Accessible Trails in Clackamas County Oregon
Clackamas County is one of the greater Portland metropolitan areas located southeast of Portland. The county's heavily timbered geographical features include the 11,235-foot Mt. Hood, the Mt. Hood National Forest, the Bull Run Watershed and numerous rivers – including the Willamette, Clackamas, Sandy, Pudding, Molalla and Salmon.
Wildwood Wetland Trail - BLM
Directions:
The Wildwood Recreation Site is one-mile west of Welches, Oregon. Directions from Portland - travel 39 miles east of Portland on U.S. 26.
Features:
The Wildwood Wetland Trail consists of a one-mile loop of gravel and paved foot paths, a bridge crossing the Salmon River and an elevated boardwalk trail system. On the boardwalk at several locations, observation decks extend out into the wetland providing views of waterfowl, songbirds, and turtles. Interpretive signs describe wetland habitat and wildlife.
Other:
There are approximately 2 1/2 miles of paved paths that loop around picnic shelters, athletic fields and through the forested picnic sites near the Salmon River. An accessible bridge spans the river and allows access to the interpretive wetland trail on the south side of the river.
Watch the KaTU video about Wildwood.
Cascade Streamwatch Trail
Directions:
Cascade Streamwatch is located within the BLM's Wildwood Recreation Site, 39 miles east of Portland on Highway 26, near Welches, Oregon.
Features:
The Cascade Streamwatch Trail is a barrier-free and paved, 3/4-mile loop trail paralleling the Wild and Scenic Salmon River. Interpretive displays describe points of interest along the trail focusing on watershed and fisheries. The highlight is a stream profile viewing chamber where you can see a "fish eye view" of a stream.
Bagby Hotsprings:
Directions:
Bagby Hot Springs is located about 45 minutes South East of Estacada, Oregon. After the beautiful drive up the Clackamas River Basin on Hwy 224, you turn South and follow the Collawash River. There is a parking lot and campground located at the trailhead bearing the name “Bagby Trailhead”. The campground is to the left when entering the parking lot and is commonly known as “Nohorn Campground”. The only services at the trailhead are two outhouses.
Features:
This 1.5 mile non-paved trail is not ADA accessible, but with some difficulty, disabled folks have taken it so it is included for adventurous walkers and wheelchair users with strong able-bodied hiking companions. There are a couple of rather steep inclines and a narrow bridge, which may be difficult for wider mobility devices (See Trip Notes below and William Sullivan's photos). Also, there are about 6 stairs at the hot tubs. You can get down to the Upper Tub (the one by itself) without negotiating the steps or ask people to help at the stairs. The Forest Service has talked about installing a route around the stairs that would come out by the cold water cistern. In the meantime soaking at the upper tub is probably the easiest solution.
From the trailhead, immediately cross a footbridge over the Collawash River. The trail follows the banks of the Hot Springs Fork of the Collawash River through a Late Successional Reserve Forest.
| Trip Notes: Oct 2007 - This hike is not paved, and would require a hiking chair. But for those with a hiking chair, it is worth the trip. The hike from the parking lot to the hot springs is about 1.5 miles through beautiful Northern Oregon rain forest, in the spring and fall it can get quite muddy. There is a bridge that is barely wide enough for Carl's hiking chair with about an inch to spare on either side. Be sure to pack some towels with you as there is prize at the other end of the trail. Those with disability will need to bring an able person with them as they will need help getting buckets of cold water to regulate the hot water from the hotsprings in one of the 5 private bathhouses. Within each bathhouse is a hollowed out cedar log tub, each tub is about 10 feet log and approximately 2 feet wide. You pull a wooden plug to fill the tub from the hotspring (be sure to fill part way with cool water first as the water from the spring is extremely hot, around 136 degrees). Once the tub is fill, simply lie back and enjoy. The down side is, the line for the private bath houses can get quite long on weekends, there are a couple of large public tubs, but the accessibility to the public tubs are poor, and as a warning-bathing suits are optional. Curiously, they have made the trail to the hotspring wide enough to be accessible, the hike is quite difficult and will take a seasoned hiker in a chair as there is a couple of good inclines, but the curious thing is that there are only steps that goes from the deck to the bath houses (about 6 or 7 steps), so it will take some determination and enginuity to get down to the bath houses, but it is possible as Carl have done it. Please remember not to leave valuables in your car as there have been vandals reported there. My car got broken into through a window and an overnight bag was stolen, but even with that price, the experience was well worth it. We would rate this hike as a difficult one. |
More Easy trails (not ADA accessible)
Old Salmon River Trail - gains just 100 feet of elevation a paved road parallels the route, it's easy to arrange a car shuttle so you can hike the 2.6-mile trail one way.
Symbols
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An agency or a trip evaluation has rated
all or part of the trail as wheelchair accessible. |
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There is some terrain greater than a 5%
grade. A wheelchair user may require assistance on portions
of this trail. Suitable for power mobility devices. |
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No Dogs are allowed on the trail. |