What a lovely spot to launch in the water, it's calm and easily accessible. It's $3 to park and you…read morepay at the kiosk, if you don't have your own paddling gear( canoe, SUP, and kayaks) they have them for rent in the office. When the water is high in May and June is the best time to see the swiftlets gliding around the water as the fly towards the nests they have built on a nearby abandoned floating shed.. If you are new to kayaking this would be the place to start you have lots of local long-timers who have become experts willing to pass on their knowledge and the staff is friendly and helpful also. They have a small picnic area and a hiking trail (that was mostly submerged in the Columbia) and a small swimming area. 10/10 would recommend:)

One of my favorite places to kayak in the Portland area. There is a convenient place to unload and…read moreload your kayaks, although it gets pretty crowded on the weekends. Other than a more crowded location on the weekends, I have no no negative things to say about this awesome place There is a daily fee to park in their parking lot, but it's minimal for an all day pass ($3). You can also rent kayaks/SUPs from the Next Adventure location located at Scappoose Bay. There is also a place to load/unload and dock boats on a more long-term basis as well. The views of Mount Saint Helen's are great and you can see so much wildlife when kayaking around through the inlets. I've seen bald eagles, great blue herons, ospreys, deer, turtles and even a cow once! on my last visit, there was an abandoned ship in an inlet to investigate as well. You can spend time exploring the different in loads or the former appears on the banks or you can paddle straight to the Columbia for a more "action" on the water. If you kayak, this is a must-visit place in the Portland area!

A hideout indeed! Google maps and pics do not properly show the enormity of this place. I came…read morehere a couple of months ago for disc golf, but there was way more to be discovered here then I had thought. Here's a little bit about Horning's Hideout: = Just Getting Here = Be aware that once you drive off the main road, you'll see the signs to the hideout, but it's all gravel and tall trees from there. From the main sign, the drive heads downward, winding through the forest, down the canyon. Similar to that of driving to Pittock Mansion, only unpaved and narrower turns. So please proceed with caution. Once at the bottom, it opens up to a pleasant little valley. = Parking and Fee = Past the barn, to your right is the parking area. It's an open field. Pay at the parking station, $5 per person. = Features & Activities = * For fishing, I had inquired at the office. Once you park, there is a house or an information office just above the parking station. The lady (or owner) was helpful as she explained to me the lay of the land. Again, this place was way larger than I had imagined. But back to fishing... There is a lake that gets stocked with trout. No fishing license required. Assuming due to this being private land. You do pay a catch/cleaning fee. They also have fly-fishing during the winter through spring season. More details on their website. I did notice they've got paddle boats as well. So, forget the stupid ipad, and keep the kids busy with fishing and paddle boating! * For disc golf, there are three huge courses. One, only being par 3's. Which to me was like a good hike, yet still challenging. A medium course that's par 3's and 4's through the canyon that's said to be scenic. I have yet to try it. And a championship course with par 5's; Difficult greens around trees, and a U-turn. Someday, but not any time soon! * As for the wedding venues, I can only imagine, but there are three venues to use depending on your wedding party size. Can you envision your wedding photos or even your reception being close to a pond, a lake, a creek, or even a waterfall, with trees all around? Yeah, that's this place! Oh yeah, and with peacocks too! * Camping is also allowed as well. Reservations required of course. * And as you can see with the yelp photos, they occasionally have concerts which I though was really cool. Well, that just about sums it up, not sure what else to say. It's just a secluded place worth checking out. Especially if you need to escape some city life.

An Absolutely Beautiful place for a wedding. My son and daughter in law chose the lakeside venue…read more We were blessed with a wonderful day weather wise. It had forecasted to rain but luckily it held off until the following day. It would have been a totally different event had it rained. I do wish there was a way of getting around having to walk in gravel but unless they pave it there is no getting around that. So guests were told ahead of time to be aware of that. Different chairs were rented rather than the plastic ones that are provided which was a nice thing. Extra hanging lights were rented and hung up by the brides father. It made a big difference and I think the venue should consider investing in adding them permanently.

I love this park! I have driven past a few times, but just recently visited. Great place for all…read moreages. Calm water, lots of space to sit and enjoy the view. Ample free parking in the neighborhood.

We love Horseshoe! Such a great place to swim, float, or padddle board. It's a short loop and you…read morecan go the full length fairly easily. Don't be scared away by the crowds on the beach. Once you're out in the water it's not bad at all.

Many people only think of "the pumpkin patch" or other U-Pick farms on Sauvie Island, but there is…read moreSO MUCH to see and do here. * Bird & Wildlife watching. There is a refuge on the NW side of the island where visitors can see bald eagles, cranes, herons, Osprey, nutria, deer, coyotes, and other critters. * Greenways and trails (Wapato Loop, Warrior Point Trail). * Beaches along the Columbia River (swimming, fishing), including a clothing-optional beach. * Kayaking and SUP (paddleboarding) on Multnomah Channel. * The island is a popular place for cyclists. * Picnic area at Howell Territorial Park. * Dog training and boarding at Sauvie Island Kennels and Charleton Kennels. NOTE: Permit required to park anywhere on the Island (except private property & businesses). DFW Fish & Wildlife regularly patrols, checking for permits and asking people to show their angler's licenses.

Perfect escape from Portland and just a 25 minute drive, Sauvie Island is a Gem! One of my Happy…read morePlaces! Where the madness of the world disappears, a slower pace, beauty, peace and calm take over. In every season, there is something to see. The wildlife - bald eagles, blue heron, birds too many to mention, deer - is reason enough. Getting in touch with Nature is the answer to so many things. Daffodils and pink cherry trees announce Sprin with the white blossoms of apple and pear trees close behind. The weeping Willows with their long bright green tresses are magnificent with the lakes and swamps behind them. There are so many trails to walk to take in all of this beauty and see the wildlife. Raccoon Point, across from the dog kennel, is a great starting point with its own parking lot and several benches for those that want to rest and take it all in. On a summer day, the white Sandy beaches along the river are the perfect place to picnic, soak up the sun and go for a swim. The water is calm and actually warm. Take that Portland! It's not the ocean, so don't expect waves, and since Sauvie Island isn't commercialized, there are no bathroom facilities or showers. The parking strip is dotted with this porta potties we all hate but need. Make sure to buy a parking permit, you can pick one up at the convenience store before you cross the Sauvie Island Bridge or the few convenience stores you pass on NW Reeder Road once on the island. Buy the permit! They do ticket. The first beach is the family beach. You will recognize it by the cars parked along the road and steps with railings that take you over the small grassy knoll to the beach. If you drive further down to the gravel road, you will hit the clothing optional beach. While you are there in the summer, stop at the fruit farms and stands or go berry picking, apple picking - many types of fruit and signs are everywhere. Bring a bucket and washcloths and pick your own old blackberries that grow along the sides of the road, everywhere. When the nights get cold and the trees start to turn, the vibrant colors of the various trees lure me to Sauvie Island. Just driving around taking in the beauty makes me smile. There are several farms to pick apples, pears, pumpkins and many have full in Harvest festivities with hayrides and a maze walk. Make a day of it! Winter is even more quiet than other times of the year when everything is resting but with it comes it's own stillness and beauty. If you live in Portland or the nearby suburbs, plan a visit and once you experience the quiet beauty of the island, I'm sure you will visit over and over again. Important to note - there are not a lot of restaurants so bring a picnic. Or do a search and plan on a particular place. The Island Cove is a great stop and it's right before you get to the beach area. Enjoy!!!

A beautiful place to walk along shore of Columbia River, and my family and I love to fly our kites…read morehere as well! Also, a great place to search for rocks of all kinds to add to your collection :)

A tiny thumbnail park with a nice view, a few steps down to access to a small beach, a couple of…read morebenches and a picnic table. Located in an historic neighborhood in Columbia City. Perhaps it's named Pixie Park because it's so small? Nice place to enjoy a sandwich or a smoke break before tackling rush hour traffic.

