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 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

Wildwood is an excellent place for large groups, company picnics or special events. The site offers family picnic units, several group shelters, outdoor picnic kitchens, athletic fields, volleyball and basketball courts and fully accessible trails.

Picnic tables, fire rings and grills are available at each site. Flush toilets and drinking water are also provided.

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

Wildwood Recreation Site directions
Wildwood Recreation Site directions
BLM
Wildwood snow bear
Wildwood snow bear
Mark Marshall-BLM
one of the trails at Wildwood Recreation Site
one of the trails at Wildwood Recreation Site
BLM
Cascade StreamWatch Salmon sculpture
Cascade StreamWatch Salmon sculpture
BLM
Wildwood snow play
Wildwood snow play
Mark Marshall-BLM
Wildwood Recreation Site directions
Wildwood Recreation Site directions
BLM
Wildwood snow bear
Wildwood snow bear
Mark Marshall-BLM
one of the trails at Wildwood Recreation Site
one of the trails at Wildwood Recreation Site
BLM
Cascade StreamWatch Salmon sculpture
Cascade StreamWatch Salmon sculpture
BLM
Wildwood snow play
Wildwood snow play
Mark Marshall-BLM
Wildwood Recreation Site directions
Wildwood Recreation Site directions
BLM
Wildwood snow bear
Wildwood snow bear
Mark Marshall-BLM
one of the trails at Wildwood Recreation Site
one of the trails at Wildwood Recreation Site
BLM
Cascade StreamWatch Salmon sculpture
Cascade StreamWatch Salmon sculpture
BLM
Wildwood snow play
Wildwood snow play
Mark Marshall-BLM
Wildwood Recreation Site directions
Wildwood Recreation Site directions
BLM
Wildwood snow bear
Wildwood snow bear
Mark Marshall-BLM
one of the trails at Wildwood Recreation Site
one of the trails at Wildwood Recreation Site
BLM
Cascade StreamWatch Salmon sculpture
Cascade StreamWatch Salmon sculpture
BLM
Wildwood snow play
Wildwood snow play
Mark Marshall-BLM

Adventure is at Your Fingertips

Phone

Activities

Iconograph of binoculars
WILDLIFE VIEWING
Iconograph of two people wearing backpacks and using walking sticks
HIKING
Iconograph of a fish head and a fishing hook on a line
FISHING
Iconograph of a spoked wheel and an arrowhead
HISTORIC & CULTURAL SITE
Iconograph of a bicyclist
BIKING
Iconograph of two people wearing backpacks and using walking sticks
BACKPACKING
Iconograph of a one large fish above three small fish
FISH VIEWING SITE
Iconograph of a picnic table
PICNICKING
Iconograph of a camera
PHOTOGRAPHY
A hand gently picking a berry from the ground before presumably putting it in a basket for making preserves with later.
BERRY PICKING
Iconograph of binoculars
BIRDING
Iconograph of three picnic tables
DAY USE AREA
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ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Iconograph of a bicyclist
MOUNTAIN BIKING

Addresses

Wildwood Recreation Site
PO BOX 229
WELCHES
Oregon
97067
Wildwood Recreation Site
65670 E HWY. 26
Welches
Oregon
97067

Geographic Coordinates

45.3561111, -121.9866667

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 Wildwood 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.