This two-time “All-America City” in Oregon keeps flying under everyone’s radar

It’s the covered bridge capital of the West

Cottage Grove sits 23 miles south of Eugene in Oregon’s southern Willamette Valley, a town of about 10,000 that most people blow right past on Interstate 5. That’s a mistake.

Farmers settled here in 1855, and the downtown still holds buildings from the 1880s designed by noted architect John Hunzicker.

The town won the All-America City Award twice, in 1968 and 2004. Six historic covered bridges dot the area. And the best way to see them all is on two wheels.

Gold, timber and two dams built this town

Gold showed up in the Bohemia Mountains east of town in the 1860s, and prospectors followed.

The mining district pulled gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc out of those hills for decades before things slowed down in the 1920s.

Lumber mills kept the economy moving, and in 1925, workers built the Chambers Railroad Bridge to haul logs across the river.

By the 1940s, the Army Corps of Engineers dammed two rivers and created Cottage Grove Lake and Dorena Lake, which now draw swimmers, anglers and boaters all summer long.

Drive a 20-mile loop past all six bridges

You can see every covered bridge on a self-guided driving tour that loops about 20 miles through town and around Dorena Lake.

The Chambers Railroad Bridge, built in 1925 and restored in 2011, is the only remaining covered railroad bridge west of the Mississippi.

Mosby Creek Bridge dates to 1920, making it the oldest covered bridge in Lane County, and cars still drive through it.

The Currin Bridge stands out with its white portals and red sides, the only two-tone covered bridge in the county. Near the dam, the Dorena Bridge draws wedding parties to its quiet span.

Oregons first scenic bikeway connects every bridge

If you want a closer look, get on a bike. Oregon designated it the state’s first official scenic bikeway in 2015.

The Covered Bridges Scenic Bikeway stretches about 36 miles and passes all six bridges on paved paths and quiet country roads.

The route loops through town and around Dorena Lake, rolling past forests, farmland and Cascade foothill views the whole way.

You can rent a bike in town if you did not bring your own, and the flat terrain keeps the ride easy on your legs.

Row River Trail runs 16 flat miles along the lake

The Row River Trail starts right in downtown Cottage Grove and follows the old Oregon Pacific and Eastern Railroad line for about 16 paved miles.

It runs mostly flat through forests and along the shores of Dorena Lake, with trailheads and restrooms spaced every few miles.

You can walk it, bike it, or ride it on horseback any time of year. One thing to know before you go: “Row” rhymes with “cow,” named after the river that carved this valley.

Two lakes sit minutes from downtown

Dorena Lake fills a valley in the low foothills of the Calapooya Mountains, about five miles east of town. You can boat, swim, water ski, or fish for trout and catfish.

Cottage Grove Lake, formed by a dam on the Coast Fork Willamette River, covers about 1,025 acres. Both lakes have picnic areas, campgrounds and boat ramps ready to go.

Marshland, forests and grasslands ring the shorelines, and the mix of habitat pulls in birds and wildlife year-round.

Three waterfalls hide in the Cascade foothills

Spirit Falls drops 40 feet, and you can reach it on a short trail of about two-thirds of a mile round trip. Moon Falls sends water down a rock face in thin, jagged lines.

Pinard Falls lands in a pool ringed by forest. All three sit close together in the Umpqua National Forest, so you can hit them in a single outing.

If you still have energy, the Brice Creek Trail adds more falls and swimming holes along a forested creek that keeps going deeper into the woods.

Ten murals tell the town’s story on downtown walls

Walk through the downtown historic district and you’ll find 10 large murals painted on the sides of buildings.

They trace Cottage Grove’s history from early settlement through the gold rush and beyond. A free self-guided walking tour maps them all out for you.

Beyond downtown, more than 20 additional murals spread through the rest of town on a wider driving or cycling loop.

The mural walk pairs well with a stop at the antique shops, bookstores and small boutiques that line Main Street.

Stroll Main Street’s 1800s storefronts

Main Street holds rows of well-kept buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s.

You can duck into antique shops, flip through used bookstores, and browse one-of-a-kind gift shops without crossing a single intersection.

At one end of the street, the Centennial Covered Bridge stands as a piece of hometown pride. Volunteers built it in 1987 from salvaged lumber to mark the town’s 100th birthday.

It connects downtown to a veterans memorial on the other side. Street parking is free.

Every July, the town throws a gold rush party

Bohemia Mining Days takes over downtown Cottage Grove each July with a multi-day celebration of the area’s mining roots.

You’ll find parades rolling down Main Street, historical reenactments, food vendors and artisan booths lining the sidewalks.

Gold panning stations let you try your luck, and the traditional prospectors’ breakfast fills you up before the day gets going.

A nonprofit group dedicated to preserving the area’s mining culture runs the whole event, and it draws both locals and out-of-towners who come back year after year.

Catch a show at the 150-seat community theater

Cottage Theatre has put on plays and musicals since 1982, run entirely by a nonprofit with hundreds of volunteers. The community built the 150-seat facility in 1998, and it now draws more than 10,000 people a year.

Beyond the stage, the town keeps a full calendar with a monthly arts walk, seasonal farmers markets and cycling events throughout the year.

When summer hits, concerts and festivals fill the local parks, giving you a reason to stick around past sundown.

Explore Cottage Grove, Oregon

Cottage Grove sits just off Interstate 5 at exit 174, about 23 miles south of Eugene.

If you’re coming from Portland, it’s about 170 miles south, and the Oregon Coast is an easy side trip from here. Eugene Airport, the nearest commercial airport, is about 25 miles north.

Once you arrive, downtown is walkable, and the covered bridges and trails are all a short drive away. Check the official website for seasonal events and visitor info before you head out.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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