Trip Report: Paddleboarding Promontory Park and North Fork Reservoir
When: 3/26/2018
Location: Promontory Park and North Fork Reservoir
Conditions: Little cloudy, 65 degrees
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty: A trip for anyone! Kayaks would also be great!
Kid Friendly: Yes
Pet Friendly: Yes
The Full Report:
Promontory Park and North Fork Reservoir is only 40 mins from Portland and offers smooth paddling on clear blue water and way less wake from boats and other paddling traffic than all the classic spots on the Willamette. My girlfriend and I set off from Portland with a couple of inflatable paddle boards in the trunk. Passing through Estacada we drove up 224 and got the breath-taking view that you're gifted with every time you drive up the Clackamas River Highway.
We parked alongside the road and walked down to the water’s edge. This was at the end of March, so we were dressed in our dry suits with very thin layers underneath. The water was still very cold, but the outside temperature was perfect. If you don't have a dry suit I would suggest some sort of thin wetsuit just in case you spend a bit of time in the water on accident… I did!
We paddled for a while around the North Fork reservoir, all the way to where it is marked off as it gets close to the lip of the dam. We could see fish underneath our boards and trees on the bank covered with luscious green moss per usual. You could also see the beautiful bedrock under the water in many places. I really wonder what that place looked like before it was dammed.
After that, we paddled under the road into a small pond that is actually fed by the North Fork of the Clackamas River (A small creek with some hidden waterfalls). It was fun to paddle through the culvert under the road. Of course we each had to give a loud shout to hear the echo. We sat and had snacks on our boards as it began to drizzle a bit. I love being out on the water in the rain. We explored the little pond on the left-hand side of the road and went all the way to where the creek feeds into it.
All in all, it was a great day and just such a beautiful and underrated spot not far from Portland. I will always suggest this to people who want to paddle board or kayak on some beautiful calm water.
The Full Report:
Promontory Park and North Fork Reservoir is only 40 mins from Portland and offers smooth paddling on clear blue water and way less wake from boats and other paddling traffic than all the classic spots on the Willamette. My girlfriend and I set off from Portland with a couple of inflatable paddle boards in the trunk. Passing through Estacada we drove up 224 and got the breath-taking view that you're gifted with every time you drive up the Clackamas River Highway.
We parked alongside the road and walked down to the water’s edge. This was at the end of March, so we were dressed in our dry suits with very thin layers underneath. The water was still very cold, but the outside temperature was perfect. If you don't have a dry suit I would suggest some sort of thin wetsuit just in case you spend a bit of time in the water on accident… I did!
We paddled for a while around the North Fork reservoir, all the way to where it is marked off as it gets close to the lip of the dam. We could see fish underneath our boards and trees on the bank covered with luscious green moss per usual. You could also see the beautiful bedrock under the water in many places. I really wonder what that place looked like before it was dammed.
After that, we paddled under the road into a small pond that is actually fed by the North Fork of the Clackamas River (A small creek with some hidden waterfalls). It was fun to paddle through the culvert under the road. Of course we each had to give a loud shout to hear the echo. We sat and had snacks on our boards as it began to drizzle a bit. I love being out on the water in the rain. We explored the little pond on the left-hand side of the road and went all the way to where the creek feeds into it.
All in all, it was a great day and just such a beautiful and underrated spot not far from Portland. I will always suggest this to people who want to paddle board or kayak on some beautiful calm water.