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The Oregon State Marine Board requires permits for motorized watercraft as well as Waterway Access Permits for non-motorized boaters – including paddleboards, kayaks, and watercraft longer than 10 feet. These can be purchased online . These permits support the aquatic invasive species prevention program and improvements to paddling access. Paddling without a permit may lead to a $115 fine. Boat launches and parking along the Willamette and Yamhill Rivers are free, with the exception of a $3 launch fee at Roger’s Landing in Newberg to use the boat ramp. A National Forest Recreation Pass or Northwest Forest Pass is required at trailheads within Siuslaw National Forest, which stretches over the Coastal Range foothills on the western side of the region. These can be purchased online.
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Experiencing the quiet, aweinspiring beauty of nature can not only uplift your spirits, it can improve your health. Think of Oregon’s vast outdoors as your place to relax and recharge.
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Say Hello Greet fellow adventurers and spark a conversation. Check in at a visitor center, ranger station and/ or local business to learn from the locals, grab a map and gather local insight.
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Stay on designated trails and areas to protect the Spread Goodwill landscape. Don’t Share your take anything knowledge with home but your others if it’s trash—and please, helpful. Support please take your e r community— ivthe trash with you. eat, drink, shop Make wildfire and stay local. n preventionlaa ttop i Stop by cultural a u T priority. centers to learn our history and relationship to place.
Let someone know where you’re headed and when you plan to be back. Tuck 219some cash in your pocket for park fees (that help maintain our natural spaces).
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If you’re lucky enough to spot wildlife, use your zoom lens and observe from afar. Share trails with others. Know who manages the land you access and what the rules and regulations are.
Check conditions. Pack your Ten Essentials. Got the right shoes for the terrain? Water? Cell phone? You may not always have coverage, so take a picture of the trail map or bring one with you. Consider hiring a guide.
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Know your limits and when to stop for the day. Follow the signs; they’re there to tell you important stuff like how to avoid injuries and not get lost.
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Plan Ahead Prepare before you head out, consider what you want to see and experience, your group’s physical abilities and what’s realistic to do in the time you have. Can you visit off peak to avoid crowds?
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This map provides an overview of recreational activities in the North Willamette Valley. While it’s useful for trip planning, it’s not intended to be a detailed navigational map. For more in-depth information pertaining to trip itineraries, digital maps, specific activities, wineries, or lodging, follow the websites or QR codes found in the map. For detailed cycling maps, check out the extensive collection of North Willamette Valley road and gravel routes online (ridewithgps.com/collections/3776264). Willamette Water Trail maps can be purchased online or at local outdoor retailers and paddle shops.
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These conditions, combined with marine sedimentary, loess, and volcanic soils, create one of the best pinot noir regions in the world. West of the valley, the Coastal Range foothills gain elevation and create a number of unique microclimates, many of which have been granted American Viticultural Area status. 18
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The majority of the North Willamette Valley is characterized by a mild climate – with warm summers, chilly rainy winters, and cool wind systems sourcing from the Pacific Ocean. Having four distinct seasons, there is an average of around 38 inches of rain per year, 18 occurring mostly during the winter months.
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Yamhill County Transit provides a network of bus options connecting neighborhoods and towns. The closest major airport is Portland International Airport (PDX), from which shuttles and rental cars can be arranged.
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The North Willamette Valley covers a gorgeous expanse of Willamette Valley wine country, as well as less-populated Coastal Range foothills 22 to the west. Highway 99W is the county’s major thoroughfare, connecting Amity in the south of the county to McMinnville before heading northeast to Newberg – and eventually reaching Portland. Though there is no train service,
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A guide to adventure in Oregon’s North Willamette Valley for you & the whole family.
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RECREATING IN THE NORTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY
Nature unfolds:
WELCOME TO THE NORTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY
WILLAMETTE
The dramatic geologic history of the North Willamette Valley – ice ages, floods, lava flows – created rolling hills of rich red earth, blown glacial sediment, alluvial deposits, uplifted sedimentary seabeds, clay-loam, and fine silty sand. These soils conspire with the warm summers and rainy winters to create some of the finest pinot noir in the world. But that’s not all the North Willamette Valley has to offer. This swath of wine country has niches and pockets of natural beauty that make for pleasant, family-friendly outdoor adventures – exploring rivers, forests, foothills, vineyards, and farmland.
