Highway 224 & the Upper Clackamas River - Part 1
- Tina McLain
- Jul 21
- 10 min read
A break down of all viewpoints, river access points, seasonal waterfalls, and hikes along the Clackamas River from Estacada to the National Forest Boundary.
Part 1 explores two hiking trails, three pull-offs, three boat/river access sites, and two waterfalls. A majority of these locations are managed by PGE or are on BLM land. This section of the river is more populated, especially during the summer since it is close to Estacada and has day use sites with facilities.
For more information on activity ideas, resources, safety, and a list of each place by category check out my Highway 224 & Upper Clackamas River - Overview post.
Recreating in Burned Areas
The majority of the Upper Clackamas River was affected by the 2020 fires. Large amounts of the area have reopened as of 2025. There are still a few areas/roads that are closed to public access.
As I’ve noted above, the majority of the Upper Clackamas River was affected by the 2020 fires. Large amounts of the area have reopened as of 2025. There are still a few areas/roads that are closed to public access.
As with any aspect of recreating outdoors, it’s important to make sure what you’re doing is legally open to the public. For up-to-date information on what is open, check out the Mount Hood National Forest website.
Another important aspect to consider when recreating in burned areas is the additional hazards and risks, such as unstable slopes/ground, flash floods, potential for falling trees/limbs, etc.
I really encourage everyone to check out the forest service page, “Safety in Burned Areas,” which discusses how to stay safe in burned areas.
Seasonal Waterfalls Disclaimer
I designate “waterfall” as any amount of water that flows or drops a vertical (or mostly vertical) rock surface. I use the word waterfall rather loosely, and I don’t use any official parameters for what is designated a “waterfall.” Basically if it appears to be falling water, I label it as a “waterfall” for ease of use.
There are a plethora of seasonal waterfalls along the upper Clackamas River. There's no way I could note all of them. So, I'm going to focus on marking those that are 1) most visible from along Highway 224, and 2) the most noticeable/my favorite ones. There are still plenty that I haven’t noted in this post. There are two that I know of that I didn’t add due to it not really being possible to photograph them. So, keep your eyes peeled for waterfalls along the way.
Some are best seen driving a particular direction (east vs. west), so I'll make sure to note which direction has the best visibility when discussing the waterfalls.
Winter/spring is usually the best time to see the waterfalls, particularly after some consistent/heavy rain. There is no guarantee the waterfalls listed will be present at different days/times of year. For the most luck in seeing waterfalls, it’s best to go after there’s been some heavy/prolonged rain along with snow melt.
All seasonal waterfalls are approximate coordinates, it gives the idea of where the waterfall is, but there is room for error on my part.
Pull-offs Disclaimer
I note a majority of the pull-offs along Highway 224, but there are some I’m sure I didn’t cover. It’s as close to being comprehensive as I could get. There is some subjectivity involved as to what constitutes a “pull-off.” So there are some areas others might consider pull-offs that I didn’t note.
There are some pull-offs that have boot paths leading to the river or river views, which I do my best to mention. Most of the photos I took are of the pull-off’s themselves since it is easier to eye that if you go driving yourself. Some places I included pictures of the river, but not in all. I think part of the fun with this list is going to those coordinates and seeing for yourself what it looks like.
Explore the map below to see where each place discussed is located.
Quick Reference
Cazadero Trail - West End
Coordinates: 45.26622, -122.30658
Activity: Hiking, Bicycling
Facilities: None. There is signage and sometimes poop bags for dogs.
Parking: There is a parking area right before the gate on the north side of the road. There are parking spaces for multiple cars.
Fee: None
Managed by: PGE
Access: Trail Distance: 4.64 miles (one way)
Other Posts: For more detailed information check out my post on the Cazadero Trail.
The Cazadero Trail is multi-use so it can be hiked or biked (non-motorized). PGE vehicles do use the road, but there is no public vehicles, so there isn't much traffic along the road most of the time. The whole route is a paved road that PGE maintains very well. There are two dams along the length of the trail and lots of river views.
This trail has two ends. The west end has a parking area that is accessible year round.
North Fork Viewpoint/Pull-off
Coordinates: 45.25014, -122.27908
Use: View
River (access, view, none): View
Facilities: None
Parking: Very wide shoulder along highway with space for many vehicles to pull off.
