U.S. Forest Service · Mt. Hood National Forest · Oregon

Fish Creek

Campground closed due to the 2020 Riverside Wildfire Fish Creek Campground is ideally located next to the Clackamas Wild and Scenic River in Mt. Hood National Forest. It provides access to some of the area's greatest whitewater, as well as a famous place to fish. Whether it is relaxation or expansive exploration, there's something for everyone at Fish Creek.

Closed for the season Reservable · Recreation.gov 24 sitesPets okFires okTents only

More like this: reservable in Oregon · tent only in Oregon · pets allowed in Oregon

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗

Photos courtesy of Vista Rec · Recreation.gov

4fires
active

The Narrows · 3 mi away · 305 acres

3 more within 50 miles

Incident details ↓

Site mix

Tent-only		21
Yurts		2
Host/management		1

Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

23 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

Site	Type	Entry	Surface	Shade	People / vehicles	Fires
001	Tent only	Back-in	Gravel	Partial	6 / 1	Yes
002	Tent only	Back-in	Gravel	Full	6 / 1	Yes
003	Tent only	Back-in	Gravel	Partial	6 / 1	Yes
004	Tent only	Back-in	Gravel	Partial	6 / 1	Yes
005	Tent only	Back-in	Gravel	Partial	6 / 1	Yes
006	Tent only	Back-in	Gravel	Partial	6 / 1	Yes
007	Tent only	Back-in	Gravel	Partial	6 / 1	Yes
008	Tent only	Back-in	Gravel	Partial	6 / 1	Yes
010	Yurt	Back-in	Gravel	Partial	6 / 2	Yes
011	Tent only	Back-in	Gravel	Partial	6 / 1	Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

Equipment	Tents
Pets	Allowed
Campfires	Allowed, subject to restrictions
Tent pads	Yes

The campground offers single-family sites for tent or RV camping. Narrow roads within the campground make for tricky navigation for larger RVs. Each campsite is equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided, but utility hookups are not available. Parking surfaces are gravel.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

Status	Closed for the season. Forest Service sites close for the season; check the official page for the reopening date.
Forest	Mt. Hood National Forest

Mt. Hood National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →

The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Three Lynx, 5 miles from the campground at 1,120 feet, station USC00358466 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 69 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 5 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From Estacada, travel east on Highway 224 for approximately 16 miles.

Coordinates

45.1605° N, 122.1514° W · Directions ↗

Fire nearby

Wildfire
The Narrows
3 mi from the campground · 305 acres · 98% contained
Prescribed
Podunk Admin Rx - West
3 mi from the campground
Prescribed
Timber Lake/Ripplebrook Admin Rx - West
6 mi from the campground
Prescribed
Fawn Stew Piles Rx - West
6 mi from the campground

Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.

Supplies & services

Dump station	Dump station ↗	13.3 mi
Outdoor gear	Outdoor gear ↗	15.7 mi
RV sales & service	Adventure Trading RV ↗	23.8 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Fish Creek DEC Campground Review

Worth a stop

The campground is located about an hour's drive from majestic Mt. Hood, Oregon's tallest point.

13.1 mi
Salmon River West Trailhead ↗Trailhead

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

0.3 mi
Clackamas River ↗
7.5 mi trail
1.4 mi
Ladee 806
2.8 mi trail
1.7 mi
Ladee 805
2.9 mi trail
1.7 mi
Dry Ridge ↗
5.2 mi trail
2.5 mi
Ladee 804
3 mi trail
2.6 mi
Ladee 804A
0.6 mi trail

Trailheads within three miles

0.3 mi
Clackamas River (Fish Creek) Trailhead ↗
Mt. Hood National Forest

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Mt. Hood National Forest.

in
Mt. Hood National Forest ↗
National Forest · Forest Service · 1,060,160 acres
2.9 mi
Roaring River Wilderness ↗
Wilderness · Forest Service · 36,548 acres
7 mi
Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness ↗
Wilderness · Forest Service · 62,139 acres

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Other campgrounds nearby

Carter Bridge Campground

Cabin and lookout rentals nearby

FS · OR

Clackamas Lake Historic Cabin

Cabin rental20.01343757801921 mi

FS · OR

Clear Lake Cabin Lookout

Lookout rental21.096585120207 mi

FS · OR

Gold Butte Lookout

Lookout rental24.765913914613826 mi

Natural features

The campground is situated along a scenic bend just above the river at an elevation of about 900 feet. It is in a heavily forested area, with a variety of bushes, ferns and grasses covering the forest floor. Vegetation provides minimal privacy within the campground, but with the river so close, noises within the campground are fairly muffled. The river provides habitat for the federally protected bald eagle and northern spotted owl, as well as the occasional peregrine falcon. A variety of wildlife also makes its home in the area.

Recreation

Fishing is very popular on the Clackamas and anglers can expect to find winter steelhead, spring chinook and late summer coho salmon, as well as other species of freshwater fish. A convenient boat ramp is available within the campground. The Clackamas River also provides miles of wild water as it bends through the scenic Cascade Range, creating prime whitewater rafting opportunities. A hiking trail follows the river north and south and begins within the campground. Scenic driving is available on the West Cascades Scenic Byway, which follows the river.

Guidebooks for Oregon

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Oregon camping
Tom Stienstra, 2018
Find at Bookshop.org
Oregon's Ancient Forests
Chandra LeGue, 2019
Find at Bookshop.org
Best trail runs Portland, Oregon
Adam W. Chase, 2018
Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Fish Creek?

Sites at Fish Creek are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Fish Creek?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is Fish Creek open right now?

Closed for the season as of Oct 16, 2026.

Source: Forest Service status

How many sites does Fish Creek have?

24 sites, including 21 tent-only sites and 2 yurt.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Fish Creek?

Fish Creek is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Fish Creek?

Yes, pets are allowed at Fish Creek. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Fish Creek?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. As of 2026-10-16, there are 4 active fires within 50 miles, so check current restrictions before you light one.

Source: Fire nearby

What is there to do at Fish Creek?

Fishing is very popular on the Clackamas and anglers can expect to find winter steelhead, spring chinook and late summer coho salmon, as well as other species of freshwater fish. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What if Fish Creek is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Armstrong (0.2 mi), Lockaby (0.2 mi), and Carter Bridge Campground (0.6 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby