Springing forward for Daylight Savings Time is often associated with “Hatch Time,” at least for the Bald Eagles Smith Rock State Park. At the time of this post, we only know of their two eggs, as shown in the header image taken on February 29 by Terry W. Smith of “Images On The Outside.” The Golden Eagles are much harder to know about, as their nests are huge and deep on the walls of the Monument Area, so we don’t have a headcount on the number they are expecting yet. Thank you to each of the photographers who brave the elements to bring us such magnificent images!
2023 has been a banner year for the Bald Eagle family at Smith Rock State Park. Mom and Dad Bald are now empty-nesters, with the two surviving eaglets now spreading their wings around the neighborhood. While we all mourn the loss of one of the three that were born this year, we recognize that it’s part of nature, along with the ongoing challenges of “eat or be eaten” in the animal kingdom. Check out this amazing collection of images from 4 photographers of this year’s nesting season at the Bald Eagles of Smith Rock.
State Parks Day is also National Trails Day, and it means a lot more than just free parking and camping at Smith Rock State Park June 3-4. It’s also an opportunity to show your appreciation for one of the crown jewels of the State Park system, our beloved “Smitty.” There are multiple opportunities to give back to the park thanks to the volunteer organizations that have put together the following projects.
UPDATE APRIL 27, 2023
Listen to Smith Rock Park Manager Matt Davey give the Master Plan some context with historic and data-driven info in this interview done in the Source Weekly’s Bend Don’t Break podcast released today here.
See our summary slide show of the proposals. You can also link to the Zoom meeting presentation or go read it for yourself and then comment. We also supply direct link buttons at the bottom of the article. The end of the public feedback period is May 15, 2023, at 5:00 PM.
Back in 2017 and 2018, there were three public meetings for input on the first update to the Smith Rock State Park Master Plan from 1991. Now after a COVID hiatus, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is back on track to present its vision for the next 20 years of future park development for Smith Rock, addressing feedback from the public after extensive assessments and analysis, weighing visitation needs with the protection of the natural, cultural, and scenic resources of the park.
