Where Floaters Refresh: A River Site’s Comeback Story

NIMROD: Lane County this week celebrated improvements the 47-acre Eagle Rock riverfront property that was heavily damaged in the 2020 Holiday Farm wildfire.

The property, acquired by the county in 1979 from a private landowner, came with deed restrictions requiring that any development serve elderly visitors and remain accessible to people of all abilities, according to Lane County Parks Manager Brett Henry.

Changes came dramatically in 2020, when flames swept through the McKenzie River corridor, destroying a home and outbuildings at the park and leaving extensive damage to the surrounding forest. Cleanup efforts followed, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Oregon Department of Transportation removing hazardous materials and debris. The work left behind a large open pit where the structures once stood.

In the aftermath, Lane County’s Parks Dept. secured planning assistance through the National Park Service, which provided a landscape architect to help reimagine the site. Community engagement has been a key part of the process, Henry said, with outreach meetings held at the Leaburg Fire Station that included local residents, river guides and nearby property owners.

Today, the site primarily functions as a rest stop for people floating the McKenzie River – a midway point where visitors can pull over, eat lunch and prepare for downstream rapids.

Planned improvements aim to enhance that role rather than significantly change it. Proposed upgrades include new park benches, expanded ADA-accessible parking and shaded shelter areas to improve comfort and usability for a wide range of visitors.

Access to the site remains a challenge. The property currently relies on a shared private driveway and does not have safe direct access from the highway. Until a dedicated entrance can be developed, county officials say efforts will focus on improving existing amenities rather than expanding infrastructure.

Tree damage from the fire also continues to shape the project. While ODOT has cleared hazardous trees near the highway right-of-way, many fire-killed trees remain between the road and the main recreation area.

Despite those challenges, Henry said the restoration effort represents an opportunity to preserve a well-used river access point while making it safer and more accessible for future generations.