Jan. 12, 2024
This Monday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and as the late civil rights leader’s widow Coretta Scott King said in 1983 upon passage of the holiday marking her husband’s birthday, “The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrate the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others.”
To this day Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is the only national day of service holiday in the United States.
While cancellations may occur as a result of this weekend’s winter weather, here are several conservation-themed events scheduled around Oregon and the Portland metropolitan area to honor Dr. King’s legacy on Monday, Jan. 15th. We will update this page as we are able to.
MLK Day of Service — Think Wild Expansion (this may be cancelled due to weather)
8 a.m. to 12 noon
Think Wild Wildlife Hospital and Conservation Center
62410 Erickson Rd.
Bend, OR 97701
MLK Day of Service — Blood Drive at American Red Cross Donor Center
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Salem-Keizer Chapter of the NAACP
1860 Hawthorne Ave. NE
Salem, OR 97301
MLK Day of Service — Forest Restoration at Mary S. Young Park
8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Solve: Taking Care of Oregon
19900 Willamette Drive
West Linn, OR 97068
MLK Day of Service — Tree Planing at Hidden Creek Park West (we’ve learned this may be cancelled)
9 a.m. to 12 noon
City of Hillsboro Parks and Recreation
225 NE 53rd Ave.
Hillsboro, OR 97124
MLK Day of Service — Volunteer Planting at Sandy River Delta Park
9 a.m. 12 noon
Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership
Crown Point Highway
Troutdale, OR 97060
MLK Day of Service — Tree Planting at Arnold Park
9 a.m. to 12 noon
Watershed Alliance of Southwest Washington
NE 18th Court near the west entrance of Arnold Park
Vancouver, WA 98663
MLK Day of Service — Volunteer Planting at Burnt Creek Bridge Greenway
9 a.m. to 12 noon
Estuary Partnership
Stewart Glen NW and Lakeshore Ave.
Vancouver, WA 98663
MLK Day of Service — Habitat Enhancement at Powell Butte (this has been cancelled due to weather)
10 a.m. to 12 noon
Hands on Portland
16160 SE Powell Blvd.
Portland, OR 97236
MLK Day of Service — Tree Planting and Stewardship at Lents Park (this has apparently been cancelled)
10 a.m. to 12 noon
Urban Forestry and Green Lents
4808 SE 92nd Ave.
Portland, OR 97266
MLK Day of Service — Milkweed Seed Packing
10 a.m. to 12 noon
Deschutes Land Trust
210 NW Irving Ave., Suite 102
Bend, OR 97701
MLK Day Nature Walk — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
12 noon to 2 p.m.
Audubon Society of Corvallis and Corvallis Sustainability Coalition
4905 NW Walnut Blvd.
Corvallis, OR 97330
MLK Day of Service — Natural Demonstration Garden at Pacific Park “Spruce Up”
12 noon to 2 p.m.
Clark County Master Gardeners
1515 NE 164th Ave.
Vancouver, WA 98684
MLK Day of Service — Trash Pickup
3 to 4 p.m.
Stream Smart and Coral Sea Scuba
123 Southwest M St.
Grants Pass, OR 97526
In addition, the National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have all declared Monday the 15th to be a “fee free” day to honor the Martin Luther King Day holiday.
Of course, access to some National Park Service sites in Oregon, like Crater Lake, may be limited or even closed on Monday due to this weekend’s weather and seasonal closures. Please check local conditions, weather, and hours of operation before making a trip.
National Park Service fee locales in Oregon:
Crater Lake National Park (some temporary closures, Rim Drive and North Entrance Road closed for the season)
John Day Fossil Beds (closed Sunday the 14th)
Lewis and Clark National Historic Park (closed)
Oregon Caves National Monument
The U.S. Forest Service is waiving most recreation day use fees for National Forests on Monday (except for camping, cabin rentals, and permit fees) with free entry for trailheads and visitor centers, including:
Deschutes National Forest
Fremont-Winema National Forest
Malheur National Forest
Mt. Hood National Forest
Ochoco National Forest
Rogue-River Siskiyou National Forest
Siuslaw National Forest
Umatilla National Forest
Umpqua National Forest
Wallowa-Whitman National Forest
Willamette National Forest
Be aware of changing and dangerous weather conditions. For more, visit the U.S. Forest Service Pacific Northwest Forest Area Map.
Though access to most Bureau of Land Management recreation sites and trailheads in Oregon are free, day-use fees will be waived on Monday the 15th at these locations. Please check local conditions first:
Alsea Falls Recreation Site
Gerber Recreation Area
Hyatt Lake Recreation Area
Sandy Ridge Trail System
Shotgun Creek Recreation Site
Spring Recreation Site
Wildwood Recreation Site
Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area