As we stood and watched the sun try to squeeze through the clouds, four more black-tailed deer appeared (more about them in a later post). Today its clear, green waters were rolling along the gravelly bottom at a fast clip.As we stood there watching the fishermen, a bald eagle soared overhead – our sign that it was going to be a great day on the trail. This undammed river carves cliffs and creates beaches in the park as it carries snowmelt and glacial till from its source on Mount Hood. Oxbow Regional Park's thousand acres nestles in lush forest along two great looping meanders of the Sandy River. Eventually, the trail connected us back to the main park road near the river.
Go 3 miles to Division Street and turn left. When Lewis & Clark passed through the area in 1805, they noticed a sand bar across its entrance to the Columbia, and when they stepped into its shallows they sunk to their knees. These tree stumps have been carbon-dated to the 1780’s and are remnants of the Mt. The Sandy river from Oxbow to Lewis & Clark is the pefect beginner run. Park staff may need to intermittently limit the amount of visitors entering Metro parks and boat ramps in order to allow for appropriate physical distancing. I have been many times. You might bump into mink, beavers, fox, deer, osprey or elk. Each of Oxbow's campsites include a picnic table, fire pit and cooking grill; one restroom/shower building with hot and cold running water, heated-air hand dryers, radiant floor heating and flush toilets. The blanket of green covering every limb in sight makes the forest appear warmth and cozy – even when it’s freezing out.Looping through the forest, up and down hills, we were surprised by a black-tailed deer leaping across the trail then down a steep slope right in front of us. Wood, charcoal and propane fires are prohibited until further notice. I’m eager to return to Oxbow come spring and summer.Oxbow Park offers easy access to and many recreational opportunities on this Wild & Scenic River, including 15 miles of trails. The Sandy River is a good spot for fishing in winter, especially when snow levels are below 4000 feet. Oxbow Regional Park is closed until further notice due to wind and tree damage and high fire risk. Please input the date in MM dash DD dash YYYY formatPlease input the date in MM dash DD dash YYYY formatPlease input the date in MM dash DD dash YYYY formatPlease input the date in MM dash DD dash YYYY formatYour browser does not support JavaScript! A few people were fishing in the swiftly-moving, emerald green waters of the Sandy.The Sandy River flows 56 miles from Reid Glacier on the southwest flanks of Mt. All rights reserved. Authorities also believe when water went over her, her life jacket floated away. Great place for a family day wade in … From that experience, they called it the Quicksand River, which was later shortened to Sandy. Hood to the Columbia River. According to deputies, early reports indicated the girl was swimming across the river when she got her foot stuck between some rocks. We saw canoeists floating swiftly toward the Columbia and stopped to admire the mini-rapids that carried them along.More than once I stopped to think about the never-ending beauty of Oregon. My heart swells every time I explore another natural area, and I cannot imagine how huge that feeling must be for people born and raised here.This is an impressive state with so many jaw-dropping natural wonders to enjoy. In winter, the deciduous trees are naked of leaves, but their limbs look three times their normal thickness due to the mosses and lichen that plump up with moisture from winter rains. It has ample parking, easy river access, and toilet facilities. Dan Daly is the Oxbow Regional Park Naturalist who said that the park’s 1200-forested acres offer plenty of elbowroom plus key features with something for everyone “Oh, a beautiful 3-mile hiking trail that will take you through an ancient forest and also along the banks of the Sandy River. A 12-year-old girl has died after she was pulled from the Sandy River near Oxbow Park Friday afternoon, according to the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office.She was unconscious when she was pulled from the water.