This hike is easy, short, and flat. There are several areas to picnic, one near water. Dogs are…read morewelcome, on leash, and there is plenty of parking. If you go in or near the rainy season, there are loads of puddles and some areas are very slippery, so be cautious and wear appropriate footwear. Marshy area with standing water so bring you bugspray if it's warm. It was almost boring for my 11yo, so play some nature scavenger hunt for entertainment. If he was quiet, I'm sure we would've seen lots of birds, but we could hear them.

Wapato is a gem! Such an amazing nature trail. This is where I go to get away from it all, even if…read moreit's just for a moment. It's never over crowded. Most of the time you feel like you're the only one who knows about this place. Walk along the trail, bird watch at the 2 ponds.... You need more than 2 hands to count the snakes that slither by you on the trail. When you reach the back side of the park you are walking right along the river. A boat dock and a couple of picnic tables await you at the edge of the trail. No one is ever there using them. Score! Early in the spring/summer the dock and tables might be half under water depending on the river level. But there is a nice private grassy patch on higher ground that is perfect for a picnic. This is such a quick and easy escape from the city. Just another treasure on Sauvie Island.

This was a fun excursion and was a part of the One Big Ticket for the Halloweentown festival I…read morepurchased. Those that paid this kind of admission hot to go on a boat across the Columbia to this island and walk on some of the designated paths to see Bigfoot. Lots of Halloween decor on the loop we went on, sculptures or maybe props to look like sculptures and a couple opportunities with Bigfoot. As part of the ride to this island we also ate some roasted marshmallows. I felt this was a highlight to the whole experience. As for the island itself it looks like a very chill place and even more so when it doesn't have a festival on it. Nice riverside beaches and places to have picnics. On another ride the person driving the vehicle said in the summer there are free boat rides to downtown St. Helens that go back and forth.

Camped here this weekend and had such a great time. We had a group campsite (#23) that faced the…read moreriver and front row to watching the annual Sand sculpting competition, which was a fun surprise to happen upon. You have to take a boat shuttle with your camp gear to get to the island, where you can load a cart pulled by an ATV that park staff will drive to your site. You can purchase firewood bundles that staff will also deliver directly to your site. Our site was more than ample space for a large 3 room tent, a 2-room tent, and two single tents, an ez-up, and about 15 chairs around the campfire plus the 2 site picnic tables. There was some sort of scavenger hunt going on and last year, I hear a bunch of people (or the staff?) dressed up as pirates - even had a "pirate" ship and walked around the island speaking Pirate jargon. Everything was very clean, especially for as many sites (at least 75, I believe) and people that were there. I was surprised to still see some empty campsites this late in summer, but apparently this is not yet a well-known little slice of Heaven on the Columbia. There is no running water on the island, so bring water with you or just hop back on the shuttle boat - it's just a couple minute ride over to the Marina and parking and short drive into St. Helens. The camp staff were all incredible - helpful, friendly, and all-around really good-natured people. It was quiet and peaceful, just the kind of place where you go to forget life for a while. There were no crazy loud parties, and I slept better here than I have for weeks at home. The dogs chased eachother up and down the beach, we found several agates on the other, less sandy side of the island. Theyveven have a disc golf course! There's something about camping that just feels serene. I enjoyed a kid-free weekend camping but I am so excited to bring my kids back here. 5/5 Stars. 2 thumbs up. We will be back. Thank you Sand Island and staff for an awesome weekend!

