24-615: The Tryon Creek State Natural Area is a state park located primarily in Portland , in the U.S. state of Oregon . It is the only Oregon state park within a major metropolitan area . The 645-acre (261 ha) park lies between Boones Ferry Road and Terwilliger Boulevard in southwest Portland in Multnomah County and northern Lake Oswego in Clackamas County and is bisected from north to south by Tryon Creek . To
48-526: A land lease from the U.S. government , while Mackinac National Park was handed down to become the first of the Michigan state parks . As with national parks, facilities at state parks are often leased to concessionaires to operate. Breaks Interstate Park is operated under an interstate compact by Virginia state parks , although it is also one of the Kentucky state parks , straddling both sides of
72-589: A few exceptions such as Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in California, and Wood-Tikchik State Park in Alaska, the largest state park in the United States . In addition to preserving natural landscapes and providing recreational opportunities, many state parks also serve as important educational resources . They often offer guided tours, interpretive programs, and exhibits that help visitors learn about
96-543: A garden escape and become naturalised in some other areas, e.g. Ireland and Great Britain . Although it is secure in the western portions of its range, Tellima grandiflora is listed as vulnerable in Idaho and Montana, and as critically imperiled in Alberta. It is widely grown in gardens. Different strains have been developed. It seeds itself freely in suitable climates. This plant, crushed and made into an infusion ,
120-699: A restaurant) for lodging at some parks. These typically use "Resort" in the name, such as "_____ Resort State Park" in West Virginia state parks and "_____ State Resort Park" in neighboring Kentucky state parks , which has 17 such resort parks, the most of any state. Other states use the Resort name inconsistently (like DeGray Lake Resort State Park , the only one out of three resorts in Arkansas state parks ), or have only one such park ( South Carolina state parks ' Hickory Knob State Resort Park ), or do not use
144-455: Is evergreen in mild winters. Flowers are borne in spring and early summer, on spikes, terminal racemes, up to 60 cm high. The green calyx is 6–8 mm long; the five flower petals are greenish-white to purple, pinnately divided and spreading. The petals are deeply fringed. It has 10 stamens and 2 styles. The plant is a native of moist forests in western North America, from Alaska and British Columbia to northern California . It can be
168-660: The Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales . The equivalent term used in Canada, Argentina, South Africa, and Belgium, is provincial park . Similar systems of local government maintained parks exist in other countries, but the terminology varies. State parks are thus similar to national parks , but under state rather than federal administration. Similarly, local government entities below state level may maintain parks, e.g., regional parks or county parks . In general, state parks are smaller than national parks, with
192-522: The Civilian Conservation Corps and Works Progress Administration . Tellima grandiflora Tellima grandiflora , the bigflower tellima or fringecups , is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Saxifragaceae . It is the only species in the genus Tellima . It has rounded stalked leaves mostly growing from the base emerging from a rootstock and bluntly toothed reaching heights of 30 cm. It
216-543: The Nature Center is near the main park entrance. It has a small play area for toddlers, a gift shop, a large classroom, and a separate area for educational exhibits. Nearby is the Glenn Jackson Shelter, a covered structure for outdoor events. In 1850, Socrates Hotchkiss Tryon Sr. , pioneer settler, established a donation land claim at the south end of the canyon. Five years later, he died, leaving
240-738: The country's state parks. The NASPD further counts over 43,000 miles (69,000 km) of trail, 217,367 campsites, and 8,277 cabins and lodges across U.S. state parks. The largest state park system in the United States is Alaska State Parks , with over 100 sites encompassing 3.3 million acres. Many states include designations beyond "state park" in their state parks systems. Other designations might be state recreation areas , state beaches, and state nature reserves . Some state park systems include long-distance trails and historic sites . To encourage tourism in rural areas, several states have simple lodges, inns, hotels, or motels (usually with
264-478: The designation at all (such as the lodges of Georgia state parks ). The term "lodge" may also refer to a hiking lodge , essentially a large cabin for hikers rather than a large facility with private rooms and a restaurant. Other lodging may include yurts and tipis . Not all parks owned by a state are necessarily part of its state-park system, such as Stone Mountain Park near Atlanta. Some Texas state parks are
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#1732772737207288-613: The land to his wife, Frances. The land then passed to other relatives, including Socrates Tryon, Jr., who sold the 645 acres (261 ha) in 1874 to the Oregon Iron Company . For nearly 25 years, the company logged virgin cedar and fir to use in its foundry in Lake Oswego. Its logging road later became Old Iron Mountain Trail in the state park. In 1900, fire in the upper canyon left charred snags still visible along
312-493: The local flora , fauna , geology , and cultural history of the area. These programs are designed not only to enhance the visitor experience but also to promote conservation awareness and encourage responsible enjoyment of natural resources. There are 6,792 state park units in the United States, according to the National Association of State Park Directors (NASPD). There are some 813 million annual visits to
336-496: The nature center and shelter were finished by 1975. The park was officially dedicated on July 1, 1975. Dominant plants in the Tryon Creek watershed are red alder , bigleaf maple , Douglas-fir , Western redcedar , and Western hemlock . The forest understory in the park includes many trilliums , celebrated each spring during the park's Trillium Festival. More than 90 species of wildflower such as fringecup are found in
360-522: The north, the park abuts the Lewis & Clark Law School campus. The park includes hiking trails, a paved bicycle path, and horse trails. The 3-mile (4.8 km) bicycle path, which runs along Terwilliger Boulevard on the east edge of the park to Lake Oswego, is part of the Portland metropolitan area's system of greenway trails known as the 40-Mile Loop . Near the main entrance off Terwilliger, part of
384-455: The park as well as plants such as sword fern . More than 50 species of birds as well as small mammals such as beaver inhabit the park. Tryon Creek is among the few streams in the Portland metropolitan area with a run of steelhead trout, and coho salmon have been recorded spawning in the creek. Water striders are common in the pools of Tryon Creek. State park State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at
408-461: The park's Center and Big Fir trails. Logging resumed in 1912 in the north part of the canyon, where the Boone's Ferry Wood and Tie Company had a site near what became Alfred Street. A sawmill and steam donkey engine operated near what became the sites of Beaver Bridge and Obie's Bridge. The lumber was used chiefly for railroad ties , cordwood and flagpoles, and left huge cedar stumps that remain in
432-516: The park, helped arrange land deals, helped solve problems of jurisdiction in a two-county, two-city park, and sought help from the state. In 1970, Oregon Governor Tom McCall announced the formation of Tryon Creek State Park. Over the next few years, the state bought more than 600 acres (240 ha) of land for nearly $ 3 million, including federal matching funds . The Friends and the state collaborated in park planning and further fund-raising. In 1973, more than 300 volunteers built trails, and
456-526: The park. Intermittent logging continued through 1961, and a 1962 windstorm known as the Columbus Day Storm of 1962 blew down many remaining trees. Local efforts began in the 1950s to establish a park along the creek, In 1969, the government of Multnomah County bought 45 acres (18 ha) to start a large regional park and sought citizen assistance with the project. This led to formation of Friends of Tryon Creek Park, which raised private funds for
480-469: The parking lot is devoted to horse trailers. Riders can choose between the 2-mile (3.2 km) North Horse Loop and the 3-mile (4.8 km) West Horse Loop. Hikers can use the bike path, the horse trails, and 8 miles (13 km) of hiking trails. The paved 0.35-mile (0.56 km) Trillium Trail, a loop furnished with drinking fountains and interpretive signs, can accommodate wheelchairs. Trillium Trail has benches and one viewing deck. A park building called
504-474: The state line. Other multi-state parks are legally two separate parks with the same name and more informal cooperation between them. The title of oldest state park in the United States is claimed by Niagara Falls State Park in New York , established in 1885. Several public parks previously or currently maintained at the state level pre-date it. Indian Springs State Park has been operated continuously by
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#1732772737207528-454: The state of Georgia as a public park since 1825, although it did not gain the title "State Park" until 1931. In 1864 Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove were ceded by the federal government to California until Yosemite National Park was proclaimed in 1890. In 1878 Wisconsin set aside a vast swath of its northern forests as "The State Park" but, needing money, sold most of it to lumber companies within 20 years. Mackinac National Park
552-506: The sub-national level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational potential. There are state parks under the administration of the government of each U.S. state , some of the Mexican states , and in Brazil . The term is also used in
576-473: Was established in 1875 as the second U.S. national park before being converted to a state park in 1895. The first state park with the designation of "state park" was Itasca State Park in Minnesota , established in 1891. Many state park systems date to the 1930s, when around 800 state parks (and several national ones) across the country were developed with assistance from federal job-creation programs like
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