We didn't realize we had such big parks in such close proximity to our downtown shopping centers and apartments...but here we were, on a mountain, the park's entrance guarded by a subdued firestation-red building. Parking lots - nearly dead empty.
Golden prairies, silence, and stone paths. That's what Cooper Mountain Park offers in its grand 231+ acres.
There are many scenic paths, though we stuck to the first loop and kept on going. Some spanning just under two to one mile. The trail we took was about a mile and a half in all and had one very steep incline.
Do you see the butterfly? It's camouflage is very good! It fluttered along with us for some time.
Also, we couldn't miss this wasp hive, just off the trail. Please don't approach them or try to damage them - they're actually quite dangerous and may be aggressive without warning. Just observe and take pictures : )
Like many other nature parks in Oregon, this one warns you of Poison Oak. It also doesn't permit pets of any kind - not because they're being mean, they're just looking to help the species living in a somewhat tiny wildlife habitat. The signs say even a park as big as Cooper Mountain just doesn't cut it for wildlife - you know, bears and bobcats and birds. Still, it's good to see a remnant of safety for the unseen animals of the woods.