Destination Wild

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

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.

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.