Sandy beach
No
Cliff jumping
No
Hike-in Required
No
Sensitive Habitat
Yes
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

This serene spot might be one of the calmest, most inviting stretches of river in the Pacific Northwest.  When the heat of summer ratchets up, this is a premier option in your arsenal of swimming hole locations.

Should you tire of simply lounging and decide to mix things up, head up-river to the Footbridge Day Use Area, Cedar Butte Road Bridge, or to Smith Homestead Day Use Area, all of which feature deeper pools and cliff jumping opportunities in excess of 10 feet.  Alternately, venture down river to mile marker 15 where you are sure to avoid the crowds.

Oregon’s North Coast Forests

The Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests are 45 minutes outside of Portland’s backdoor and one of the state’s best keep secrets. But these forests also have a fraught history with logging, fires and more logging.  They are now 50 to 70 years into the recovery process and offer prime habitat for vibrant communities of fish and wildlife, as well as an immense array of recreational opportunities. The Wilson and Kilchis rivers host globally important runs of Chinook, chum, coho and steelhead. Both forests provide camping, biking, fishing, hunting and hiking grounds for thousands of Oregonians, and they also provide over 400,000 people with clean drinking water.

Wild Salmon Center is a founding member of the North Coast State Forest Coalition, a diverse group of over 100 businesses, governing bodies and nonprofits working to leverage public support to increase forest and streamside protection along the North Coast. These popular and biologically important areas deserve real protection. That’s why we’re asking state and federal leaders to protect 33,000 acres of land around the Wilson and Kilchis Rivers and another 8,000 acres around Kings Mountain.  It’s no easy task ensuring a future for these forests but this is where you can help.

Get Involved

Learn more about the North Coast State Forest Coalition, on their website. Join in the coalition by signing up for their newsletter and signing on to the latest action alerts to protect the Wilson/Kilchis and Kings Mountain.  

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Summer

Parking Pass

Not Required

Pros

Deep pools. Slow moving river. Big rocks to spread out on.

Cons

Beach is made of river rock (not sandy).

Features

Sensitive Habitat

Location

Comments

07/05/2018
the river was absolutely gorgeous, we went the day after 4th of July, it was great because hardly anyone was there. I recommend bringing tubes to get out of the freezing water for a while, there's a small current but it's definitely swimmable. for the more daring adventurers, there's a bridge as you enter the campground that you can jump off of into the deep part of the river. under the bridge, there are two rope swings that you climb up some rocks to get to. I loved it!
07/22/2017
Loved this campground! The fee is $10 a night with a $5 per night fee for extra car. There is a 5 person/2 car limit. There is a pump in K loop with delicious water.
The steep trails were a little difficult to maneuver with my 2 and 4 year.
The sites are small but we were just barely able to put up our 10 × 20 two-room, monster tent, in K6.
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