• Oxbow Regional Park is a natural wild area that stretches along bends of the Sandy River
• Features sandy beaches, clear green water with shallow and deep areas
Oxbow Regional Park covers 1,200 acres of the natural wild area that stretches along double bends of the scenic Sandy River. This park gives you the best chance to enjoy spectacular views of the undammed Wild and Scenic Sandy River surrounded by ancient forest just 24 miles from the Portland downtown.
Oxbow Park offers a plethora of outdoor activities for youth and adults including hiking, tubing, kayaking, boating, swimming, sunbathing, and angling. There are also spots where you can watch salmon and steelhead spawn.
All infrastructure including campgrounds, picnic tables, a reservable group shelter, restrooms, a horseshoe pit, and drinking water are on the southern bank of the river.
The campground is open year-round. A reservation should be done in advance through the online reservation system.
Swimming
A beautiful stretch of sandy beaches, clear green water with shallow and deep areas, great infrastructure, and a short distance from Portland – all of those make the Sandy River an ideal place to cool off on hot summer days. The park is popular among families with small children but you should keep an eye on them.
Though the bending river gets slower at the Oxbow, but the current might be strong and swift in deeper areas and outside of the bend. The water is cold – about 60 F even at the peak of the summer seasons.
Hiking
A trail network with a total distance of 12 miles runs along the southern and northern banks. Some trails are designated for hikers only. Others allow biker and equestrian traffic. Dogs and other pets are not allowed in the park.
Oxbow Regional Park | Facts
Open: Year-round from 6.30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Managed by: Portland Metro Regional Park
Location: Portland Metro Area
Amenities: Drinking water, restrooms, playgrounds, picnic sites, and group shelter
Activities: Swimming, tubing, boating, hiking, and fishing
Distance from the parking: Short
Road access: Any passenger vehicle
Day-use fees: Yes or annual pass
Restrictions: No pets; No alcohol or smoking; No hunting
Accommodations: Campground
Elevation: 400 ft (122 m)
Oxbow Regional Park is located:
- 8 miles east of Gresham
- 27 miles east of Portland (downtown).
Swimming hole rating: 3 out of 5
Body of Water: River
Water quality: Transparent
Current: Moderate to strong
Depth: Deep and shallow
Beach: Sand
Water T° (summer): Cold
Adventures Nearby
Directions to Oxbow Regional Park
From I-5,
- Take exit 301 and drive 15 miles east on I-84 to exit-18
- Take exit 18 toward Oxbow/Lewis and Clark Parks
- Turn left onto Jordan Road/Historic Columbia River Highway and go 3 miles to Stark Street
- Turn right onto Stark Street and travel 0.6 miles to Kerslake Road
- Turn left onto Kerslake Road/SE 302 Avenue and continue 1.8 miles to Division Drive
- Turn left onto SE Division Drive and then turn right onto Oxbow Drive
- Travel 2.2 miles on Oxbow Drive to Hosner Road
- Turn left onto Hosner Road and continue 1.4 miles to Oxbow Park Road
- Bear right onto Oxbow Park Road and continue 0.3 miles to the destination.
Phone: 503-757-1850
thank you for the great information. can you share where the stretch of sandy beach is, please?
You can find sand along the Sandy River. Probably, the best places are Oxbow Regional Park and Glenn Otto Community Park.