The Sandy River is a 56-mile (90 km) tributary of the Columbia River in northwestern Oregon in the United States. The Sandy joins the Columbia about 14 miles (23 km) upstream of Portland .
43-784: The Mount Hood Railway and Power Company , also known as the Mount Hood Company , initiated hydroelectric development in the Sandy River basin in the U.S. state of Oregon in 1906. Its Bull Run Hydroelectric Project included a powerhouse on the Bull Run River , a tributary of the Sandy River, and a diversion dam on the Little Sandy River , a tributary of the Bull Run River. Water from
86-637: A bridge near a wilderness trailhead and ends at the Arrah-Wanna Road bridge. This stretch of water is rated class II+ to III (intermediate) on the International Scale of River Difficulty . Hazards include logs along the banks and a stretch of boulders ending in a 3-foot (1 m) ledge. Expert kayakers have rarely completed runs in the Salmon River gorge further upstream. Oregon Kayaking says, "The Salmon River Canyon may just be
129-470: A forest road connecting to Route 26 near Government Camp . Amenities include drinking water, picnic tables, toilets, and access to lake and pond fishing, hiking and mountain biking, and non-motorized lake boating. Green Canyon Campground, about 4 miles (6 km) by road from Wemme , is along the Salmon River about a mile downstream of the mouth of the South Fork. Open from late May to late September,
172-686: A large sand bank that nearly blocked the Columbia River at the mouth of the Sandy River. In 1805 and again in 1806, members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition explored the lower stretches of the Sandy River as they traveled down the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Mount Hood, at the river's headwaters, had erupted a few years earlier, causing loose sediment to collect at the river's mouth. On November 3, 1805, William Clark wrote: "I arrived at
215-766: A tributary of the Columbia River . The overall course is sickle -shaped with the point facing north at Mount Hood and the handle facing west. The headwaters are on the Mount Hood's south face at the foot of Palmer Glacier east of Silcox Hut . The river, which crosses the Pacific Crest Trail at 5,980 feet (1,820 m), continues directly southward for a few miles and remains east of Timberline Road. As it descends below 4,500 feet (1,400 m), it turns southwest, and continues under Oregon Route 35 , elevation 3,600 feet (1,100 m), just east of
258-550: A wetland boardwalk, underwater viewing chamber, and an interpretive trail, as well as access to fishing, swimming, and other trails. The Salmon River West Trailhead, along Welches Road upstream of Green Canyon Campground, provides access to the Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness via the Salmon River Trail. This trail, 14 miles (23 km) long, generally runs along a forested bluff above the north side of
301-534: Is on the left about 2 miles (3.2 km) from the mouth. The Sandy River then joins the Columbia River about 120 miles (190 km) from where the larger river enters the Pacific Ocean. The confluence is about 14 miles (23 km) east of Portland , near the lower end of the Columbia River Gorge . Measured by a United States Geological Survey (USGS) gauge downstream of the Sandy's confluence with
344-466: The Bull Run River , 18.4 miles (29.6 km) from the mouth, the river's average discharge is 2,300 cubic feet per second (65 m /s). The maximum daily recorded flow is 84,400 cubic feet per second (2,390 m /s), and the minimum is 45 cubic feet per second (1.3 m /s). Archeological evidence suggests that Native Americans lived along the lower Columbia River as early as 10,000 years ago. The area near what later became The Dalles , on
387-526: The Little Sandy River to the north. About 4 miles (6.4 km) below the Marmot gauge, the river receives Badger Creek from the left. It passes under Ten Eyck Road about 24 miles (39 km) from the mouth, flowing by the city of Sandy on the left, shortly thereafter and receiving Cedar Creek, home of the Sandy Fish Hatchery, from the left. At about 22 miles (35 km) from the mouth,
430-411: The Sandy River near the community of Brightwood . This is 37.5 miles (60.4 km) upstream of the Sandy's confluence with the Columbia River . The lower canyons have black bear , blacktail deer , cougar , badger , fisher , and marten . Dense western hemlock , Douglas-fir are mixed with western red cedar , red alder , and vine maple . The rare Alaska cedar is found in patches around
473-545: The Sandy River Delta nature preserve. Salmon River (Clackamas County, Oregon) The Salmon River is a 33.5-mile (53.9 km) river in the Cascade Range in the U.S. state of Oregon that drains part of southwestern Mount Hood . The entire length of the river is a protected National Wild and Scenic River . Several portions are in protected wilderness . It is affluent to the Sandy River ,
