Wilson River Tillamook

Wilson River Tillamook State Forest Oregon

The Wilson River, is about 33 miles (53 km) long, flows from the Northern Oregon Coast Range to Tillamook Bay in the U.S. state of Oregon. Formed by the confluence of its Devil's Lake Fork and its South Fork, it runs generally west through the Tillamook State Forest to its mouth near the city of Tillamook. It is one of five rivers—the Tillamook, the Trask, the Wilson, the Kilchis, and the Miami—that flow into the bay.

The river rises in the Tillamook State Forest in the mountains of northeastern Tillamook County. The river's North Fork rises in northern Tillamook County and flows south. Its South Fork rises in eastern Tillamook County and western Washington County and flows west to merge with Devils Lake Fork. Further downstream, the Wilson River receives the North Fork near Lees Camp. It then flows southwest to Tillamook, entering the southeast end of Tillamook Bay about 3 miles (5 km) northwest of the city. The mouth of the river is about 1 mile (1.6 km) north of the mouth of the Trask River and slightly south of the mouth of the Kilchis River. Oregon Route 6, also known as the Wilson River Highway, runs parallel to the river and links the Tualatin Valley and the Portland metropolitan area with the Oregon Coast.

The Wilson River is a rain-fed river in the Coastal Range of Oregon. It’s in Tillamook State Forest, which is only 45 minutes from Oregon’s largest city, Portland. Given the proximity, it is surprising how uncrowded sections of the Wilson River can be, in particular, the 23-mile route known as the Wilson River Trail. It begins at Jones Creek Campground, which is a homestead on the banks of the river.

The Tillamook State Forest is a 364,000-acre (1,470 km2) publicly owned forest in the U.S. state of Oregon. Managed by the Oregon Department of Forestry, it is located 40 miles (64 km) west of Portland in the Northern Oregon Coast Range, and spans Washington, Tillamook, Yamhill, and Clatsop counties. The forest receives large amounts of precipitation and is dominated by Douglas-fir trees.

The Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests are 45 minutes outside of Portland and one of the state’s best keep secrets. But these forests also have a fraught history with logging, fires and more logging.