Noble Woods Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Noble Woods Park |
|
|---|---|
Trail head at the north entrance
|
|
| Type | Public, city |
| Location | Hillsboro, Oregon, United States |
| Area | 38 acres (150,000 m2) |
| Created | 1998 |
| Operated by | Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department |
| Status | open |
| Parking | Two lots |
| Website | Noble Woods Park |
Noble Woods Park is a beautiful city park in Hillsboro, Oregon, United States. It's a nature park with about 40 acres (16 hectares) of forests and wetlands. The park is located along Rock Creek, between West Baseline Road and Southwest Borwick Road. It's close to the Orenco neighborhood. The city bought the land in 1992 and opened the park in 1998. Noble Woods Park has two entrances, a picnic area, and fun hiking trails for everyone to enjoy.
Contents
Park History: How Noble Woods Park Began
In 1991, the city of Hillsboro wanted to buy almost 40 acres of woodland and wetland from Charlie Noble. This land was along Rock Creek, east of the city. To pay for it, the city asked voters to approve a special bond.
However, the bond measure did not pass. So, local people came up with a different plan! About 200 people promised to donate money. Each person gave $500 right away, then $300 every year for five years. The Hillsboro Rotary Club and Baker Rock Resources also donated $50,000, and the city government matched that amount.
Charlie Noble agreed to sell the land for $881,000, which was a discount from its actual value. The city officially bought the land in 1992.
After getting the land, the city used money from Metro to build things at the park in 1997. They added a special spot to look out over Rock Creek. The park officially opened on Earth Day in 1998.
People in the community often help take care of the park. For example, in June 2006, volunteers worked to remove English ivy from parts of the park. This plant is not native to the area and can harm other plants. Another group, part of SOLV, helped remove more ivy in April 2008.
Park Amenities: What Can You Do at Noble Woods?
Noble Woods Park has many cool features for visitors. You can find trails that are easy to use, even for wheelchairs. There are also bridges and stepping stones to help you cross different areas. A special stone and iron overlook lets you see Rock Creek, which flows into the Tualatin River.
The park has about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) of paved trails. One trail even has stepping stones right in the creek, so you can walk over the water! Besides hiking trails, there's a picnic area with restrooms and a covered shelter for activities.
The park has two entrances, one on the north side and one on the south side. Both entrances have paved parking lots. The north entrance is off West Baseline Road, near 231st Avenue. The south entrance is off Southwest Borwick Road and has the picnic area with tables and a lovely meadow.
Natural Environment: Plants and Animals of Noble Woods
Noble Woods Park is a great place to see nature! It has two main types of natural areas: upland forests and wetlands. The upland forest is on the north side of the park. The southern part of the park has lowlands, which include wetlands, open meadows, Rock Creek, and some ponds. Beaverton Creek also flows into Rock Creek here.
Bird Species in the Park
Many different kinds of birds live in Noble Woods Park. You might spot:
- Chickadees
- Winter Wrens
- Blue herons
- Ducks
- Nuthatches
- Brown Creepers
- Tree Swallows
- Hawks
- Black-headed Grosbeaks
- Turkey vultures
Wildlife You Might See
Besides birds, other animals call Noble Woods home. You might see:
In Rock Creek, you can find aquatic life like:
- Crawfish
- Freshwater mussels
- Small fish
Plant Life in Noble Woods
The park is full of diverse plants and trees. Some of the plants you can find include:
- Snowberry
- Pacific dogwood
- Douglas fir
- Red cedar
- Nightshade
- Alder
- Western hemlock
- Ash
- Rose hips
- Red osier dogwood bushes
- Ninebark
- Bittersweet nightshade
- Jewelweed
- Maples
Some of the cedar trees in the park are very old, more than a hundred years!
