Explore Nearby Nature
by Beth Stein
DISCOVER THE KALAPUYA
Talking Stones
I
f stones could talk, what would they say? Would one stone speak of its journey down a river, another of its birth in the belly of a volcano, and another of its long deep sleep in the earth? Or would stones tell stories about the people who shared their land? If your family is looking for a meaningful adventure in nature nearby this summer, you should visit the Whilamut Natural Area of Alton Baker Park, where a special set of stones do speak. Since 2002, the Talking Stones have graced pathways and riverside viewpoints throughout the park. Placed to honor our community’s original inhabitants, the
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J U L Y 2 0 2 0 • O R E G O N F A M I LY. C O M
Kalapuya people, the basalt Talking Stones are each engraved with a Kalapuya word or phrase, as well as its English translation. On a hike through the park, from Eugene all the way to Springfield, you can visit fifteen stones. Several can be seen on a loop walk that passes the Nearby Nature Park Host Residence and the Frohnmayer Footbridge. Others are within a short walk of the Aspen Street Boat Launch in Springfield. (A map of the Talking Stones is available at nearbynature. org/kalapuya-people.) Once 15,000 strong, the Kalapuya have inhabited what is now