ADVENTURES
Check out convenient strolls within valley towns after a day of wine tasting and before a delicious dinner during the golden early evening. Trails in places like Joe Dancer Park in McMinnville or Ewing Young Park in Newberg are ideal. Alternatively, head farther afield to the serene hiking routes in the forests of Our Lady Guadalupe Trappist Abbey near Carlton or the path to Niagara Falls and Pheasant Creek Falls in Siuslaw National Forest.
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If the North Willamette Valley is known worldwide for its pinot noir production, the area’s best kept secret could be its world-class gravel road riding. Routes lace through the acclaimed wine country and densely forested foothills of the Coastal Range. There are a number of fantastic signed gravel rides from McMinnville and Yamhill, a tiny hamlet in the northern part of the county which is surrounded by the Yamhill-Carlton American Viticultural Area, in the rain shadow of the Coastal Range. There’s something for all levels of cycling – exploring farmland, vineyards, and evergreen woods. Cycle Yamhill County’s website (cycleyamhillcounty.com) details a treasure trove of signed gravel routes.
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From Newberg, the adventurous set can pedal through Chehalem Mountain and Laurelwood District American Viticultural Areas on the 29-mile unsigned Chehalem MounNewberg tain Gravel Loop, which skirts Bald Peak and has magnificent valley vistas. Dundee 219
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Walking/Hiking ▶ In the western reaches of the Northern Willamette Valley, check out Niagara Falls and Pheasant Creek Falls on a hike within Siuslaw National Forest. ▶ East of Carlton, the resident monks of the Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey open their 1,300acre forest to visitors, including a number of pleasant hiking loops.
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For those who want to ride bikes in wine country but don’t want to plan the trip, let Wine de Roads take care of everything. This guiding outfit based in Newberg organizes low-mileage, leisurely paced, relatively flat bike tours through Chehalem Valley from April through October. Mostly riding pavement with some gravel, this tour includes three stops at small-batch, boutique wineries and a picnic lunch, with van service back to the start point from the
Disc Golf
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▶ Grab your disc and check out the 12-hole Wortman Park Disc Golf Course in McMinnville.
Nature Viewing
▶ Cycle Yamhill County has done amazing work creating and signing a variety of gravel road routes, all of which originate in McMinnville or Yamhill.
Chehalem Park & Recreation
third winery. Wine de Roads also guides a Newberg-toChampoeg State Park tour and will customize private tours. BMX fans should check out the Chehalem Valley BMX Park within Ewing Young Park in Newberg. This track – which is nationally certified by the American Bicycle Association – features five straight stretches, four corners including a U-turn, a full rhythm section, and many jumps into corners. Don’t be surprised to see sanctioned competitions for preschoolers one day and adults sessioning the track another. BMXers can also be found dropping in at nearby Newberg Skatepark.
▶ Excellent gravel rides into the Coastal Range foothills can also be accessed from Carlton, and routes from Newberg explore the Chehalem Mountains. Road Cycling Bald Peak State Park
Taste Newberg
Harvey Creek Trail, Dundee
Taste Newberg
GRAND RONDE
Yamhill County Before Colonization: A Kalapuya Landscape Remembered & Honored section of the river called the Newberg Pool around Roger’s Landing because it’s deep and calm. Those same qualities make it a hotspot for motorboats and towing watersports. Don’t have a boat? No worries. NW Jetboat Charter out of Newberg offers three-hour jet boat tours. When paddling the river, many people like to arrange DIY shuttles with multiple cars – leaving one at the takeout site and driving one to the put-in. There is parking at launch spots such as Roger’s Landing in Newberg and Champoeg State Heritage Area.
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Yamhill County is the traditional homeland of the Yamhill band of the Kalapuya people, who are now part of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. The native name for the Yamhill River is che-amh-ill. Historically, the Kalapuya people used rock mounds to cross the river during low water periods, which led to their being known as the people of the che-amh-ill river.
For those who want an indoor option or who just love a dose of adrenaline, check out Wings and Waves Waterpark near McMinnville next to the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum. The massive complex with floor-to-ceiling windows centers around a 91,000-gallon wave pool and includes a leisure pool, large hot tub, aquaplay structure with buckets, spouts, and valves for the littles, and twisting chutes and slides of varying steepness and speed.
Before colonization, Yamhill County was covered with forests dominated by Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, and Western Red Cedar, as well as oak savannahs, meadows, wetlands, wet prairies, and lakes. The Kalapuya people lived off the land’s abundant resources, known as the First Foods. The arrival of settlers drastically altered the landscape. Wetlands were drained, fire management was outlawed, and agricultural and grazing lands were fenced off. Camas prairies and wetlands were destroyed, and many of the First Foods were replaced with non-native plants and animals. Pigs disrupted the camas prairies by rooting up the land and eating camas, while sheep and cattle trampled the soil, burying the bulbs and preventing them from getting the air, water, and nutrients they needed.
