Cooper Mountain Nature Park is a nature park in the Portland metropolitan area in the U.S. state of Oregon. Opened in 2009, the park is owned and operated by Metro, the regional government in the Oregon portion of the metro area. The park is named after Cooper Mountain, the primary geological feature in the area near Beaverton. Maintained by the regional Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District, the natural area has of hiking trails. It is one of THPRD's two nature parks, along with the Tualatin Hills Nature Park.HistoryPortland area voters approved a bond measure in 1995 that provided funding for the purchase of greenspaces by Metro. Metro covers most of Washington, Clackamas, and Multnomah counties in the northwest part of Oregon. Metro began buying land on Cooper Mountain near Aloha and Beaverton in 1997, and spent $6.58 million in total on land. Voters approved an additional bond in 2006, and Metro spent almost $2 million from that bond on facilities at Cooper Mountain. Metro also received a $500,000 grant from the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation and a $40,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for development of the park. To prepare the area for the park and help restore the native habitat, the area was burned in 2008. Cooper Mountain Nature Park opened on June 27, 2009. Through 2009, volunteers and Metro planted approximately 100,000 shrubs and trees at the park.
"Overlooking the Tualatin River Valley, Cooper Mountain Nature Park is located on the edge of Beaverton. The 230-acre park offers visitors 3½ miles of trails that traverse the park and pass through each of its distinct habitats - from conifer forest to prairie to oak woodlands. Visitors will be rewarded with grand views of the Chehalem Mountains, close-up looks at Oregon white oaks and a small prairie that has sat relatively undisturbed for hundreds of years.Protected with voter-approved funds, Metro and THPRD work in partnership to manage Cooper Mountain Nature Park. Together, the two agencies will continue to restore habitat, monitor wildlife, maintain hiking trails, and provide nature education programs to visitors of all ages."Reviews, get directions and information Cooper Mountain Nature Park.
