Oxbow Loop Hike

Overview

Oxbow Regional Park's thousand acres nestles in lush forest along two great looping meanders of the Sandy River. The southern section of the park is developed, with campgrounds, restrooms, picnic areas, and interpretive signs. The almost unknown northern section is described in the North Oxbow Hike. Most people drive to the day-use areas in the middle of the park and pay short visits to the river's verge. The hike described here visits every section of the park on the southern bank of the Sandy, including river bars, an old growth forest, an upland meadow where deer graze, and views of a forest killed and buried by Mount Hood lahars. Trail markers lettered A through O mark the junctions and are shown on the park's map. The campground here is popular, although pets are not permitted in the park, and the area buzzes with activity during the Salmon Homecoming every October, when visitors get a chance to view spawning fall Chinook. There is an entrance fee to the park, but you can also hike in via the Homan Road Trailhead, where there is no fee station. According to big tree enthusiasts, Darvel and Daryl Lloyd, Oxbow is home to the biggest trees in the world that are close to a metropolitan area. You can see some of these tall Douglas-firs near the west end of the park as well as near the trail in the center of the park. The largest trees come close to 290 feet tall. From Marker A, the trail drops down to parallel the park road under Douglas-fir, cedar, alder, big-leaf maple and cottonwood. Sword fern, nettle, hazel and thimbleberry form an understory. The trail undulates along, passing across a blackberry-choked hillside. Pass a small water tank and then some large boulders of conglomerate. Three footbridges cross small creeks flushing down the hillside. The Sandy makes a big meander to the left. After a narrow footbridge, the path descends to Marker B. Cross the park road here and head east across a footbridge and then a grassy picnic area bounded by cottonwoods and cedars. Spurs lead left to the willow flat

Trail Stats

Photos

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