Although the river is a public resource, it’s safe to assume that adjacent land is private unless otherwise specified by a sign or map. When recreating along the river, it’s also important to follow the Take Care Out There section of this map, a set of practices for reducing impact when traveling through natural environments.
Most of the Willamette River is cold and has swift undercurrents, so wear appropriate gear and bring a dry change of clothes. Stay hydrated on hot days, bringing a water purifier along for good measure. Wood in the river is a chief hazard – typically logs, root wads, and other wood extending from the shoreline or bobbing in the current. Always scan ahead and stay on the lookout to avoid getting tangled. If you take night trip from the Wheatland Ferry to Roger’s a side channel, prepare to be blocked or partially blocked. Landing. Along the way, there are a couple of Of course, wearing personal flotation devices is key to river camping options, including the Nicol Sanctuary, safety. Consider life jackets for dogs as well. which is owned and maintained by Willamette Valley Riverkeeper and has a nearby hiking loop. The go-to resource for the Willamette Water Trail, that includes launch points and other important logistical inforPaddleboarders are particularly partial to a mation, is willamettewatertrail.org.
The crown jewel of North Willamette Valley water recreation is the Willamette Water Trail, one of 35 National Water Trails in the United States and one of two in Oregon. Flowing south to north, the trail follows the Willamette River for 187 miles – 31.5 miles in the North Willamette Valley – past paddler-focused parks, farmland, meadows, forests, river islands, riparian campsites, and valley towns. Whether paddlers use canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, rafts, or drift boats, a secluded river bar is never far away, even from an urban boat launch. Spend a leisurely afternoon paddling or several days on the water while overnighting at river campsites. Starting from the Roger’s Landing paddler launch in Newberg, the Ash Island Loop is an easy 2.5-mile circumnavigation around uninhabited Ash Island. More experienced paddlers might consider a 22.5-mile over-
▶ There are amazing opportunities to do multiday paddling trips along the Willamette Water Trail. Willamettewatertrail.org is the go-to resource for launch points and other important logistical information. A shorter paddle on the Willamette Water Trail is the 2.5-mile Ash Island Loop from Rogers Landing in Newberg; it circumnavigates a large, uninhabited island whose shallow backchannel prohibits most motorized boats.
Gravel Road Cycling
WATER FUN
Sunset views from Coffee Island Bar, Willamette River
▶ In the town of Dayton, paddlers enjoy river access at 1.4-acre Dayton Landing, a county park at the confluence of the Yamhill River and Palmer Creek.
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Confederated Tribes of the of Grand Ronde
Historically, camas was a vital food source and the primary trade item for the Yamhill band of the Kalapuya. Camas cakes were traded for goods such as salmon, lamprey, obsidian, and other essentials at trading hubs like the Willamette Falls in Clackamas, Oregon. Kizad was the wife of Yamhill Elken, both were from the Yamhill band of Kalapuya, and they were two of the oldest surviving elders when they passed away in the 1890s. Kizad continued to harvest camas with her
digging stick on the reservation, and she preferred baking the camas in her traditional underground oven. Since time immemorial, First Foods have sustained Indigenous people, and they, in turn, have cared for them. These foods hold a place of honor in Indigenous cultures, celebrated in origin stories, songs, and ceremonies. To see a glimpse of what the area looked like before settlement, visit Yamhill County’s Deer Creek Park, just north of Sheridan, where you can view a large remnant camas prairie. Traveling north from McMinnville toward Gaston will bring you to Wapato Lake, which was an important wapato gathering site - now designated as the Wapato Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Today, the Tribe is actively involved in restoring ecosystems, including camas prairies, continuing their tradition of nurturing, harvesting, and honoring the First Foods.
Camas Prairie
Matthew Williams
▶ From the Dundee Scenic Overlook, head west toward Yamhill on Hwy 240, which cuts through the heart of North Willamette Valley wine and farm country. Then take equally pretty Westside Road south to McMinnville.
▶ Paddleboarders love the easy access to the Newberg Pool, a calm section of the Willamette River, at Rogers Landing in Newberg.
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▶ Jump on NW Meadow Lake Rd going west from Carlton and cruise through the resplendent Yamhill-Carlton American Viticultural Area, passing rural wineries and eventually entering the deep woods of the Coast Range foothills.