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#1732798145273516-616: The Army Corps of Engineers since the devastating 1964 floods have taken place. In 1988, Congress added about 25 miles (40 km) of the Sandy to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System . The designation applies to two separate segments. One, administered by the U.S. Forest Service, covers 12.4 miles (20.0 km) from the headwaters to the Mount Hood National Forest boundary. The other, administered by
559-500: The Bull Run River. In 2007, engineers demolished Marmot Dam with 650 pounds (290 kg) of explosives. When in 2008 they demolished Little Sandy Dam, Roslyn Lake ceased to exist. After Marmot Dam was gone, the Sandy flowed freely for the first time since 1912, and the subsequent alterations restored the Little Sandy River to steelhead and salmon runs for the first time in a hundred years. Portland General Electric,
602-453: The Bureau of Land Management, covers 12.5 miles (20.1 km) between Dodge Park and Dabney Park. Of the total, 4.5 miles (7.2 km) were designated "wild", 3.8 miles (6.1 km) "scenic", and 16.6 miles (26.7 km) "recreational". A wide variety of recreational activities occur along the Sandy. Hiking, fishing, backpacking, and camping are popular along the upper river. Hikes include
645-452: The Columbia east of the mouth of the Sandy River, eventually became an important trading center. The Indians established villages on floodplains and traveled seasonally to gather huckleberries and other food on upland meadows, to fish for salmon, and to hunt elk and deer. Although no direct evidence exists that these lower-Columbia Indians traveled up the Sandy, it is likely that they did. Traces of these people include petroglyphs carved into
688-575: The Devil's Backbone between the Sandy and the Little Sandy watersheds. Until October 2007, the river was dammed and the flow rate regulated. The Bull Run Hydroelectric Project diverted water from the Sandy River at Marmot Dam to Little Sandy Dam on the Little Sandy River. From there the water flowed to Roslyn Lake, an artificial creation, through a wood box flume . The lake supplied the 22-megawatt Bull Run hydroelectric powerhouse and emptied into
731-852: The Indian trail over Lolo Pass to drive cattle from a Methodist mission in the Willamette Valley to a mission in Wascopam. Other pioneers later used the trail to drive livestock over the mountains. The first wagons came over the Cascades in 1840, and in 1843 the great east-west migration of settlers to the Oregon Territory began. The Barlow Road, along the Indian trail leading west from the Lolo Trail, opened in 1846 and became popular with new settlers. A branch of this road followed
774-532: The Mount Everest of Oregon Kayaking. Huge, marginally portageable waterfalls combined with crumbly, near-vertical canyon walls and questionable rescue possibilities make this a very serious venture indeed." These gorge and waterfall runs have been rated class V to V+ (expert, extreme). Alpine Campground lies to the east of Salmon River about halfway between it and the West Fork. The highest campground in
817-471: The Mount Hood National Forest, it is near Timberline Lodge and offers access to trails for hiking and mountain biking. It has 16 sites for tent camping. Amenities include picnic tables and potable water. Open from early June through early September, the campground sometimes has snow in mid-summer. Trillium Lake Campground, along Trillium Lake, west of the Salmon River and at the head of one of its tributaries, has more than 50 sites for tents and trailers along
860-578: The Salmon River Meadows. The upper reaches of the river support cutthroat trout . Downstream of the waterfalls, the river has excellent spawning habitat for steelhead , Chinook salmon , and coho salmon . The river is named for the fish (salmon). Whitewater enthusiasts sometimes run a stretch of the lower river that begins downstream of the Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness boundary. The 5.5-mile (8.9 km) run of "fairly continuous class 2 rapids with great wilderness scenery" begins at
903-432: The Salmon River and collects several creeks—Wolf from the right; Inch, Draw String, and Linney from the left. The river turns northwest and in the next 3 miles (5 km), flows over a series of six waterfalls ranging from 15 to 75 feet (4.6 to 22.9 m) high. These include Stein and Split (before Iron and Swift creeks enter from the left and Kinzel Creek from the right), then Little Niagara (before Goat Creek enters from
