Fair Oaks is a quiet community in the Umpqua Valley’s countryside
Just outside of Sutherlin, Fair Oaks is a rural community set among the forested hills of southern Oregon's Umpqua Valley. Life moves more slowly in this part of Douglas County, where residents can enjoy fishing in reservoirs or planning camping trips to the nearby Umpqua National Forest. You’ll find plenty of peace and quiet in Fair Oaks’ open countryside, but with Sutherlin and Interstate 5 just down the road, you also have easy access to small-town community life and the larger cities of western Oregon.
Rural living on large properties surrounded by forested hills
Homebuyers can find everything from 1950s cabins and ranch-style homes to contemporary houses from the 2000s along Fair Oaks’ country roads. You’re more likely to live on acreage than on a smaller suburban lot, and fir trees and distant hills are a scenic backdrop for the entire community. “People move here for the natural beauty, a slow pace of living and privacy,” says Jacob Gilman, a Realtor with The Neil Company Real Estate. “People can have anywhere from 3 to 100 acres.” Prices range from around $300,000 to the mid-$700,000s, depending on the house’s age, lot size and whether the property has amenities like an RV garage or a barn.
Natural beauty at Sutherlin’s parks and in the Umpqua National Forest
Much of Fair Oaks’ appeal, and that of all of southern Oregon, is its access to the great outdoors. “It attracts outdoor enthusiasts because it’s so pretty,” says Brett Findlay, a Real Estate Broker with North County Realty. Locals enjoy the scenery while collecting you-pick blueberries at Larry’s Berries and while fishing in creeks on their own properties. The community is also surrounded by public recreation areas. Cooper Creek Reservoir Park, just east of Sutherlin, is a scenic place to kayak, fish, swim or picnic. The park’s trail system has hiking and mountain biking paths of different difficulty levels. For a different kind of park day, families take the kids to the play area and seasonal splash pad at Sutherlin Community Playground. Locals also love wandering in the Umpqua National Forest, a nearly one-million-acre green space. You can reach many of the forest’s campgrounds, swimming holes, hiking areas and scenic waterfalls within about two hours.
Career programs through the Sutherlin School District
Fair Oaks is part of the Sutherlin School District. All four of the district's schools are in the neighboring city of Sutherlin, including Sutherlin High School. While attending Sutherlin High, students can enroll in career and technical education programs in areas such as agricultural science.
Shopping, dining and celebrating in Sutherlin
Fair Oaks is about 5 miles from Sutherlin, a small city with a walkable commercial district. Locals do much of their shopping and dining at spots like:
- Backside Brewing Co. Outpost, a brewpub serving brick-oven pizzas and craft beers brewed on-site
- Nellie's Deli & Tap House, a casual eatery for sandwiches and homemade soups
- Shop Smart, a grocery store stocked with pantry staples and household goods
- Sutherlin Farmers Market, a seasonal outdoor market for produce and handmade goods from local growers
You can also go into Sutherlin for community events like the August Sutherlin Blackberry Festival or the wintertime Sutherlin Timber Town Toy Land Electric Light Parade.
Driving to Douglas County’s hubs and Eugene on I-5
You’ll drive down Nonpareil Road to leave Fair Oaks for Douglas County’s busier cities. Sutherlin is about 10 minutes away. Taking Interstate 5, the main freeway in rural western Oregon, you have a roughly 30-minute drive to the county seat of Roseburg. Eugene is about an hour from home.
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Julia Szymanski