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▶ The Herbert Hoover Disc Golf Course in Newberg has nine holes throughout a tight course that criss-crosses a wooded gully and creek.
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For a longer hike with mild elevation gain, head to the 3.9-mile Trappist Abbey Guadalupe Loop east of Carlton. The resident monks open their 1,300-acre forest to visitors, hoping it will serve as a natural refuge. No dogs are allowed on the property. East of Newberg, also has longer hiking loops exploring Parrett Mountain.
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firs, maples, and alders. In the spring, a meadow Farther east toward McMinnville, check out Miller Woods along the route comes alive with wildflowers. Conservation Area, 130 acres of meadows and forest which In the western reaches of the North Willa- were donated to the Yamhill Soil and Water Conservation mette Valley, check out two 120-foot waterfalls District and are a prime outdoor education spot. Along the within Siuslaw National Forest, accessed by the 4.7-mile Miller Woods Loop Trail, spot a few persevering Niagara Falls Trail. This two-mile out-and-back old-growth Douglas firs, meander by Otter Pond and Berry route gains a total of 450 feet of elevation and Creek, and peer down to the Baker Creek Valley. Dogs aren’t cruises past Niagara Falls and then Pheasant permitted. Creek Falls. The winding roads make the drive from McMinnville about an hour, but the As the highest point in the Chehalem Mountains in the resplendent cascades tucked into an evergreen northern part of the North Willamette Valley, Bald Peak forest are worth it. Also in the western part of is 1,620 feet above sea level and is topped by Bald Peak the North Willamette Valley, on the reserva- State Scenic Viewpoint. From there, ramble down a .8-mile tion lands of the Confederated Tribes of Grand path through Douglas fir forest and take in expansive Ronde, is the Yoncalla Falls Trail, a half-mile panoramas of the Willamette Valley and Cascade Range.
Another stellar short walk is the half-mile jaunt at Erratic Rock State Natural Site near McMinnville. The site centers around a 90-ton glacial erratic rock deposited during an Ice Age flood; an iceberg carried it over 500 miles down the Columbia River from the Northern Rocky Mountains.
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trail on Yoncalla Creek that leads to two waterfalls, the largest being 85-feet tall. There are three entrance points to the trail, the main one on FS-2283. Please adhere to the Take Care Out There section of this map, and avoid foraging, harvesting, and cutting.
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Don’t have a gravel bike but want to give it a whirl? In downtown McMinnville, Tommy’s Bicycle Shop, the only bike shop in the county, rents out high-quality gravel-specific bikes. They also provide e-bike rentals for road riding, which most people use to explore the surrounding wine region. Riders can leave right from the shop on the easy 14-mile McMinnville Wine Loop, which passes a number of wineries with tasting rooms. Otherwise, the more challenging McMinnville Wine Loop is a 46-mile route that climbs past wineries throughout the spectacular Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area. Along the way, Amity makes for a fantastic midpoint break due to its excellent food and coffee options. Check out the Tommy’s Bicycle Shop website for other road and gravel ride suggestions around the region. 221
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The North Willamette Valley stretches over the verdant basin floor and has lovely walks and short hikes that provide an excellent opportunity to shake out the legs before or after a day of wine tasting. Many of these trails are family-friendly and can be accessed by wheelchairs. For more detailed trail profiles, including accessibility information, see the Oregon Hikers Field Guide (oregonhikers.org). There are a number of pleasant urban strolls that are easily accessible. In Newberg, the 1.4-mile Ewing Young Loop Trail, situated in Ewing Young Park, shares acreage with an off-leash dog area, skatepark, BMX track, and disc golf course. The designated walking trails lace through peaceful forested sections and skirt Chehalem Creek. On the southern edge of McMinnville, Joe Dancer Park nestles into a bend of the South Yamhill River. A 2.2-mile trail explores riparian zones and woodlands and circumnavigates the 100-acre park, which also includes an expanse of sports fields. Near Dundee, the 1.6-mile Harvey Creek Loop drops down to a brook under a thick canopy of Douglas
▶ In Newberg, Chehalem Glenn Golf Course has 18 holes, a grass-tee driving range, two putting greens, and a short-game facility where players can hit shots up to 50 yards onto a 7,000-squarefoot green. ▶ Along the South Yamhill River in McMinnville, The Nines Executive Golf Course is a tree-lined, southern-style golf course with an easily walkable 9-hole regulation and par-3 course, a driving range, and both putting and chipping greens.
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▶ The Yamhill Valley Heritage Center in McMinnville is a 17-acre complex with a 40,000-square-foot museum showcasing agricultural history, an 1880s schoolhouse, blacksmith and sawmill workshops, logging and dairy displays, and many other artifacts.
