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!

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!

Great little park with river access. You do have to pay a small fee. Plenty of picnic tables and…read moreplaces to set up for the day while enjoying the river.

This is a fantastic beautiful park along Eagle Creek! With that said, the only negative was the $8…read moreday-use fee. Other parks with day-use fees around Portland currently usually charge $5, but they do have an annual pass you can get for a certain group of parks if you plan on visiting them regularly. There is a restroom (not just a porta-potty, but an actual restroom. Yay!), a playground, baseball diamond, and lots of picnic tables. Some of the picnic tables have in-ground charcoal BBQ pits, too. They also have a picnic shelter you can pay to reserve. For hiking, they have a few different trails to choose from and all were very well-maintained when we visited. One of the trails is even accessible for folks with mobility issues, all flat and wide. The park & trails have plenty of huge trees for shade, and the big main trail goes along the creek in several places. There are even a few spots where you can hang out right along the creek shore. Aside from the easy accessible trail, I'd say the other trails are mild to medium in difficulty just due to some of the hilly inclines, but we saw families with younger kids walking them without a problem.

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.

We couldn't have asked for a better experience from start to finish with Blue Sky Rafting! Our…read moreguide, Ricky, was incredible--equal parts river expert and fun-maker. He immediately put everyone in our boat at ease while making the trip exciting, safe, and unforgettable. He was everything you could hope for in a guide. Our group will be talking about this adventure for a long time. Thank you, Blue Sky Rafting, and especially Ricky, for helping us create such wonderful memories!

I had never been rafting before, and Sam, our raft guide, couldn't have been a better fit. He…read morepatiently answered all of my various questions and requests, and was skilled in leading our raft, calling out commands in a constructive way that kept it fun and not like we were getting yelled at. 10/10 experience, would highly recommend to anyone who's always wanted to try rafting.