| Mount Pisgah | |
|---|---|
 Mount Pisgah at sunset | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,531 ft (467 m) |
| Coordinates | 44°00′50″N122°57′41″W / 44.0137958°N 122.9612904°W /44.0137958; -122.9612904 |
| Geography | |
 | |
| Location | Lane County,Oregon, U.S. |
| Parent range | Cascade Range |
| Topo map | USGS Cruso |
| Geology | |
| Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Mount Pisgah is a small mountain (summit) inLane County,Oregon,United States, rising 1,060 feet (320 m) above the surroundingWillamette Valley to a maximum elevation of 1,531 feet (467 m). It was named after thebiblical Mount Pisgah. It is situated between theCoast Fork andMiddle Fork of theWillamette River, two miles (3.2 km) southeast of their confluence.Springfield is immediately north of Mount Pisgah, and the city ofEugene is about seven miles (11 km) west. It is the site of the 2,363 acres (956 ha)Howard Buford Recreation Area as well as the non-profitMount Pisgah Arboretum at its base.
The hill consists ofbasalt or its intrusive equivalentdiabase. Small crystals of calcite and variouszeolite minerals are often seen where the rock outcrops, especially near the summit. Specific minerals found in the area includeagate,calcite,heulandite,jasper,malachite,mesolite, andquartz. Mount Pisgah is known for its diverse plant and animal life. The area features a mix of oak savanna, meadows, and woodlands. Wildflowers are abundant during the spring.
Several hiking trails are maintained by the Lane County Parks Department on Mount Pisgah. The summit is accessible by a steep 1.4-mile (2.3 km) trail from a parking area near the base of the hill. Several other trails make their way through the adjacent arboretum and up the slopes.
The summit offers a panoramic view of the southern Willamette Valley and includes a bronze relief sculpture (a memorial forKen Kesey's son Jed) illustrating the surrounding topography and identifying many nearby geographic features.[1]
TheMount Pisgah Arboretum covers 209 acres (0.85 km2) at the base of Mount Pisgah and offers visitors 7 miles (11 km) of trails through natural riverside habitat and hundreds of cataloged plant species.[2] As of May 2020, admission is $5 per car and permits can be purchased at a self-service pay station, card only.[3]
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(November 2010) |
In 2010, the Wildish Sand and Gravel Company sold its 1,305-acre property at the base of Mount Pisgah toThe Nature Conservancy (TNC) for $23.4 million.[4][5] The property was then renamed as theWillamette Confluence Preserve. As this section of land had been used for gravel extraction, it took over a decade for The Nature Conservancy to restore the native flora and fauna and ready it for controlled public access.
In 2023, The Nature Conservancy transferred stewardship of the preserve to the McKenzie River Trust for future conservation.[5]