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▶ The childhood home of U.S. president Herbert Hoover is commemorated by the HooverMinthorn House Museum in Newberg.
▶ Near Dundee, the 1.6-mile Harvey Creek Loop drops down to a brook under a thick canopy of Douglas firs, maples, and alders.
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▶ In McMinnville, the impressive Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum is a huge facility that tells the history of aerospace, from exhibits of vintage warbirds to displays about early flight innovations.
▶ For expansive valley and Cascade Range panoramas, unpack sandwiches at Bald Peak State Scenic Viewpoint.
Beyond paddling, hiking, and biking, check Water and air of the Willamette out guided horseback riding trips through vineyards and foothills or consider bird watching at a conservation area. Whatever the adventure, visitors will be traveling though or near to American Viticultural Areas – grape growing regions designated for their unique geography, climate, soil, and topography. Of Oregon’s 18 American Viticultural Areas, eight are in the North Willamette Valley, creating a patchwork of distinct, world-class wine environs. Luckily for nature aficionados, this wine country is perfectly paired with easy-going outdoor adventures.
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▶ The 7.1-acre Lafayette Locks Historical Park is listed on the National Historic Register and features the remains of the old locks that once allowed boat travel to McMinnville on the Yamhill River.
▶ Snag some delicious food and spread out in the picnic area at Amity City Park. The Carlton Lower Park inhabits a scenic bend in the Yamhill River, which is a perfect spot for noshing and clinking.
Otherwise, grab your kayak or paddle board to meander down deserted stretches of the Willamette River amongst great blue herons, geese, ducks, and swans. The Willamette Water Trail snakes for 31 miles through Yamhill County, providing paddlers with campsites on unnamed river islands, access to incredible riparian zones, and opportunities to leisurely explore backchannels. Because there are only a few river accesses, it’s easy to feel far away from civilization.
BIKING
Museums
Picnicking
Consider dedicating a whole day to outdoor adventure. Any cyclist who loves to ride gravel will be impressed with the signed network of gravel road routes lacing through the wine country, Coastal Range foothills, and bucolic farmland. Loop rides catering to a variety of skill levels originate in both Yamhill and McMinnville, where gravel bikes can be rented.
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Historical Sites
▶ In McMinnville, Tommy’s Bicycle Shop rents out e-bikes for road riding in the surrounding wine region. Riders can leave right from the shop on the scenic 14-mile McMinnville Wine Loop, which passes a number of wineries with tasting rooms. ▶ Otherwise, the more challenging McMinnville Wine Loop is a 46-mile route that climbs past wineries throughout the spectacular Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area. BMX/Skateboarding ▶ In Newberg, the Chehalem Valley BMX Park within Ewing Young Park features five straight stretches, four corners including a U-turn, a full rhythm section, and many jumps into corners.
Taste Newberg
▶ Outside of McMinnville, Miller Woods Conservation Area has a short interpretive loop with placards about resident plants and animals. Don’t miss the line of bluebird boxes. ▶ Enjoy bird watching at Rotary Nature Preserve at Tice Woods in McMinnville – with two ponds, a wetland, and an upland forest. ▶ Sheridan Wetlands Park, a part of a wastewater treatment facility, is known as one of the best places to view waterfowl and shorebirds in the North Willamette Valley. Equestrian ▶ Out of Carlton, Equestrian Wine Tours takes guests on Tennessee Walking Horses to several wineries through the famous Red Hills of Dundee. ▶ Rebers Ranch in Yamhill offers guided horseback rides through the foothills of the Coastal Range. Tennis/Pickleball ▶ Check out all of the tennis resources in the North Willamette Valley from the McMinnville Community Tennis Association. ▶ Both McMinnville and Newberg have outdoor pickleball courts open to the public, including a dedicated facility at McMinnville Lower City Park. See Mac Pickleball Club for more information.
▶ Skateboarders can also be found dropping in at Newberg Skatepark and Joe Dancer Skatepark in McMinnville. Fishing ▶ Cast for smallmouth bass, steelhead, or seasonal Chinook. Fishing from watercraft on the Yamhill and Willamette Rivers is a great option. ▶ Much of the riverside property is privately owned, but the bank fishing can be done from public access points, like Rogers Landing on the Willamette River or recreation sites in the Coast Range foothills, like Fan Creek and Dovre on the Nestucca River.
Views from Bald Peak
Boating the Willamette River
Scott Heesacker
Kayla McElligott