You don’t have to travel far to get an authentic “in the woods” hiking experience when you live in the Heart of the Valley. The McDonald and Dunn Forest is one of Oregon State University’s Research Forests. Managed and used by the University, this wooded area is only 15 minutes north of campus and can be accessed via several different entrances from OR Hwy-99 West.
Trails criss-cross the numerous service roads that students, researchers, and forest service use on occasion. While designated sections of the forest are used for commercial cutting; the vast majority of the acreage is used for research and citizen recreation. You can even visit the OSU Lumberjack Games arena
Explore the Peavy Arboretum, where countless species of trees are on display. There is ample parking right up to the entrance of the arboretum, but you are also able to enter it via adjacent trails. You can easily lead a group of students on the manicured trails. Learn about the foliage and their significance to area by reading the signs along the way. There is plenty to witness and learn along the 30-miles of trail in the McDonald and Dunn Forest.
Heart of the Valley 