Eastgate Woodlands/Whilamut Natural Area
Eastgate Woodlands is part of the Whilamut Natural Area, extending west to Eugene and Alton Baker Park. The West D Street Greenway runs through Eastgate Woodlands and connects with paved paths in Alton Baker. Pre's Running Trail, the Dellinger Trail, and the Ruth Bascom Riverbank Trail also pass through Eastgate Woodlands. Heron Park and a designated parking lot are located on Aspen Street.
Whilamut Natural Area
The name Whilamut (pronounced "wheel-a-moot) was chosen in collaboration with the Komemma Cultural Protection Association of the Kalapuya Tribe. Whilamut is a Kalapuya word which means "where the river ripples and runs fast." The Citizen Planning Committee initiated the renaming of the park, and selected a Kalapuya name as a gesture of honor and respect for the tribal members who hunted, fished, and gathered camas bulbs on the land that is now the Whilamut Natural Area. A traditional Kalapuya naming ceremony was held to commemorate the new name on September 7, 2002.
Talking Stones
Through a collaborative effort between the CPC, City of Eugene Parks and Open Space Division, and the Willamalane Parks and Recreation District, 11 basalt boulders with Kalapuya word engravings were installed in both the Eugene and Springfield portions of the natural area in the spring of 2003. The final four stones were installed in 2013 during the replacement of the Willamette River I-5 Bridge, officially titled the Whilamut Passage Bridge. The stones are each carved with a Kalapuya word and the English translation. For example, the Kalapuyan word "Whilamut" is translated into English as "where the river ripples and runs fast."
The purpose of the project is to provide a historical appreciation of the first inhabitants of this area. Kalapuya Elder Esther Stutzman and the Kommema Cultural Protection Association consulted on the project to determine names and appropriate stone locations. The project also provides a link between Eugene and Springfield, which share this riverfront parkland.
Pre's Trail
Pre's Trail is a running and walking trail that connects to both Eugene and Springfield created in 1975 honoring track star Steve Prefontaine. The Eugene portion of Pre's Trail was designated as a historic landmark in 2019. It is a beloved destination for local runners and walkers and draws visitors from across the country and around the world.