Clackamas River Scenic Waterway

Clackamas River Scenic Waterway protects approximately 47 miles of the Clackamas River from its headwaters below Timothy Lake to the community of Big Cliff on the lower river, preserving one of Oregon's premier whitewater rivers and important salmon streams. The scenic waterway designation protects the river corridor from development, maintaining its natural character, recreational values, and fish habitat. The Clackamas flows through diverse terrain from high Cascade forests through deep canyons to the Willamette Valley, offering world-class whitewater rafting and kayaking, excellent fishing for salmon and steelhead, camping, and scenic beauty. Established under Oregon's State Scenic Waterway program to protect outstanding river resources, the Clackamas Scenic Waterway demonstrates Oregon's commitment to preserving free-flowing rivers and their associated ecosystems for recreation and fish habitat.

The Clackamas River and surrounding corridor support diverse wildlife across forest, riparian, and aquatic environments. The river provides critical habitat for Chinook salmon, coho salmon, winter and summer steelhead trout, sea-run cutthroat trout, and resident rainbow trout, with spawning in clean gravel and rearing in cool, oxygenated water. River otters, mink, and American dippers hunt along the stream, while great blue herons and ospreys fish from snags. The forest shelters black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk, black bears, mountain lions, and bobcats. Small mammals including beaver, raccoons, and various rodents inhabit riparian areas. Bird species include varied thrushes, winter wrens, kingfishers, and numerous migratory songbirds. The river serves as a wildlife corridor connecting high elevation forests with lowland habitats.

Vegetation along the Clackamas Scenic Waterway reflects elevation gradients from Douglas fir and western hemlock forests in lower reaches to true fir and mountain hemlock at higher elevations. The riparian corridor features red cedar, bigleaf maple, red alder, vine maple, and willow that provide stream shading essential for maintaining water temperatures suitable for salmon. The understory includes Oregon grape, salal, sword fern, deer fern, and salmonberry creating dense vegetation. Old-growth forest remnants in some reaches provide exceptional habitat structure. Streamside vegetation directly influences aquatic habitat by stabilizing banks, providing large woody debris essential for creating pools and cover, and contributing organic matter that forms the base of the aquatic food web. Mountain wildflowers bloom in high elevation areas during brief summer seasons.

The Clackamas River has carved a dramatic canyon through volcanic rocks of the Cascade Range, creating rapids, waterfalls, and deep pools. The river flows through ancient and recent lava flows, volcanic ash deposits, and sedimentary formations representing millions of years of Cascade volcanism. Rapids and falls occur where the river crosses resistant bedrock or debris flow deposits. Large boulders from landslides and volcanic eruptions create the whitewater features that attract rafters and kayakers. Mount Hood's glaciers and snowfields provide much of the river's summer flow. The geology creates diverse aquatic habitat including riffles for spawning, pools for rearing, and complex channel morphology that benefits fish. Ongoing volcanic and tectonic activity continues to shape the landscape.

The Clackamas River basin experiences a Cascade mountain climate varying with elevation. Lower elevations receive 50-60 inches of precipitation annually, mostly as rain, while upper elevations receive 80-100+ inches including significant winter snowpack. Average temperatures range from 35°F in winter to 75°F in summer at mid-elevations. The river's flow regime reflects both rainfall in fall and winter and snowmelt in spring and summer, with peak flows during winter storms and rain-on-snow events. Summer flows decline but are maintained by snowmelt and groundwater, providing critical cold-water habitat for salmon during the warmest months. Cool, stable water temperatures resulting from forest shading, groundwater inputs, and snowmelt are essential for cold-water fish species.

The Clackamas River corridor has been used by indigenous peoples for thousands of years, with the Clackamas tribe and others utilizing the river for salmon fishing and the surrounding forests for hunting and gathering. The river's abundant salmon runs were central to indigenous economies. European and American trappers, explorers, and settlers arrived in the 19th century, with logging operations harvesting much old-growth forest. The river supported log drives floating timber to downstream mills. Dam construction at several locations altered the river, though the scenic waterway reaches remain free-flowing. Recognition of the Clackamas's outstanding whitewater recreation, fishing, and natural values led to scenic waterway designation. The river now serves primarily recreational and conservation purposes with commercial fishing restricted and logging reduced in the protected corridor.

The Clackamas River was designated a State Scenic Waterway in 1988 under Oregon's program to protect outstanding river resources. The designation establishes a protected corridor typically extending one-quarter mile on each side of the river, within which development is restricted to maintain natural character, scenic values, and fish and wildlife habitat. Multiple agencies including Oregon State Parks, U.S. Forest Service, and Bureau of Land Management manage lands along the scenic waterway. The designation doesn't create a traditional park but rather protects the river corridor while allowing continued public and private land ownership within guidelines. The scenic waterway program has successfully protected the Clackamas from dams, development, and activities that would degrade its natural and recreational values.

The primary attraction is the river itself, offering world-class whitewater rafting and kayaking with rapids ranging from Class II to Class V depending on reach and flows. Popular whitewater runs include Roaring River, Narrows, and Bob's Hole sections. Fishing for salmon and steelhead attracts anglers, with bank and boat access at numerous locations. Campgrounds including Sunstrip, Armstrong, Carter Bridge, and others provide river access and overnight accommodations. Trails along the river and into surrounding Mount Hood National Forest offer hiking and mountain biking. Swimming holes provide summer recreation, though cold water temperatures require caution. The scenic drive along Highway 224 and Forest Service roads provides access to the river and spectacular views of canyons and forests.

The Clackamas River Scenic Waterway is accessed via Highway 224 and Forest Service Road 46, extending from Estacada southeast into Mount Hood National Forest. Multiple campgrounds, day-use areas, and river access points provide facilities including parking, restrooms, picnic tables, and boat launches. Commercial rafting companies offer guided trips for those without their own equipment or experience. The nearest communities with services are Estacada and Sandy. Visitors should be prepared for cold water temperatures year-round, understand whitewater hazards before boating, and practice Leave No Trace principles. The area is extremely popular during summer weekends, with campgrounds filling quickly. Winter provides excellent steelhead fishing though weather can be challenging. The scenic waterway is approximately 40 miles southeast of Portland.

Management priorities include protecting salmon and steelhead habitat, maintaining water quality, preserving scenic and recreational values, and ensuring sustainable public use. The scenic waterway designation restricts development within the protected corridor, preventing dams, water withdrawals, and activities that would degrade river values. Forest management emphasizes riparian protection, maintaining stream shading, and ensuring recruitment of large woody debris essential for fish habitat. Water quality monitoring addresses potential impacts from recreation, forest practices, and upstream sources. Salmon recovery efforts include habitat restoration, hatchery supplementation, and fishing regulations. Climate change impacts including reduced snowpack, changing flow patterns, and warming water temperatures are significant concerns for cold-water fish. Educational programs promote river stewardship, proper whitewater safety, and fishing regulations. The Clackamas demonstrates successful protection of a heavily-used river maintaining both ecological and recreational values.