Bald Hill Park
Seasons
Checklists
Location
From downtown Corvallis, follow NW Harrison Blvd west to the intersection with SW 53rd Street. The largest parking area from which to access this site is at the Benton County Fairgrounds, which is 0.3 mile south of the intersection on SW 53rd Street. Turn right from SW 53rd Street into the lot. To reach the park from here, follow the paved Midge Cramer Memorial Path which starts at the west end of the parking lot. Two other smaller lots serve the north and south sides of the park. To reach the north lot from NW Harrison Blvd, continue west through the intersection at SW 53rd Street onto Oak Creek Drive. Follow this for 0.9 mile and then turn left into the parking lot at the Oak Creek Trailhead access. To reach the south lot, follow SW 53rd Street south, and then turn west onto Reservoir Avenue, just south of the Fairgrounds. Follow this road for 0.9 mile, turning right into the parking lot at the Bald Hill Trailhead.
DirectionsHabitat and Birds
Bald Hill rises to the west of the County Fairgrounds, and provides miles of trails through large tracts of oak woodland and savanna, along with mixed conifer and maple forests, riparian woodlands, upland prairie, creeks, pastures and fields. The area just west of the Fairgrounds is managed by the City of Corvallis as the Bald Hill Natural Area, a 284 acre park with 5 miles of trails. Just west of this is the Bald Hill Farm, managed by the Greenbelt Land Trust, a 587 acre public farm with 3 miles of public trails, which serves as a working farm that also promotes education and recreation. Just west of this is the Fitton Green Natural Area. In addition to the wildlife habitat, these trails are known for their scenic views.
The woodlands support six species of woodpecker, with Northern Flicker, Downy, and Acorn Woodpecker frequently reported throughout the year. Mourning Dove appears year-round, and Band-tailed Pigeon is seen through the summer. Likewise, Anna’s Hummingbird is resident year-round, joined by Rufous Hummingbird in the summer. House and Purple Finch appear through most of the year, as do Lesser and American Goldfinch. Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglet, and Swainson’s Thrush appear from fall through spring. In the summer, expect to see Chipping and Savannah Sparrow, as well as Common Yellowthroat, Orange-crowned, Black-throated Gray, and Wilson’s Warbler, along with Lazuli Bunting, Western Tanager, and Black-headed Grosbeak. Stellar’s Jay and California Scrub-jay are common year-round, along with the common forest birds, including Red-breasted and White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Creeper, and Pacific and Bewick’s Wren. Overhead, Red-tailed and Red-shouldered Hawk may be seen above the hill, as well as Bald Eagle in the early part of each year.
Bald Hill, Bald Hill Farm, and Fitton Green Trail Maps (From Benton County)
Midge Cramer Multi-Use Path (From TheRightTrail.org, with links to other trail guides for Bald Hill)
Bald Hill Multi-Modal Path (From TheRightTrail.org, for the north and south parking areas)
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