Fee: None
North Fork pull-off is the first view of the Clackamas River Gorge when driving down Highway 101 from Estacada. There is a very wide shoulder along the west side of the highway. It has great views to the southwest and south. During the winter, the higher elevation foothills can be capped in snow.
To the southwest, Goat Mountain is one of the more noticeable peaks. It has some towers on it that are visible from a distance. It is snow covered most of the winter.
Cazadero Trail - East End
Coordinates (summer): 45.24001, -122.25936
Coordinates (off season): 45.23683, -122.25674
Activity: Hiking, Bicycling
Facilities: None
Parking (during summer): When the gate to North Fork Reservoir Boat Launch is open it's possible to park there, with tons of parking spots available.
Parking (off-season): There is room for parking along the shoulder of highway 224 for 5-7 cars. Remember don't block the gate or the road since it is used by PGE. There is also parking further down the highway closer to the Culvert.
Fee: None
Managed by: PGE
Access: Trail
Distance: 4.64 miles (one way)
Other Posts: For more detailed information check out my post on the Cazadero Trail.
The East end of the Cazadero Trail is along north fork reservoir and ends at either the North Fork Reservoir Boat Launch or Highway 224 depending on the time of year. It is a popular area for fishing during the summer months.
During the summer months the gate and road to North Fork Reservoir Boat Launch is open. So parking is available there to start the trail which is gated year-round.
During the rest of the year the road to the boat launch is gated and closed which means parking is limited to the wide shoulder along the highway near the road entrance.
North Fork Reservoir Boat Launch (Seasonal)
Coordinates: 45.2397, -122.25899
Use: Boat launch
River (access, view, none): View & access
Activity: Fishing, boating, kayaking, swimming
Facilities: Restroom and signs. (Restrooms are only open during the summer)
Parking: Over 50 parking spots
Fee: None
Managed by: PGE
Note: Access to the Boat Launch and parking area is seasonal.
North Fork Reservoir Boat Launch is only open seasonally, during the summer months. It's open from 6am - 8pm (if I'm remembering right), day-use only. It is a popular boat launch spot, has access to fishing spots along the Cazadero Trail and provides access to the east end of the Cazadero Trail. It can be rather full on holidays and weekends, but during the weekday it's almost always possible to find a place to park.
Resources: Super Water Trails
The Culvert
Coordinates: 45.23376, -122.25421
Activity: Swimming, small-boat launch, hiking, fishing
River (access, view, none): View & access
Facilities: Port-a-potty
Parking: During summer there is parking in the day use area. During the winter there is parking along the highway, don't block the gate.
Fee: None
Resources: Outdoor Project, Super Water Trails
Other Posts: For more detailed information check out my post on The Culvert.
"The Culvert" is the unofficially named for a day use area, where a large culvert connects the north fork of the Clackamas river to the north fork reservoir (Clackamas river). It's a popular non-motorized boat launch, swimming hole, and offers many other recreation opportunities. There is a tunnel for walking under the highway and on the east side of the parking lot is an unmarked trailhead for the North Fork Clackamas River Trail.
The day-use parking area is only open seasonally, during the summer months. During the winter the parking area remains gated. There is plenty of room to park along the shoulder of the highway during the off-season. So it is still accessible year round.
North Fork Clackamas River Trail
Coordinates: 45.23345, -122.25323
Activity: Hiking - on a "lost" trail
Distance: 4.7 miles
Facilities: None
Parking: Same parking as for "The Culvert"
Fee: None
River (access, view, none): Access & view
Other Posts: For more detailed information check out my post on the Fisherman's Section - North Fork Clackamas River Trail
The "North Fork Clackamas River Trail" is the unofficial name for a lost trail that leads to Fall Creek Falls. I have hiked a majority of this trail multiple times, I just haven't done the full push with the two rope sections to get to the falls yet. I think it's important to know what you're getting into with this trail. AllTrails gives a disclaimer that states: “Please note: The trail all the way to the falls involves cliff scrambles, off-trail, multiple washouts, and overgrown with thorny brushes.” It also is stated multiple times that the last mile or so near the falls there is no trail so it’s full on bushwhacking.
The "cliff scrambles" do have rope others have left behind and the level of "overgrown" varies depending on time of year. The trail is not a walk in the park with frequent blow downs and has washed out sections of trail. The trail can get very muddy depending on how wet it is.
