Minto-Brown Island Park
Managed by City of Salem
1,193 acres8.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Photo: M.O. Stevens · CC BY-SA 3.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Salem
Salem has 55 miles of mapped trails, 1.1 for every square mile of land
93% of residents live within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Minto-Brown Island Park (8.8 mi), Wallace Marine Park (2.6 mi), Cascades Gateway Park (2.1 mi). 7% of Salem’s land is conserved, about 2,179 acres.
Ahead of 80% of U.S. towns · #52 of 142 in Oregon. What drives it
Conserved land
7%
2,179 acres · of 49.0 sq mi of land
Trails
55 mi
1.1 per sq mi of land
Park land
1,967 ac
11 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
93%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
150 mi
119 mi lanes · 27 mi paths
Highest peak
656 ft
Reese Hill
Lakes & rivers
14
4 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Salem?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Salem have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Salem is ahead of 80% of U.S. towns, #52 of 142 in Oregon. Trail miles hold the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Salem’s overall grade.
Conserved land7% of the land · typical OR town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails1.1 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (55 mi) · OR 0.8 · U.S. 0.4A−Park land11 acres of park per 1,000 residents (1,967 acres) · OR 7 · U.S. 13B−Parks close to home93% of residents within a half mile of a park · OR 96% · U.S. 72%A−
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 80%
LessMore
Oregon towns of 2,500+ (142)Ahead of 64%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Salem ranks #190 on Outdoors.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Minto-Brown Island Park, with 8.8 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Cascades Gateway Park
Managed by City of Salem
104 acres2.1 mi of trail
Mill Creek Path
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Bush's Pasture Park
Park
83 acres1.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
Sprague School/Skyline Park
Park
42 acres1.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Fairview Wetlands Scenic Trail
Nature preserve
30 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 86 parks & preserves
Minto-Brown Island Park1,193 acres · 8.8 mi of trail · City of Salem
DirectionsWallace Marine Park155 acres · 2.6 mi of trail
DirectionsCascades Gateway Park104 acres · 2.1 mi of trail · City of Salem
DirectionsWoodmansee Park29 acres · 2 mi of trail
DirectionsBush's Pasture Park83 acres · 1.9 mi of trail
DirectionsSprague School/Skyline Park42 acres · 1.4 mi of trail
DirectionsOrchard Heights Park29 acres · 1 mi of trail
DirectionsFairview Wetlands Scenic Trail30 acres · 0.8 mi of trail
DirectionsGeer Park45 acres · 0.6 mi of trail
DirectionsWest Salem High School Park17 acres · 0.5 mi of trail
DirectionsSalem Audubon Nature Reserve8 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Audubon
DirectionsDeepwood Estate5 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · Friends of Deepwood
DirectionsWillson Park6 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · State of Oregon
DirectionsState Capitol State Park28 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
DirectionsBryan Johnston Park17 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Fairmount Park13 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsStraub Nature Park10 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsSecor Park9 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Englewood School Park7 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Croisan Trail5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Ellen Lane Park5 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Salem
College Heights Park3 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
Gilmore Field City Park13 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsChandler Nature Park7 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Robert and Susie Lee School Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
Fairview Park30 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Salem
DirectionsRiverfront Park29 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Salem
DirectionsMcKay School Park15 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBrush College Park9 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Salem
Sunnyslope Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Fircrest Park5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHoodview Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Highland School Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Wiltsey Road Property2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Clarmount Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsHarry and Grace Thorp Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Minto Island Conservation Area298 acres
DirectionsBattle Creek Park57 acres
Claggett Creek Natural Area42 acres · City of Salem
DirectionsWalker Park23 acres
DirectionsAudubon Riparian Reserve23 acres · Audubon
DirectionsRiver Road City Park17 acres
DirectionsStephens-Yoshikai School Park16 acres
Civic Center12 acres
DirectionsNelson Park11 acres
DirectionsNorthgate City Park8 acres
Lansing Park7 acres
DirectionsWendy Kroger Park7 acres
DirectionsEdgewater Parkway7 acres
DirectionsBarrick Field City Park7 acres
DirectionsClark Creek Park6 acres
DirectionsChapman Hill School Park6 acres
DirectionsEola Ridge Park6 acres
Royal Oaks Park5 acres · City of Salem
Bailey Ridge Park5 acres · City of Salem
Sunnyside-Mildred Property5 acres
Weathers Street Park5 acres
DirectionsMorningside Park5 acres
DirectionsSumpter School Park5 acres
Hoover School Park4 acres
DirectionsCapitol Park4 acres · State of Oregon
DirectionsPringle Park4 acres
DirectionsWes Bennett Park4 acres
Bill Riegel Park4 acres
DirectionsUnion Street Railroad Bridge4 acres
DirectionsHillview Park3 acres
DirectionsMill Race Beautification3 acres
DirectionsLivingston Park2 acres
Marion Square Park2 acres
DirectionsLee Park2 acres
