As usual, click the link below to get the best directions for accessing the Clackamas River Trail. You can start at either end, and you will need a NW Forest Pass to park at either trail head. Easy Hike, around 500 ft elevation gain. For the most part, the trail is in dense forest, with rare sunlight, so dress appropriately, it gets chilly.
We started our hike from Fish Creek Trailhead, you will often see kayakers putting in to the river here, and there appears to be a magnificent swimming hole adjacent to the parking lot, however, based on first hand information from a fellow hiker, this water is absolutely frigid, even in the depth of summer, and even the tough guys would not find it "fun" per say.
Anywho, our goal was to make it to Pup Creek Falls, which is about 3.5 miles in from Fish Creek Trailhead, and then turn back around. However, if you felt like doing a "loop". You could hike the whole 7.8 miles up to the Indian Creek Trailhead, where the trail ends, and get a ride back down the highway, or as Portland Hikers website recommends, ride a bike back down to Fish Creek. It's a smooth, mostly downhill ride. If you're hiking with dogs, this may not be your best bet!
The dogs did great on the hike itself, there were a few spots with steep drop-offs, as the trail climbed up the Clackamas Canyon walls. Overall, it was dog friendly, and we only saw a few other people hiking. We did in fact see several kayakers and rafters on the river, as its almost always visible from the trail (it would be very difficult to get lost on this hike).
For campers, there are several great camp sites along the trail that access the river, with existing fire pits. If you're looking for seclusion, this may not be your favorite spot, as the highway is just on the other side of the river, but the actual campsites sit back from the river enough for some privacy.
Watch out for poison oak on the switchbacks, a lot of hiker blogs will mention it has been a problem in the past few years.
The one and only Pup Creek Falls.
Pretty Roots. They seemed so alive.
I found a girl dancer on this hike (the male half was found months earlier earlier on the Bagby Hot Springs Trail).
The ladies cleaning up whatever was for dinner the night before.
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