Fern Ridge Reservoir was completed in 1941 and now offers recreational opportunities for many outdoor adventures.  The body of water is fed by the Long Tom River and Coyote Creek as well as Amazon Creek.  Because if it’s large size and reliable wind, sailing is popular in the Summer.  As well, many migratory birds will stop off here and enjoy the water including tern, bittern, martin, white pelican, osprey, etc.  The contrast between the open water of the lake and the calm muddy waters of Coyote Creek make this a unique place to paddle.    For more information about the dam and habitat restoration check out the Army Core of Engineers page. Also, the US Fish & Wildlife website has great information about access here (ODFW Visitor’s Guide).

This tour starts at Perkins Peninsula Park, a Lane County Park, located off Highway 126,  just West of Eugene

A paddle across Fern Ridge Reservoir leads us to the still waters of Coyote creek.  We enjoy paddling here because there are many different species of birds living in this marshy habitat.  We usually run this tour early in the season to get some cooler weather.  What a great place to explore and it is so close to town.