WILDWOOD RECREATION SITE
Overview
Wildwood Recreation Site is open year-round but may close due to vehicle access during severe weather. Check status during severe weather events by calling 503-375-5646.
Park passes are only available for purchase online for printing (Wildwood Recreation Site Day Pass) or onsite at the automated fee machine (AFM), located next to the park’s entrance station. Credit cards only; no cash or checks. Visitors may purchase either a daily or a Northwest Oregon District Passenger Vehicle Day Use annual pass at the AFM. Visitors with an annual pass receipt should bring it to the park office for transfer to a static cling Northwest Oregon District Passenger Vehicle Day Use Pass. Wildwood staff is limited so please be patient and hold onto your paper receipt until able to contact a park employee. Wildwood is open from 8 AM until 1/2 hour before sunset, or 8 PM whichever is closer, 7 days a week. Please stay aware of the closure times posted on roadside signs throughout the park. The gate will close at the posted time so make sure that you exit the park at or before the closing time.
Wildwood Recreation Site is located along the Mount Hood Scenic Byway near the town of Welches, Oregon. Mount Hood, Oregon's tallest mountain, beckons travelers through a forested corridor to wade the waters of the Wild and Scenic Salmon River.
This year round day-use area is home to a wide range of recreation facilities and the Cascade Streamwatch Trail. Visitors have a chance to explore natural stream and wetland ecosystems along accessible interpretive trails and boardwalks and observe native fish in a unique, underwater fish viewing chamber.
Recreation
Hiking and wandering the boardwalks at Wildwood is the best way to experience the park.
The Cascade Streamwatch Trail is an accessible, 3/4-mile paved loop that features quality educational displays, picturesque views of the Salmon River and a fish viewing window below stream level.
The Wetlands Trail is an accessible, 3/4-mile loop trail leading to the challenging Boulder Ridge Trail, which is a 4.7-mile hike up the steep slopes of Huckleberry Mountain into the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness.
Visitors also enjoy swimming and fishing in the cool, clear waters of the Salmon River.
Facilities
Hiking and wandering the boardwalks at Wildwood is the best way to experience the park.
The Cascade Streamwatch Trail is an accessible, 3/4-mile paved loop that features quality educational displays, picturesque views of the Salmon River and a fish viewing window below stream level.
The Wetlands Trail is an accessible, 3/4-mile loop trail leading to the challenging Boulder Ridge Trail, which is a 4.7-mile hike up the steep slopes of Huckleberry Mountain into the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness.
Visitors also enjoy swimming and fishing in the cool, clear waters of the Salmon River.
Natural Features
Nestled in a bend of the spectacular Wild and Scenic Salmon River, Wildwood Recreation Site encompasses 550 acres of beautiful land forested with old-growth Douglas fir, western hemlock, and western red cedar. Dense vegetation provides nice privacy between sites.
contact_info
For facility specific information, please call (503) 622-3696.
Nearby Attractions
Mount Hood National Forest offers many recreational activities, including hiking, horseback riding, fishing, camping, backpacking, and skiing, among others. Sandy Ridge Mountain Bike Trails.
Charges & Cancellations
Standard fees apply and are non-refundable.
Visit https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies for more information.
Photos
Click on the image above to view more photos of accessibility features at this site.
Accessibility Description (ABA/ADA)
The parking spaces and roads associated with this day-use site are all paved. There are approximately 200 striped parking spaces distributed throughout the site. About 20 of those are accessible spaces, with access aisles on the side for vehicles with a mobility device ramp or lift.
Flat pathways made of hard-packed gravel lead from the road and parking spaces to the toilets, picnic areas, and other facilities.
There are 16 gender-specific flush toilets distributed across the site, as well as one unisex accessible toilet by the Salmon River shelter. Most of the toilets are accessible, with wide entrances, handrails, and sinks at a height appropriate for visitors using mobility devices. The sinks also have hot- and cold-water taps. There is potable water dispersed across the site.
Wooden picnic tables in the group picnic area sit on asphalt pads. The 40 plus picnic sites in the family picnic area, by the Salmon River, sit on hard-packed gravel. There is 1 covered picnic site in the family area, along with 3 other reservation-only shelters: the Salmon River, Mountain View, and Pioneer shelters. Picnic tables throughout the site have fixed benches and open spaces at either end that can accommodate wheelchair users.
Grills at the picnic areas are not considered accessible and may present challenges to people using mobility devices, due to their low height and lack of double-walled sides.
The underwater fish-viewing area is accessible to visitors using mobility devices.
The site has a small playground equipped with swings, 1 of which is accessible.
One of the site’s accessible trails, the Cascade Streamwatch Trail, is a paved 3/4-mile loop. Panels along the trail provide visitors with opportunities for self-guided interpretation. These angled panels are viewable by people using wheelchairs or other mobility devices.
The 2nd accessible trail, the boardwalk Wetlands Trail, is also a 3/4-mile loop. A bridge leading to this trail crosses over the Salmon River. The trail has “reader books” along the spurs of the boardwalk that visitors can flip through. These books are at height appropriate for people using mobility devices such as wheelchairs. There are also plaques with tactile elements including raised letters, Braille names of animals, and 3-D representations of animals and their footprints or habitats.
The Wetlands Trail leads to the challenging, 4.7-mile Boulder Ridge Trail, which has steep slopes and was not designed with accessibility in mind.
Descriptions and photos uploaded August 2024. Please note that actual on-the-ground conditions may vary due to natural events (e.g., weather, wildfires, erosion), normal wear and tear, or site improvements.
Phone
Activities
Addresses
Geographic Coordinates
Directions
Wildwood Recreation Site is located 39 miles east of Portland on Highway 26 near Welches, Oregon.
Fees
- A daily vehicle fee is not included with shelter reservations. Fees vary from $5 (under 9 people), $10 van (over 10 people) and $20 bus (over 20 people). An electronic fee machine is onsite to accept credit card payments. or you can purchase before you leave your house at Wildwood Recreation Site Day Pass.
- Alternatively, you may use the BLM Northwest Oregon District Annual Pass, Interagency Passes, and Golden Passes in place of the daily vehicle fee. Display those passes on the dash or hang from the rearview mirror.