I had never heard of this park before a friend's birthday party was scheduled to happen. I was…read moresurprised by many things. The old Portland lover wanted to love it because it feels like the old guard comes here. It's pretty 'out there' and feels pretty out there though now there are loads of commercial development buildings you have to drive past and keep driving, and keep driving, and keep driving... I was grateful my GPS directed me BUT it's pin just brings you to the entrance. I was glad that a friend was with me in the car, because that parking lot is a bit like something out of a 'they were never heard from again' woods situation. The parking lot really does look like civilization is gone... Then we walked in and I couldn't read the map or front sign, because they were covered in graffiti....comforting... especially since it was not fresh graffiti. The maps on the website are also helpful. Our friends got the closest to the entrance and restroom which looked to be straight down passing the restroom taking the right side trail fork. The walk even just to the restroom from the parking lot is a pretty descent walk. I am ADA and, thankfully my friend went ahead, and came back and got me. She was directed by someone she met on the path who saw her balloons, and figured she was looking for our birthday crew. She kept saying over and over, she was so happy the person said something to her because she herself would have been walking in the completely opposite direction our friends were. The park has a thicket of old growth trees , which is great, but also means very limited visibility. We did have a lovely view of the river which is pretty peaceful since the boat traffic is way out there. The tables were spaced OK for the larger group we had. Also, I feel like a lot of people thought we would be swimming - there is beach you can enjoy but no swimming as indicated by permanent signs. FYI - I REALLY would not recommend swimming in this river even without the signs posted - this is a heavy commercially used path so there's likely a lot of debris just from that. A lot of people seem to bring their dogs here. A tale from our experience with a warning for dog owners. One of the people with us, brought a very sweet 15 year old dog. The dog has no history of being problematic or running off. He unhooked his leash for a moment so the dog could relieve itself and he looked away a moment when the dog took off to the parking lot. Fast forward HOURS later. Everyone gave up because it was pitch black and there were no signs. We discovered, the next day, through lost dog posts and flyers, he was safe - shout out to Next Door!! That dog was found FIVE MILES up the highway on the side of the road. There is no way that dog, that aging dog, got there by himself. Someone picked him up in the parking lot when he ran to the parking lot (which is why a search party of 20+ people were unable to find him) and then abandoned him on the highway for whatever insane reason. It is a miracle he was let go - and another miracle a kind person stopped in the pitch dark to bring him to safety! But, be careful at this or any other space - since clearly, there are people out there who are willing to relocate your furry friends so, please do be careful!

In all honesty, my primary reason for coming to Kelley Point Park this weekend was two-fold: spend…read moresome time in the water on a warm, sunny day, and scout out how hard it would be to row a boat over to Sauvie Island, to bypass the crazy long lines that queue up for the Haunted Corn Maze at Bella Organic Farms in October. While the latter was *immediately* eliminated as an option, after seeing the breadth and turbulence of the waters here, at the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette rivers, a day relaxing on a sandy, semi-rocky beach went...well, swimmingly! Well, sort of. Apparently, swimming is dangerous here. There are multiple signs warning people to stay out of the water, targeting all modes of recreation: swimming, floating and boating. That didn't stop some people, at least those further down shore from the northwestern apex of the park, and personally, it's dumb rule, in my opinion. There is a lot of shipping traffic along this stretch of river, but most people aren't going to get anywhere near these massive vessels, and the tide and depth don't seem particularly more dangerous than anywhere else. Exercise caution and wisdom, and you should be fine. The water was warm enough, once you adjust to it, for a late May day. The beach is mostly soft sand, with a mixture of gravel in bands farther up the shore from the water. Large logs and cement blocks, the remains of old docks and the like, litter the shore. Depending on the time of day, large swaths of the beaches are shaded by the tree line, so it can be a bit cooler than the rest of the park. There are miles of paved paths for walking, riding, skating, etc, as well as several large picnic areas (including tables), open fields, and ample parking. And, of course, dog friendly, although be sure to clean up after your poopers! So maybe it won't serve as a back door to Sauvie Island, but Kelley Point Park is a great place to spend a sunny afternoon, provided you don't like swimming...or don't mind giving the government the finger and doing it anyway.

I absolutely love it here. I come camping here all the time and it feels comfortable here. It's…read moresmall. It's easy and it's familiar. It's beautiful.

Huge swimming area under the bridge, Trails were closed for maintenance when we went. The lake is…read morecozy and the campground pretty large with camp hosts on site. Picnic tables*limited restrooms* Amble Parking* paid entry