South End of Riverside Trail #723
- Tina McLain
- 12 minutes ago
- 4 min read
A short hike at the south end of the Riverside Trail along the upper Clackamas River in Mount Hood National Forest.
Trail Name: Riverside Trail #723
Access: Trail
Distance: 1.19 miles (round trip)
Elevation Range: 1427' to 1483'
Ascent/Descent: +51 ft/-47 ft
Outing Type: Day hike
Winter Activity Options: This area is snow free most of the winter, but is within a heavily burnt area, so is more prone to slides, flash floods, and downed trees. It's good to be extra mindful when recreating in burned areas especially when it's wet/raining.
Permits/Fees: None
Note: I only hiked a small section of the Riverside Trail, not the whole thing. Also, I took the majority of the photos when headed back to where I parked.
Location: Near Riverside Campground along FS 46 in Mount Hood National Forest, Oregon, U.S.A.
Administration: Mount Hood National Forest
Ranger District: Clackamas River Ranger District
Date Accessed: March 25, 2025
I wanted to go out for a hike since it was a rare 70 degree sunny day in March. I originally planned on doing a hike closer to home but it was closed. So I decided to explore some of the Riverside Trail. There was a pull-off at 45.04889, -122.05918 that I was familiar with and decided I’d hike a bit of the trail from that point.
There was no one else at the pull-off so I parked. I decided to try taking the trail south since it seemed like it wasn’t too far to the Riverside Campground. It was sunny and warm. The trail followed along the steep bank that went along the east side of the Clackamas River. The trail was repaired post fire and opened up last summer (2024).
Since it is all within a heavily burned area I was extra careful to be aware of hazards. There is quite a bit of erosion and a few sections of trail where there is a bit of slides happening, but nothing impassible. The trail was reinforced in multiple places to help hold up against erosion. I did come across a few downed trees and only one was more of a challenge to climb over, but all were doable for me. I came across a Gardner snake at one point that was stretched across the trail.
The river was very beautiful. The water level was higher than normal and silty making it a greenish-turquoise color. The trail eventually went down to the river's level and I found a semi-spur that lead down to its edge. There was a very small sandy shore with rapids at that section of river. There was a hole in one of the rapids that looked about 4 ft deep. The water had such a powerful flow that there were little waves lapping against the shoreline.
I continued hiking down the trail which eventually went through a more flat section and wasn't on the side of the river bank. There was another place I was able to access the shore which was lined with moss covered rocks. There wasn't really any spur trail to this one.
There was one other place where it looked like I could potentially access the shore of the river, but it would require a bit more effort so I decided to skip it this time around.
The trail, after the more flat section, ascended uphill and there was a section at the top where the trail was slowly eroding. There was a good drop down to the river. It was a bit unnerving, but safe enough to still travel. The trail then descended down to the Riverside Campground. I was starting to feel the heat and feeling pretty hot at that point. I turned around and went back the same way I'd come. I got to see some bald eagles up close which was really cool. I've seen a lot of bald eagles along the Clackamas this winter.
I made it back to my truck and went the whole hike without seeing anyone else on the trail. I could occasionally hear a car pass on FS 46, but the road noise wasn't terrible. I decided to just do this short section of trail since I'm still recovering from some overuse injuries and I got overheated. I know I can sometimes use the reminder that it's okay to just do part of a trail and not the whole thing. What matters is getting outside and enjoying it, not just checking off another box on a to-do list.
Map
Note: I've been having issues with the elevation range in my gps not always being accurate, the description at the top of the post has the accurate elevation range.
My Wild Adventure is not responsible for your safety, any possible injury, or anything that happens if you choose to follow anything on this website. Maps are not intended to be used for navigational purposes, but to give an overview of the route taken. By going outdoors you are solely responsible to know your strengths and limitations, be aware of current conditions and proceed with the appropriate caution. My Wild Adventure is not responsible for your choices and the outcome. Reference my disclaimer for more information on being responsible outdoors.
Comments