Hello Portland adventurers! I want to encourage you all to share your adventure photos and stories here so other people in the group can get the skinny on the neat hikes, swim holes, and campsites. With that in mind I am posting today about my ongoing quest to find the best place to swim within a half hour of the city. We all know how awesome the Washougal is and the wonders of the gorge waterfalls for a day trip, but for a quick afternoon dip in the river those places are a bit of a drive, and for someone without a car youre out of luck. And with the recent rejuvenation of the Willamette river swimming scene our local options have really opened up. Its a good time to be a dipper in PDX! For the last year or so my pup June and I have been exploring the river front parks up and down the Willamette, Clackamas, Sandy and Columbia and have swam in them all searching for that perfect swim park within 30 minutes of our house in the SE. Yesterday we explored Mary S. Young state park in West Linn and I have to say, our search may be over! This park has it all, sandy beaches, rocky riverfront for jumping, forested shorelines, an island with a warm lagoon and docks! Do you want dog friendly? you got it. You want kid friendly? totally. You want to drink beers and swim on one of a dozen clean, semi-secluded beaches? Yup! If you want wilderness seclusion take the day and head to the mountains, but if you want a casual, lake-like atmosphere with plenty of free parking, sandy beaches and warm water 20 minutes from the ross island bridge then check out Mary S. Young state park. 10 miles south of the ross island bridge on Hwy 43, look for signs to the park on your left shortly after Hidden Springs Road. PRO TIP: Dont follow google maps suggestion to take the Sellwood bridge because of an annoying construction detour.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 19:18:14 +0000
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