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#1732798145273946-582: The Sandy River flows across Old Maid Flat, north of Zigzag Mountain in the Mount Hood Wilderness of the Mount Hood National Forest . In this initial stretch near the headwaters, it receives Rushing Water Creek from the left, Muddy Fork from the right, then Lost Creek and Horseshoe Creek from the left, and crosses under Lolo Pass Road just before receiving Clear Creek from the right. At about 41 miles (66 km) from
989-538: The West Fork and Salmon River join, and a half mile (1 km) later, the Salmon is joined by the East Fork Salmon River which comes out of a steep valley just north of, and below, Barlow Pass . The combined river flows directly south through Red Top Meadow for about 3 miles (5 km) and begins meandering slightly through Salmon River Meadows, elevation 3,320 feet (1,010 m). At the south end,
1032-523: The Zigzag and Salmon rivers enter the Sandy. Indians from villages along the Columbia, Clackamas , and other rivers also traveled by water to the lower Sandy River area to fish for salmon and to gather berries, nuts and roots. In 1792 William Robert Broughton of the Vancouver Expedition explored the lower Columbia River. He named the Sandy River "Baring River", but noted the existence of
1075-592: The area had to be planked to be usable during heavy rains. Access improved in mid-1911, when the company finished construction on a railway line between the Montavilla neighborhood in east Portland and the community of Bull Run . The Mount Hood Railway and Power Company line, 22 miles (35 km) long, began as a steam locomotive railway. In 1912, the company merged with the Portland Railway, Light and Power Company (PRL&P), which later modified
1118-491: The campground has sites for tents and recreational vehicles (RV)s, picnic tables, and access to hiking trails and rainbow trout fishing. It has vault toilets but no drinking water. Wildwood Recreation Site is a 550-acre (220 ha) day-use area along the lower river near Wildwood and Route 26. Overseen by the Bureau of Land Management , the site has a variety of picnic tables, shelters, and kitchens, playing fields and courts,
1161-497: The dam, which was about 16 feet (4.9 m) high, flowed through a wooden flume about 17,000 feet (5,200 m) long to Roslyn Lake and from there to the powerhouse. The company began using the powerhouse to generate electricity in 1912. To start the project, the company needed improved access to the powerhouse site. At the time, it took three hours by stagecoach to reach Bull Run from an electric railway depot in Boring . Roads in
1204-579: The dams' owner, donated 1,500 acres (6.1 km ) of land in the vicinity to a nature reserve. With the Marmot Dam removal and other habitat restoration in the Sandy River Basin Salmon, Steelhead, and Pacific lamprey are making a comeback. The Lower Salmon River upstream of the former Marmot Dam in recent years has undergone extensive riparian and river restoration. Engineered log jams and the opening of former side channels blocked by
1247-441: The entrance of a river which appeared to Scatter over a Sand bar, the bottom of which I could See quite across and did not appear to be 4 Inches deep in any part; I attempted to wade this Stream and to my astonishment found the bottom a quick Sand, and impassable ...". One of the first documented visits by European-Americans to the upper Sandy River basin occurred in 1838, when Daniel Lee, the nephew of missionary Jason Lee , used
1290-578: The junction with U.S. Route 26 , and crosses under Route 26 as well. The West Fork Salmon River begins in the Timberline Lodge ski area under the Pucci chairlift . It flows south-southwest and is joined by natural cold springs at the 5,000-foot (1,500 m) level, continues south-southwest and crosses under Highway 26 just west of the Highway 35 junction. Just after they cross Highway 26,
1333-412: The left about a mile above Green Canyon Campground. From here the river flows 11 miles (18 km) on a comparatively level grade , receiving Cheeney Creek from the left just above Welches . The river then flows roughly parallel to Route 26 past Wemme , then goes through Wildwood Recreation Site near Wildwood . Receiving Boulder Creek from the left, it crosses (again) under Route 26 and merges with
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1376-504: The left and then Alder Creek and Whiskey Creek, also from the left. The river passes the Marmot gauging station operated by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with Portland General Electric at river mile (RM) 29.8 (river kilometer (RK) 48.0). The unincorporated community of Marmot lies to the right of the river on a ridge—the Devil's Backbone—separating the Sandy River from
