Celebrate spring with near-and-farther adventures

By Greg Johnson

Travelers often get the itch to venture out more in May as the sun starts to shine regularly. 

Here are a couple of regional options.

Walk along the river

Get an early look at Hyas Point, a mixed-use development rising along the Columbia River, while taking a brisk walk on riverside trails. The project, which is nearing completion, will comprise senior and other residential options, along with commercial and retail space.

Oregon-based Rkm Development is building 183 units for independent living, 

assisted living and memory care. The six-story senior living community will feature a full-service athletic club with a six-lane swimming pool, a library, activity spaces and a restaurant. 

The developer aims to create a walkable community with amenities such as trails and boutique shops. 

Hyas Point is adjacent to the Washougal Waterfront Park, which boasts a 12-foot-wide waterfront trail with magnificent views of the Columbia River. The park has picnic tables, a breakwater fishing area and interpretive signage.

Rock out in Redmond

In 1935, 52-year-old Danish immigrant Rasmus Petersen decided to create a garden from rocks cleared from his 80-acre homestead near Redmond, Oregon. 

The 4-acre garden soon became a major tourist attraction, drawing 120,000 visitors annually to see the intricate rock structures and roaming peacocks. The garden eventually expanded to include a museum, a diner and a pond. 

Petersen died in 1952, and his wife, Nyleta Harris, managed the garden until her death in 1987.

The rock garden recently underwent a restoration, including a remodel of the museum after years of decline. New owners and volunteers are working to revitalize the garden’s features and celebrate its history. 

Among the garden’s features are a 7-foot-tall replica of the Statue of Liberty, intricate miniature bridges and castles, and an array of jasper, lava, agate, petrified wood and obsidian rocks.

The “world famous” Petersen Rock Garden, Museum and Peacock Sanctuary is located 7930 S.W. 77th St., Redmond. It’s open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, and admission is free. For information, call 541-904-0557 or go to www.petersenrockgarden.org.

Greg Johnson is a travel writer for The Messenger.