I really like this park. I used to live nearby and visited a few times, then I moved farther away…read moreand now I find us here again. This visit was a starting point for our river adventure. I saw a bunch of people fishing for crayfish at the launch site. I will be back for that alone. I do have several crayfish traps.

This is a massive park, and my singular experience is limited to the two boat ramps, since I was…read moreinvited by a friend who wanted to paddleboard down the river, dragging my wife, my son and I behind them on inflatable tubes, so I can only comment on this limited experience. However, based on these two sections alone, this is a fantastic park for any and all water-based activities. For once, the $5 day use fee seems justified, considering all the things that it offers. Additionally, there are miles of hiking and horseback trails, picnic areas, camp sites, and plenty of open green spaces (shaded or otherwise) for parties and other outdoor activities. It's a little far from home for us, but worth the trek!

This is a long, meandering river offering you a ton of recreationally minded activities. Much to…read moresee, much you can do and enjoy - worth your time to top in at one of the points you have access to stop in at along the river. The water is typically a perfect temp in the summer and the current is ideal for tubing - especially in the Clackamas area. Safe enough for the family, pretty enough you want to go alone and soak it in....

The Confession: I'm a masochist. Despite being clumsy and lacking any visual depth perception…read more(seriously, it's clinically proven), I can't really use those excuses when it comes to my persistent ability to get injured. If you see me, chances are I have band-aids on. So, I'm pretty sure it's just that I actually LIKE getting hurt. This is a case in point: The Prelude: Since I was about 3 years old, I have enjoyed exploring the depths of the woods, especially near some giant, rushing body of water that drowns out all the mundane commotion in my head. I like being surrounded by towering trees, waist-high ferns, and little, precious wildflowers. I've run into grizzly bears while huckleberry picking, yet never, ever have I been afraid in the woods. Not even at night when I have to go pee. I actually want to get lost and find my way home. This is my idea of fun, especially if I have a cold beer in hand. Problem is, I usually get hurt while I'm out there. In fact, I judge my excursions as such: the more I get hurt, the more fun I had. The Rub: This is where the Clackamas River is GOD to me. Yeah, I love to come here to swim, hike, camp, float down the river, picnic, etc. But I always leave with excessive scrapes, bruises, scratches, and bloodied body parts. Could be I just play hard. But I think it's more than that. It's as though the river gives me so much pleasure, it demands a little sacrifice from me. Not all rivers have this affect on me, mind you. Yesterday, it took a few pieces of skin from my arm when I fell down a hill, clambering to get to the water on a hot day. Last weekend, it took a chunk out of my leg when I foolishly attempted to mount a log in the river. Painful, yes. But these are battle scars of love, people. This is my idea of heaven. No other river has loved me this much and, I must say, vice versa. The 411: If you want to kayak, raft, camp, hike, lay on the rocks, float in an inner tube, or whatever...check out the Clackamas. Drive straight through Estacada and follow Hwy 224. Or take the fork at the Ranger Station and head down Forest Road 46. There are tons of campsites, both official and just off the road. The water is cold, but refreshing on a hot day. Or, you can head south on 46 to it up Bagby Hot Springs. But please be careful out there, kiddos. People do die on this river every year (in fact, a young woman just drowned 2 weeks ago), so treat it with respect and be aware of the dangers. And if you like getting (safely) beat up by nature, like me, take your neosporin and head out. You're going to get your ass kicked and you'll keep coming back for more.

An incredibly gorgeous place to camp in the Cascades Mountains so close to Portland. Lots of…read morecrayfish in the lake to trap for delicious appetizers before dinner.

