Pack up a cooler, grab your sunglasses, load up the family including the four-legged ones, and rev up the car engine…it is time for a day trip!
The weather is fantastic, there isn’t anywhere you have to be, and you’re itching for an outdoor adventure. You will need comfortable shoes, drinks, and snacks, plus your beloved dog(s). The question is, where should you go for a great dog-friendly outing?
Requirements for a stupendous day trip:
1) Fun
2) Dogs are allowed
3) Relaxing
4) Inspiring
Bonus Points: free entry/no entrance fee to gain access
If you’ve never been to Reinhart Volunteer Park in Grants Pass, rest assured it has everything. It is absolutely stunning; professional photographers love the backdrops here, including the River Vista Wedding Site. There are plenty of paved walking trails, pockets of lush shade (or open sunny spaces, take your pick), grassy lawns, covered picnic shelters, sandy volleyball courts, ball fields of all kinds, duck ponds, fishing ponds, sightseeing on the Rogue River, and yes, plenty of great parking options. Entrance to the park is free. Located at 1690 SW Webster Road in Josephine County (Grants Pass), it is a short drive away, no matter where you live in the Rogue
Valley.
A full listing of the facilities would need to include the following:
- four softball fields
- two baseball fields
- a soccer field
- three sand volleyball courts
- a fly-casting pond
- a jogging trail
- wildlife viewing areas
- wetland areas
- fishing ponds
- three tennis courts
- four basketball courts
- twelve horseshoe pits
- seven shelters available for reservations
- a playground
- the Reinhart Park Footbridge
- restrooms
- ADA accessible
You might catch sight of a life-size bronze sculpture by Dennis Smith, depicting parents with their young child; the art is entitled, “Roots and Wings” and is very appropriate for this park-for- all-ages. Kids aged 9 months to 99 years, 9 months will enjoy a visit to this park.
The official web site is https://www.grantspassoregon.gov/facilities/facility/details/reinhartvolunteerpark-10
Park hours are roughly 7:00 am to 10:00 pm; according to the Grants Pass City web site, “Park hours vary depending on the season and daylight. The parks are closed when it is dark, with the exception of areas that have field and court lights. Field and court lights must be off by 10:30 p.m.” Restrooms in all parks may be locked as early as 7:00 pm.
(https://www.grantspassoregon.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2696/Park-Rules?bidId=)
Park Map: https://www.grantspassoregon.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1203/Reinhart-Volunteer-Park-Map-DF?bidId=
To reserve one of the seven shelters, you may contact Grants Pass Parks & Recreation, at (541) 471-6435.
