsure of what to expect, we climbed out of the car and decided to be explorers for the day.
In 1980, Joryville closed the front entrance of the park to cars, and now you must park at the base of the hill. So once there, you are can choose your path and hike amongst the wooded areas. Making your way to the top of the hill, you are awarded with a very open grassy hill that allows for endless possibilities. This is the perfect spot to bring a picnic, fly a kite, or just let the kids and dog run while you sit and take in the joys of life. On clear days you can marvel at the beauty of Oregon and catch views of Mt. Hood in the distance. The hikes are fairly quick (it probably took myself and my 2.5 year old about 30 mins to hike up the hill) which can make it perfect for kids of all ages.
If you haven’t been to Joryville, I highly recommend this small park for a quick hike and a picnic lunch! The park does provide picnic tables and a porta potty at the base of the park (but I would recommend eating your lunch at the top of the hill). Enjoy! Remember if you are hiking with little ones, they do tend to get thirsty quicker and always love a snack midway through. Let us know where you go to sit and think. What adventures have you and your littles had in Salem?
Joryville very unexpectedly opens up once on top of the hill. It can even be fun in the rain!
Learn about location and operating hours here