McRae Park2 acres
North Mall Heritage Park2 acres
DirectionsAldrich Park2 acres
DirectionsMcKinley School Park2 acres
DirectionsPringle Creek Trail2 acres
DirectionsHighland Park1 acres
West Salem Park1 acres
DirectionsRichmond School Park1 acres
Glen Creek Park1 acres
South Village Park1 acres
Rees Park1 acres
Hammond School Park1 acres
Grant School Park1 acres
DirectionsWoodscape Linear Park1 acres
Candalaria Park1 acres
SAIF Salem Campus Park1 acres
DirectionsWho protects it
2,179 conserved acres
7% of Salem’s land. Who manages Salem’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city1,907 ac
USDA easements (NRCS)169 ac
Other state land94 ac
State parks12 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits8 ac
State Department of Land1 ac
Local Park · 1,656 acState Other or Unknown · 203 acConservation Easement · 169 acLocal Conservation Area · 68 acState Park · 51 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 169 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minto-brown Island Local Park | Town or city | 703 | Open |
| Oregon Exposition Center State Other or Unknown | Town or city | 168 | Open |
| Wallace Marine Park Local Park | Town or city | 151 | Open |
| Bush Pasture Local Park | Town or city | 101 | Open |
| Cascade Gateway Local Park | Town or city | 101 | Open |
| Battle Creek Property Local Park | Town or city | 57 | Open |
| Geer Park State Park | Other state land | 44 | Open |
| Sprague-skyline School Local Park | Town or city | 42 | Open |
| Claggett Creek Natural Area Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 41 | Open |
| Walker Park State Other or Unknown | Other state land | 35 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
145 places to go in Salem
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Public pools in Salem
Kaneko Pool
DirectionsPlaygrounds in Salem
Crooked HouseIn Bush's Pasture Park
DirectionsLet's All Play Park
DirectionsRiverfront Park PlaygroundIn Riverfront Park
DirectionsSoutheast PlaygroundIn Bush's Pasture Park
Directions122 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Salem
Minto Brown Dog ParkIn Minto-Brown Island Park
DirectionsPlus 2 dog parks without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Salem
4 boat launches without a name on the map.
Peaks in Salem
Reese Hill656 ft elevation
DirectionsZosel Hill627 ft elevation
DirectionsWallace Hill427 ft elevation
DirectionsChapman Hill400 ft elevation
DirectionsIllahe Hill240 ft elevation
DirectionsPicnic areas in Salem
5 picnic areas without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Salem
Ellen Lane Community GardenIn Ellen Lane Park
DirectionsIsaac's Garden
DirectionsPlus 3 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
5 named trails and 14 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 5.0 miUnpaved · 18.9 mi
Mill Creek Path1.0 mi
Hilfiker Park Foot Path0.2 mi
Wiltsy Road Property Foot Path0.1 mi
Titan Path0.1 mi
Strong Road Southeast0.1 mi
Biking & sports
150 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
119 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
27 mi
off-road bike paths
3.1 mi
shoulders & shared lanes
Courts & fields
67Tennis
56Basketball
55Baseball
29Soccer
17Tracks
15Pickleball
12Football
11Multi-sport
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →70 places on the National Register
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 24 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Jason Lee HouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itKay, Thomas, Woolen MillDistrict · listed 1973
About itDr. Luke A. Port HouseBuilding · listed 1973
About itAsahel Bush HouseBuilding · listed 1974
About itMethodist Mission ParsonageBuilding · listed 1974
About itJohn D. Boon HouseBuilding · listed 1975
About itBoon Brick StoreBuilding · listed 1975
About itWaller Hall, Willamette UniversityBuilding · listed 1975
About itDavid McCully HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itBush-Breyman BlockBuilding · listed 1978
About itWilliam Lincoln Wade HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itReed Opera House and McCornack Block AdditionBuilding · listed 1978
About it58 more on the History page.
When to get out
The best walking months in Salem: April to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.1 | 10.3 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.3 | 14.1 | 12.5 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°F) | 47 | 51 | 56 | 61 | 68 | 74 | 82 | 83 | 77 | 64 | 53 | 46 |
| Rain (in) | 6.3 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 3.7 | 6.2 | 7.1 |
July is the driest month (0.3 in) and August the warmest (highs of 83 °F). 7.1 inches fall in December, the wettest month. The climate in Salem →
Next door
Salem and its neighbors
Salem has the most mapped trails of the 4 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem | 7% | 1.1 | 11 | 93% | A− |
| Hayesville | 1% | 0.1 | 1 | 64% | C− |
| Four Corners | under 1% | 0.8 | 1 | 84% | C+ |
| Keizer | 3% | 0.4 | 4 | 91% | B− |
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Salem
Where can I hike in Salem?
The longest trail networks: Minto-Brown Island Park, 8.8 miles; Wallace Marine Park, 2.6 miles; Cascades Gateway Park, 2.1 miles; Woodmansee Park, 2 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Salem is conserved land?
7% of its land, against a typical 4% for an Oregon town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Salem’s trails?
Minto-Brown Island Park and Wallace Marine Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Salem?
150 miles of bike routes are on the map: 119 of painted or protected lanes, 27 of off-road paths and 3.1 of shoulders and shared lanes.
Is there public land near Salem?
5,145 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Salem or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,150 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Salem have?
Ahead of 80% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #52 of 142 in Oregon. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Salem neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →