Things to Do in Banks, Oregon

Killin Wetlands Nature Park offers over 370 acres of lush habitat for flora and fauna alike. The park is a vibrant location for bird watching with one of the highest densities of the American Bittern in all of Oregon. From the observation deck, you may also see Greater Yellowlegs, Mallards, and Double-Crested Cormorants. The nature park also boasts easy walking trails for a tranquil nature outing.

Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk.

Wildlife: American Bittern, Greater Yellowlegs, Mallards, Double-Crested Cormorants, Elk, Beaver, Bald Eagle, Roosevelt elk

Pet Policy: For the protection of wildlife and habitat, dogs, horses and other pets are prohibited.

Did You Know…

• The Killin Wetlands is one of the last examples in the region of a habitat that once covered more than 10,000 acres in the valley?
• The beautiful artwork by the Westside Quilters Guild called “Doves in the Window” is a part of the Quilt Barn Trail?

Closed for the season.

In July, spend a day in Tualatin Valley’s countryside with a hands-on lavender experience. Take a 1/4-mile walk through a hazelnut orchard and learn about the hazelnut cycle. You will also learn how to harvest lavender, cut your own lavender, make a lavender display and enjoy a quick demonstration of how lavender oil is distilled. Cost is $30 per person. Reserve your spot online.

Schmidlin Farms offers u-cut Douglas, Noble, and Grand Firs, as well as Nordmann holiday trees. Services include saws, cutting and carrying assistance, and tree baling. On the weekends, look forward to enjoying tractor pulls and hay rides.

Opens Thanksgiving weekend, daily 9 a.m. to dusk through December.

Closed for the season.

St. Francis Park has one soccer field.

Bays Farms offer U-pick and we-pick fruit and U-cut Christmas trees in season. Fruit U-pick and we-pick is available during the summer. Christmas trees are available November and December. During the work week it is always best to call before you come out to make sure the farm is open. Trees up to 15 feet tall are available for U-cut: Noble, Grand and Douglas Firs.

Hours:
• U-pick/We-pick; open daily June – October, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Christmas trees; November 23 and weekends through December 23, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Please call ahead to confirm produce availability and hours.

Get more information about the farm >>>

Closed for the season.

View the Christmas tree U-cut schedule >>>

Located off Highway 26 at NW Maller Road, this fruit stand offers a selection of fresh produce and meat from local farmers.

The Banks-Vernonia State Trail, Oregon’s first rails-to-trails park, is a 21-mile (one way), multi-use, car-free trail. Amenities and attractions along the route include trailhead parking areas, trestle/bridge crossings and day use areas. The trail may be accessed at any of six points, including trailheads at Manning, Buxton, Tophill and Beaver Creek, as well as the cities of Banks and Vernonia.

The Banks-Vernonia State Trail started as a railway and has been handed back over to nature. The trail allows walkers, joggers, cyclists and horseback riders the chance to view Oregon history while delighting in the forest’s renewed splendor. The trail permits only non-motorized use, at a safe slow speed.

Download a map and brochure >>>

Hours: Day use open year-round, dawn to dusk, daily.

Pet Policy: Pets must be confined by the owner, or on a leash not more than six (6) feet long, and kept under physical control at all times. Owner is responsible for removal of all waste.

Flora: Douglas Fir, Western Red Cedar, Red Huckleberry

Wildlife: Pileated Woodpecker, Cougar

Did you know…

• The trail opened in 1991 and has 16 trestle bridges?
• The trail originally was built as a train route to connect to the last virgin Douglas-fir forest in northwestern Oregon during the early 1920s.

As of July 10, 2021, there will be additional parking at Five Star Builders at 13981 NW Main St. in downtown Banks.

Parking is available:
Monday-Friday, 5:00 pm to Dusk
Saturday-Sunday (and state holidays), 7:00 am to Dusk

Banks is a small town encompassed by farms and forests. Its primary industries are agriculture and timber, and the town offers abundant outdoor recreational opportunities. The visitor center and historical society, located in a picturesque log cabin in the heart of the city, is open Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Chamber of Commerce will provide relocation information upon request and is on call, Monday through Friday.

Sunset Park is a 25-acre park that contains four baseball fields, a dirt race track called Sunset Speedway, children’s play equipment, and several picnic areas. Sunset Speedway Park is located in the West end of the park & holds stock car races every Saturday from April to September.