Touring the scenic areas around
Silverton (PDF Guide)
Silverton
is the gateway to
Silver Falls State Park,
the largest state park in Oregon. Located 14 miles southeast of
Silverton on Highway 214, the park offers 10 different
waterfalls, miles of hiking, biking, and horse trails as well as
picnicking and facilities. The Day Use Lodge built in the 1930s
is open year round and hosts an old-fashioned Christmas in
December, a wildflower exhibit in April or May, and an
interpretative tribute to pre-park times at Historic Al Faussett
Days in June.
The
Silver Falls Tour Route leads visitors from Interstate 5 at
Woodburn or Turner, through Silverton and Mt. Angel in a 55-mile
loop highlighted by the drive through the park.
The
Gallon House Bridge is the last original covered bridge
remaining in Marion County. The bridge spans Abiqua Creek about
1 1/2 miles northeast of Silverton. It got its name during
Prohibition because it was a drop point for bootleg whiskey
between Mount Angel (a "wet" town) on the north, and Silverton
(a "dry" town on the south.) Built in 1917, the bridge was
completely refurbished in 1991.
The Oregon Garden
continues to grow on the Cascade Highway at the south edge of
Silverton. It is becoming a 240-acre world-class garden to rival
the top gardens in the country. It is now open to the public.
Cooley's Gardens
is the largest producer of bearded iris in the world.
Located just 2 miles west of Silverton on Highway 213. Cooley's
has been growing iris since 1928. Each year, from mid-May
through early June, more than 3 million plants blossom in nearby
fields. The display gardens showcase growing plants as well as
cut flowers. This family-owned business welcomes visitors
year-round.
Beautiful murals
adorn the sides of buildings throughout Silverton,
featuring the brushwork of prominent local artists. Designs
depict
Homer Davenport,
scenes of historic Silverton, the Four Freedoms paintings by
Norman Rockwell, a pioneer wagon train, the Silverton Red Sox
baseball team and other subjects.
Two city
parks, on either side of Silver Creek, invite you to stop, play
and picnic. A footbridge connects Coolidge-McClaine Park on the
west with Old Mill Park and the city swimming pool on the east
bank. Open during the summer months, the pool offers lessons,
lap swimming, and recreational swimming. Silverton boasts an
active, competitive swimming team.
Also on
the east side of the creek is City Hall, the Community Center
Building, the Fischer Community Building and theSilver Falls Public Library.
The
Silverton County Museum
offers memorabilia from days gone
by in and around Silverton from its early beginnings in 1854.
Staffed by volunteers, the museum is open Thursdays and Sundays
from 1 - 4.
A
Southern Pacific Depot, built in 1906, stands next to the museum
and houses the Silverton Area Chamber of Commerce and additional
historic exhibits. Be sure to pick up a copy of the Silverton
walking tour brochure to guide through the sites of historic
Silverton.
Borland
Gallery, home of the
Silverton Art Association,
is adjacent to Coolidge-McClaine Park. The gallery features
monthly exhibits of artists from around the county.
Bowling
lanes in the Silver Creek Shopping Center have tournaments
throughout the year. The historic Palace movie theater downtown
is a popular spot for the young and old on Friday nights and
there are special rates on Monday nights.
Silverton
Reservoir offers fishing, sailing, and canoeing just 21/2 miles
south of downtown.