Now that all the disclaimers are out of the way... I really enjoy this trail. I've gone the whole distance except the last 1500 ft with the ropes and scrambling sections. If that is a deterrent I think the trail is worth exploring even without the waterfall. For the first section of the trail, I have a post about called the Fisherman's Section - North Fork Clackamas River Trail. It has views of beautiful water and accesses an island. The forest further along the trail is pretty (in my opinion) and right before the more intense rope section, the river is beautiful with fast moving water and rapids. Once I complete the whole length of the trail I'll make a post and link it here, but until then AllTrails is a decent resource for trail conditions (although I roll my eyes at some peoples complaints... it's a lost trail not an inner city park trail lol). AllTrails does show the trail route fairly accurately.
Pull-off 45.22652, -122.24959
Coordinates: 45.22652, -122.24959
Use: Parking
River (access, view, none): None
Facilities: None
Parking: Room for numerous cars
Fee: None
Note: No parking overnight - from 1am-5am
Easiest driving direction for access: West (towards Estacada), but can be accessed driving either direction
This pull-off is on the northeast side of highway 224 between the Culvert and Promontory Park. It is huge with two entrances and is paved. There are signs noting “No Overnight Parking.” I rarely see people parked here. It doesn’t really have direct access to anything. It’s possible to see a little bit of the river. Pre-fire I feel like I remember this pull-off being used for overflow parking from Promontory Park. It would require walking the shoulder of the highway to access anything.
Promontory Park
Coordinates: 45.22271, -122.24357
Use: Boat Launch, campground, & view of North Fork Reservoir
Activity: Camping, Boating, Fishing
River (access, view, none): View & access
Facilities: the Marina has a store and the campground is reservation based.
Parking (marina): There is parking at the marina and from what I was able to find online parking is free.
Parking (campground): The campground is fee based so you'd need a campsite to enter from what I can tell.
Managed By: Portland General Electric (PGE)
Easiest driving direction for access: Easily accessed driving east and west
Promontory Park isn't somewhere I've ever explored, mainly due to the fact that I prefer recreating in less populated areas. According to the PGE website, the campground has non-electric and electric standard sites, yomes, cabins, and 1 picnic shelter available to rent. The marina has a boat launch and dock area. There is a store at the marina and parking. The marina can really fill up in the summer, especially on holidays or weekends.
Waterfall 45.21240, -122.23505
Coordinates (approximate): 45.21240, -122.23505
Seasonal or Year-Round: Seasonal
Visible From: Highway 224 and partially visible from a "no parking" pull-off/gated road at 45.21404, -122.23334
Best Seen Driving: West (towards Estacada), but can be seen driving either direction.
This creek with multiple waterfall features is on the other side of the Clackamas River. It is visible when driving down Highway 224 and as noted above partially visible from a pull-off/gated road at 45.21404, -122.23334 which has "no parking" signs. My sister idled in the car while I took a quick picture. From the pull-off the upper tiers of the waterfall are obscured due to the angel. The most clear view is visible when driving along highway 224 (around 45.21398, -122.23289) just east of the pull-off/gated road. But there is no place to stop.
Pull-off 45.21236, -122.22845
Coordinates: 45.21236, -122.22845
Use: View of river and very seasonal waterfall
River (access, view, none): View
Parking: Room for a few cars.
Fee: None
Note: This pull-off is just a wide shoulder. Not good for river access.
This is the first pull-off after the sign "Entering Mount Hood National Forest.". It's on the west side of the road and basically just a very wide shoulder area. There's a rock cliffs on the east side of the road, so it's good to be aware of the potential for rock fall. There is a pretty view of the river from this pull-off, but it's not very good for river access. There's a steep, loose slope down to the river.
Waterfall 45.21245, -122.22850
Coordinates (approximate): 45.21245, -122.22850
Seasonal or Year-Round: VERY Seasonal (only present after prolonged heavy rain)
Visible From: Highway 224 and pull-off 45.21236, -122.22845
Best Seen Driving: East or West, doesn't matter.
This is a very seasonal waterfall. It only occurs when there's been heavy and prolonged rain. It's right across from pull-off 45.21236, -122.22845 and falls down the rock cliff face.
My Wild Adventure is not responsible for your safety, any possible injury, or anything that happens if you choose to follow anything on this website. Maps are not intended to be used for navigational purposes, but to give an overview of the route taken. By going outdoors you are solely responsible to know your strengths and limitations, be aware of current conditions and proceed with the appropriate caution. My Wild Adventure is not responsible for your choices and the outcome. Reference my disclaimer for more information on being responsible outdoors.
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