Super clean & clear lake. Perfect for an afternoon outing on the beach or paddling on the water…read more Pretty large with a 12 mile walking/biking path circling the entirety of the lake. Day use areas are scattered all along the shore of the lake, very accessible from path. The rocks in the water are smooth, so less chance of cutting your foot. $10 parking fee 10 mph speed limit on water -- no wake entire lake

The lake is amazing. Parking is somewhat limited. Nice turn around to be able to unload. If you're…read moreout paddling make sure to go find the river. It's a nice challenge in winter to get upstream and in summer it's a relaxing place for summer. I will say I was unimpressed with the host the last time I was there in summer. An older gentleman had gone off the road and was stuck. A few other lake goers were helping him without success. I went up to let the host know that there was a situation going on and he said "what am I supposed to do". I'll leave it there without putting any non factual opinions in.

This is a great place to relax and just float on your kayak or paddleboard. It's fairly small with…read morenot a lot to see but the perfect place to relax. Parking is nonexistent so you want to get there early!!

Relaxing. Very good view of mt hood. Picnic areas clean. Public restroom available. You can go on…read morefishing here.

Amazing scenic place Must visit place if you are in Oregon…read more Might be an hour drive from main place but it's worth it. Only few coffee shops on the way. But must visit for the scenic vi

NEW & CLEAN We were…read moresurprised to find good-smelling and clean restrooms when we arrived to this campground. We stayed in one of the cabins and by the looks of it, they seem to have been built in 2016 (There was a sticker that showed when they were build). Mt. Hood is not entirely visible from this park, or at least not as visible as it is from Lake Trillium or Lost Lake. Nonetheless, the lake is beautiful and the park is well maintained. This park is maintained by PGE and they organize cool events occasionally, such as a piano concert that we missed by one day (Really would have been nice to attend!). You may find out more by tracking their Instagram or Facebook accounts or the hashtag #PGEparks on these social platforms. They also offer free nights if you post a nice picture with their hashtag.

Any camp spot on Timothy Lake is awesome! Water is really clean. Each campground has it's own boat…read morelaunch. Fishing is great for both fish and crayfish. The camp site's at Oak Fork are a bit close to each other but still cool. There is a trail that goes (I'm told.) all the way around the lake. I hear it's about a 12 mile hike. Any view of the lake from any spot is killer! Oak Fork is the only campground you can't see Mt. Hood from. On 7-18-13. I checked the surface Temp. @ 9:30am. It was 69.8 (F) degrees. That's pretty warm for a lake way up in the mountain's. There is so much to do and see here. Don't forget the bat's. After the sun goes down and right before dark they come out to eat bugs near the surface of the water. If you get near the water look within 2' of the lake and you can see a colony of bat's getting a meal. The trick is to not flail around as they fly by you. They will fly by you!

Im not sure how successful folks are with catching fish in this large pond, but sitting by the dock…read moreis very peaceful. The lake is centered around the shopping mall so there are a few restaurant that overlook the lake. There are also ducks that live there.

Came here today with fishing friend who did some actual fishing. Nothing was caught (fish 1 -…read morehumans 0), but it was really OK, and I thoroughly enjoyed sitting in my camping chair and watching the fish jump in the air and the world passing by. A few other people were down on the dock casting for fish, others sat on the various rock formations sort of zoning out, and it was a real pleasure to see the children and parents sharing something they really loved. If the youngsters aren't interested in the fishing, they can come down and feed the ducks - such fun. The water is so clear you can see down to rocks and plants on the bottom and also nearest the dock flashes of the goldfish as they glide along (these goldfish eventually grow into some very large carp). There are evidently some sturgeon as well along with the rainbow trout, and also lots of ducks and other water birds (a few still with babies). Oh yes, lots of dragonflies - flashes of black and fiery orange red - add to the charm. People who fish welcome you right into their society and talk readily about their fishing experiences and how the big one got away and even why. This is a terrific family experience and for those who want to come out alone. The best time is to come early, before 7, and especially after the lake has been re-stocked, if you want to catch some fish. But like I said, it's a wonderful experience whether fish are caught or not. Give it a try. And remember if you don't catch any fish, you can hike back up to the shopping center above and get some breakfast. Not a bad day at all, in fact a damn fine one if you ask me.

