by Alan K. Lee
Oxbow Park is a popular picnicking and camping area located on the Sandy River just east of Portland, Oregon at the base of the Cascade foothills. The photos here were taken a few years ago when my wife and I visited on a beautiful fall day.
Oxbow Regional Park is owned and operated by the Metropolitan Service District (Metro for short), the regional government agency covering Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas. The park covers 1000 acres on both sides of the river. There are twelve miles of hiking trails, five group picnic areas that can accommodate groups as large as 300 people, many smaller picnicking areas, a public campground with 74 tent sites, 12 RV sites, and four ADA accessible sites, and two group campgrounds available to non-profit youth organizations.
In past years, Metro has conducted a variety of nature education programs and activities at Oxbow, including school and group field trips, nature programs for families and individuals, and custom programs for groups. Most of those activities have been put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but the park still sees plenty of use.
The park can be very crowded on summer weekends, but gets much less use after Labor Day. Even on a sunny October day there were just a few people fishing from the river bank and some out for a hike or just enjoying the sunshine. This section of the river is popular with kayakers and rafters in the summer, but we didn’t see anyone on the river other than one family that floated by on stand up paddle boards.
The Sandy River flows from its headwaters on Mount Hood to the Columbia River at Troutdale. Two sections of the river totaling 25 miles are designated Wild and Scenic, including the section of the river that runs through Oxbow Park.
In 2007 the Marmot Dam on the Sandy River was demolished, making the river free flowing for its entire 57 mile course for the first time in nearly a century, and opening up miles of restored spawning grounds for salmon and steelhead. A smaller dam on the Little Sandy River was also demolished.
One of the more popular events at Oxbow is the annual Salmon Homecoming weekend held in mid-October when you can watch salmon spawning in the gravel beds of the river.
Most of the visitor activity at the park takes place along the banks of the river. The upland trails through the mixed conifer and hardwood forest get much less use. But the forest is beautiful, quiet, and peaceful. If you’re looking for tranquility, head away from the river. On our visit when these photos were taken, we hiked some of the forest trails and saw almost no one.
To get to the park, take I-84 east from Portland to Exit 17 at Troutdale. Turn right onto Graham Road, then left onto the Historic Columbia River Highway. In two blocks, turn right onto Buxton Road. Follow Buxton (which becomes South Troutdale Road) to Division Street. Turn left on Division and follow the signs to the park.
One of the great things about the Pacific Northwest is that there are so many beautiful places like this that are within a half hour drive of even the biggest cities. Just one of the reasons that I think this is one of the best places in the world to live.
Originally posted 10/31/18. Updated and re-posted 12/6/21.
All photos © Alan K. Lee