1419-504: The line for use by electric trolleys , and operated it as its Mount Hood Line interurban service. PRL&P was the predecessor of Portland General Electric . Interurban service to Bull Run ended in 1930. In the 21st century, part of the Metropolitan Area Express (MAX) Blue Line , a light-rail corridor between Portland and Gresham , overlaps the former PRL&P right-of-way. PRL&P interurban service along
1462-473: The mouth, the Zigzag River enters from the left near the unincorporated community of Zigzag . From here the river runs roughly parallel to U.S. Route 26 , which is on its left for about the next 20 miles (32 km). Just below Zigzag, the Sandy River passes the unincorporated community of Wemme on the left. At about 39 miles (63 km) from the mouth, the river receives Hackett Creek from
1505-432: The mouth, the Sandy River enters Multnomah County, curves back into Clackamas County, and re-enters Multnomah County. About 1 mile (1.6 km) further downstream, Bear Creek enters from the left, and the river flows around Indian John Island. Soon Trout Creek, Gordon Creek, and Buck Creek all enter from the right as the river winds through Oxbow Regional Park between 14 miles (23 km) and 11 miles (18 km) from
1548-468: The mouth. Passing Camp Collins about 1 mile (1.6 km) later, the river receives Big Creek from the right. Dabney State Recreation Area is on the right about 4 miles (6.4 km) later. Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site is on the right and Troutdale on the left at about 3 miles (5 km) from the mouth, where Beaver Creek enters from the left. Shortly thereafter, the river passes under Interstate 84 and flows by Portland-Troutdale Airport , which
1591-558: The right), then Vanishing , Frustration , and Final Falls . Iron Creek, near its confluence with the Salmon River, flows over Hideaway Falls. A half mile below Final Falls, Copper Creek joins from the left and, a mile later, Bighorn Creek joins from the left and the river leaves the wilderness area. About 1.5 miles (2.4 km) later, the South Fork Salmon River —which drains about 25 square miles (65 km ) of rugged mountains northeast of Squaw Mountain—enters from
1634-535: The right, passes the unincorporated community of Brightwood shortly thereafter, and receives North Boulder Creek from the right. Barlow Trail County Park and remnants of the Barlow Road lie to the right along this stretch of the river. Between 38 miles (61 km) and 37 miles (60 km) from the mouth, the Salmon River enters from the left. Roughly 4 miles (6.4 km) later, Wildcat Creek enters from
1677-491: The river is joined by Ghost Creek, which enters from the left and turns west-southwest for about 4 miles (6 km) before receiving Mud Creek, which flows from Trillium Lake and enters from the right . About 1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream from Mud Creek, it receives Fir Tree Creek from the right as it enters the eastern boundary of the Salmon–Huckleberry Wilderness . A steep east–west gorge captures
1720-415: The river turns away from Highway 26 and flows generally north-northwest for the rest of its course. About 3 miles (4.8 km) further downstream, the river passes Dodge Park on the right, receives the Bull Run River from the right and passes a second USGS gauge at RM 18.4 (RK 29.6). Shortly thereafter, Walker Creek enters from the right. Between 17 miles (27 km) and 16 miles (26 km) from
1763-662: The rocks of the Columbia River Gorge. More recently, within the past few thousand years, Indians created trails across the Cascade Range around Mount Hood. The trail network linked the trading center at Wascopam, near The Dalles, to settlements in the Willamette Valley . One popular trail crossed over Lolo Pass and another, which later became the Barlow Road , met the Lolo Pass trail roughly where
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1806-470: The section of East Burnside Street that is now used by MAX, between I-205 and Ruby Junction (near 197th Avenue), was abandoned in 1927. Sandy River (Oregon) Issuing from Reid Glacier on the southwest flanks of Mount Hood in the Cascade Range , the Sandy River flows generally west and then north for 57 miles (92 km) through Clackamas County and Multnomah County to the Columbia River at Troutdale . In its first 12 miles (19 km),
1849-407: The trail to Ramona Falls , a well-known waterfall. Other uses of the upper river and its surrounds include kayaking and cross-country skiing . Fishing, picnicking, non-motorized boating and floating are among popular activities on the lower river. Parks along the river include Dodge Park, Oxbow Regional Park, Dabney State Recreation Area, Lewis and Clark State Recreation Site, Glenn Otto Park and
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