We've been coming here for years to kayak and Canoe but now we own a boat and get to join in on…read morethe river sports side and this location is great for skiing and other water activities. The general store doesn't open till 9am and they charge a Convenience fee on most items, they have live music sometimes and the bathrooms are clean. Docking to get on and off the boat is super easy. They even have a fish platform that is ADA accessible and a child's fish pond where only kids can fish safely. We have spent many weekends here and plan on many more. Thanks for the memories

Our first time here and we were impressed. It's very clean and well kept. Campground has a mix of…read morecabins, yomes and tents (electrical and non). Activities for kids throughout the day to keep them entertained. All was great but must mention that campground is located at hi-way 224 which means you will hear road noise, I would advise looking at the map and choosing spot by the water and away from the road. We were in a cabin 28 which is the the lower part of the campground so heard nothing overnight unlike our friends who were in a yome right next to highway. Garbage dumpsters and restroom/showers as well as the kitchen facilities are located throughout the campground which was convenient.

DO NOT SIGN UP FOR THEIR PCC CLASS (Flatwater Paddleboarding Tour)…read moreThey changed the location to Milo McIver State Park. The only instructions in the email as to this new location was "lake launch inside Milo McIver State Park". No directions were provided. Thus it would be assumed the actual location would be easy to find. I gave myself a 10 minute buffer to park and find the group. Map directions guide you to south entrance road. Once you pay & drive down, you come to a fork in the road (pics below showing signs). How do I know which boat ramp; there are 2? Since the directions indicated lake launch, I chose the right for Estacada Lake. Cut to 30 minutes later; I have now driven BOTH forks and there is no sign of a group that would indicate Clackamas River Outfitters or a paddleboarding group. I am so frustrated over the wasted time and money. When you are being paid for a service, it is your job to provide clear instructions; not just for the class itself, but how to get there. The best choice would have been for them to send a google/apple map pin to the exact location. If for some reason, that wouldn't work, then you should provide step by step instructions on where the group is to meet (IE, after entering, make a right/left, etc). I would have loved to call someone, but phone service was really shoddy in the park. Don't waste your time or money.

We had so much fun! Great location and piece of cake getting in the water! I'm a complete novice…read morebut it wasn't the least bit intimidating. From start to finish, including making reservations. It was seamless and I look forward to my next visit!

So OK, the directions to get there might be a little iffy, and you might get a little lost along…read morethe trail if you haven't been there before, and your pack might be kinda waaaaaaay too heavy because you've never backpacked before, and the mosquitoes might be vicious little buggers, but WOW this lake is so worth it all. At 1.5 hrs from Portland, and only about mile in from the road, you can easily hike in for the day and hike out in the evening, but the best is when you can set up camp and stay for a while. First you go up, up, up the hill to the point where you can look to the left and see Timothy Lake (helloooo!) and then you hike down, down - watch out for boulders and fallen trees - to what I'm going to call the clearest, most serene lake in Northern Oregon. It's a fantastic place to bring a floatie and a book, or 25 of your closest friends. Want to see pictures? http://www.flickr.com/photos/spcilk/sets/72157621357976720/ Want directions?http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=Buck+Lake,+Oregon+00070&geocode=Ccf3BpbjNOfeFfFWsAIdM2G8-A&dirflg=&saddr=portland,+or&f=d&sll=45.112376,-121.872067&sspn=0.006663,0.01575&ie=UTF8&z=9

I returned to this spot for the 4th July weekend. HOLY MOLY! There were at least 20 cars packed…read moreinto this very small spot. Many cars were parked along the road. There is small parking for 5 or less cars. I am SO disappointed with what has happened to this place. As we were walking around the grounds, toilet paper was scattered everywhere; c'mon people! There is a visible sign posted that states" KEEP BUCK LAKE BEAUTIFUL AND NATURAL --LEAVE NO TRACE." People have totally disrespected this oasis. I'm just glad I got to enjoy it while it was still a secret. So sad :(