McKenzie River Trail Complex Receives Funding

The Deathball Trail Complex, located near Cougar Reservoir, is receiving a Travel Oregon Recreation Ready program award. Recreation Ready is a new Travel Oregon program aimed at supporting rural communities in developing outdoor recreation visitor experiences that drive economic prosperity and respect natural environments while increasing access and equity. 

McKenzie River Ranger District (MRRD) leadership recognized the need for new trails and trailheads to support the current levels of tourism, to attract more visitors from a more diverse set of backgrounds both to support the local economy and to reduce barriers to the exploration of public lands. In early 2024, MRRD leadership reached out to various community stakeholders with the idea of developing a complex of trails in the Deathball/Thors Hammer area on the south side of the McKenzie River. The concept of this trail complex includes but is not limited to: interpretive sites recognizing First Nations people of our region (Molalla, Kalapuya, Chinook), low elevation trails that are accessible during peak season, shoulder season, and potentially year-round, easier to moderate trails that are beginner-friendly, e-bike friendly, and accessible by adaptive bikes. The trail complex is home to Deathball Rock, named by a group of surveyors who once baked unleavened biscuits so notoriously bad they called them "little balls of death." In their humor, they decided to name the prominent rock formation after this culinary mishap.

Lane County to Become Destination Verified

Travel Lane County is committed to enhancing our county as a welcoming and inclusive travel destination – fostering meaningful experiences everyone can enjoy.  We’re excited to be partnering with Travel Oregon, our statewide tourism agency, the Willamette Valley Visitors Association and Wheel the World (WTW).  WTW is the world's leading online travel agency for accessible travel and together we'll be working to make Oregon the first "Destination Verified" state in the nation.  Destination Verified is WTW’s accessibility seal of approval for a local destination – meaning that travelers can access accurate accessibility information of hotels, activities, and restaurants in these destinations. Lane County will become one of the Destination Verified locations representing our state and we have an advantage in that  Florence is already Destination Verified. We’ll be working with 15 member businesses to be assessed and listed on the WTW website and a dedicated landing page highlighting Lane County as an accessible destination.

Watch for updates as we move through this process and how your business can be assessed and listed on the WTW website. 

EXPLORE Act Passes Senate 

The U.S. Senate passed the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act marking a first for outdoor recreation. The historic  $1.2 trillion package had bipartisan support and is now headed to the President's desk for final approval. Jessica Wahl Turner, President of the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable, lauded the Senate’s action, stating, “Today’s passage of the EXPLORE Act will supercharge the outdoor recreation industry and is a victory for our economy, our communities, our quality of life, and our shared connection to the outdoors. By advancing this transformative legislation, Congress has shown its commitment to ensuring every American has access to world-class outdoor experiences, from our backyard to the backcountry, while supporting the businesses, workers, and communities who make those experiences possible. 

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2025 Sports Facility Development

2025 will be an important year for sports facility development throughout the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region. To become educated on projects visit Sports for All Seasons to learn important background, timelines and how you can support these critical improvements. 

Member News

Lodging Tax Fight Looms

As the 2025 Oregon legislative session gets under way, we know that the transient lodging tax will once again come under attack. The importance of protecting the current law was shared in the Oregon Transient Lodging Tax 20 Year Anniversary video in 2023 and serves as a good reminder for us all. 

We are aware of two bills taking shape and there will undoubtedly be more. One bill would open the door to using TLT for activities outside of tourism marketing and tourism infrastructure projects. A second bill would change the percentage split from 70/30 to 50/50. Be ready to take action when called upon to write legislators or testify. We will keep you updated on how you can support our industry. 

David's Chair Draws Praise

At a recent Lane County Board of Commissioners meeting a number of people noted their appreciation for the the David's Chairs (mobility track chair) located at Mt. Pisgah. Travel Lane County participated in the funding of the first of two David's Chairs at Mt. Pisgah. We are excited to hear the positive experiences users are having on the trails. For David's Chair reservations click here.

Liz Dahlager Recognized

Liz Dahlager, Mereté Hotel Management's Chief Operating Officer, has been recognized as one of the Portland Business Journal's Executives of the Year 2025. This prestigious award honors outstanding leaders in the Portland and great Oregon business community who demonstrate exceptional vision, leadership, and commitment to their organizations and the community. Congratulations Liz! 

Blue River Ceremony Promotes Healing and New Beginnings

Roughly 30 people gathered at an old U.S. Forest Service gas station to accept and transport white oak seedlings that were blessed and sprinkled with tobacco. “Come on up, we’ll get you some tobacco, and you can offer your prayers as well,” encouraged Dietrich Peters, an elder of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde. Learn more.

Oregon Heritage Offers Main Street Grants

The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is offering grants for up to $400,000 in matching funds for downtown revitalization efforts in communities participating in the Oregon Main Street Network. The Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant funds may be used to acquire, rehabilitate, and construct buildings on properties in designated downtown areas statewide. 

Travel Oregon Grant Deadline Approaches 

Letters of Intent will be accepted from December 2, 2024 - January 5, 2025. Those who qualify will be asked to submit applications by February 27, 2025. Grant recipients will be announced on June 17, 2025.

Travel Oregon’s 2024-2025 Competitive Grant program is designed to increase access and equity for those who may have experienced barriers to visiting our great state — whether by better addressing various mobility challenges or celebrating the diversity of people and communities who live in and travel to Oregon.

The total funding available for this grant cycle is expected to be $5.2 million. Read the grant guidelines to see eligibility requirements, funding parameters and application questions. 

Travel Sentiment Remains Strong

Future Partners released data for their State of the American Traveler in mid-December and the many of the indicators point toward a strong travel year ahead. While there remains some instability in people's perception of their financial wellness, more than half believe this will improve in the coming year. Here are a few highlights from the study:

• Over a third of Americans believe now is a good time to travel
• Nearly 60% say that leisure travel is a high budget priority
• Three in ten American travelers expect to spend more on travel in the next 12 months and will budget $5,570
• Gen Z travelers led the way in overnight stays in November. They were followed by Millennials and then Boomers

Cheers to another fantastic year of welcoming visitors to the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region!