Craving a dose of adventure mixed with the vibrant colors of spring wildflowers? Look no further than Oregon’s Mt. Hood Territory. Located southeast of Portland, this area is an agricultural wonderland. The warmer spring weather creates a visual masterpiece as beautiful flowers bloom and farms become filled with delicious fruits, vegetables, and baby animals. Outdoor enthusiasts trade their snow gear for boots and paddles as the snowmelt exposes hiking trails and fills our rivers and streams, creating the best whitewater rafting in the area.

Unforgettable Guided Experiences

Certified guides can enhance your visit by offering safe and memorable experiences, providing local insights and even sharing a few insider secrets. Mt. Hood Outfitters offers hiking tours in Mt. Hood National Forest for all experience levels. You’ll learn about the local plant life and discover the beauty of the forest. On the water, take a history kayak tour to Willamette Falls with eNRG Kayaking. Hear stories about Oregon City and how the river has impacted the area while you get a front row seat to the falls.

For the more adventurous, the Wild and Scenic Clackamas River offers fantastic class III and IV rapids for epic whitewater rafting trips. Blue Sky Rafting, Oregon River Experiences, and eNRG Kayaking offer trips on this part of the waterway known as the Upper Clackamas River. These knowledgeable guides and outfitters can help ease any nerves about this high-intensity water play and guide you on a safe and thrilling ride you will want to immediately do again. 

If you’d rather stick to flatwater excursions, Milo McIver State Park has a great kayak launch into Estacada Lake along the Clackamas River. The paddle is incredibly peaceful. Schedule a guided tour with Clackamas River Outfitters, who can provide you with all the gear you’ll need for a hassle-free paddle.

A Photographer's Paradise

Wildflower season starts at the lower elevations in early spring. Mt. Hood Territory offers great hikes and walks — some fully accessible with boardwalks — to view these amazing colors. In West Linn, fields of electric blue and purple camas are the stars at the Camassia Nature Preserve. Owned and maintained by the Nature Conservancy, this nature area offers unique and rare plant species. 

Wilsonville’s 250-acre Graham Oaks Nature Park was once inhabited by the Kalapuya Tribe. Acorns from the oak trees were a primary food source. Before the park’s 2010 opening, volunteers helped restore the area to the Kalapuya vision of a verdant oak savannah. Wildflowers on view in the spring include meadow checkermallow, Pacific bleeding hearts, and trillium. The park is also a wetland mecca for birds.

Enjoy thoughtfully laid-out trails along the Wild and Scenic Salmon River at Wildwood in Welches. Take the walking bridge over the Salmon River to the Wetlands Trail, an ADA-accessible, 0.75-mile wooden boardwalk with two viewing platforms. You'll find wildflowers like water lilies and Western skunk cabbage blooming in the spring. (Their distinctive smell and alien pod looks make them seem out of this world!)

Farm-Fresh Fun

Mt. Hood Territory is home to farms filled with a variety of animals. They're cute. They're cuddly. And they're just a bundle of personality. Alpacas are one of the most entertaining animals you can find on any farm in Mt. Hood Territory or beyond. That may be why our destination has more of them than just about any other county. Alpacas at Marquam Hill Ranch is one of the largest alpaca farms around and boasts several champion animals. In addition to getting up close and personal with them, you can learn all about their different types of fiber and come home with the softest sweater you've ever felt.

At TMK Creamery and Distillery, knowledgeable staff at this working dairy offer tours showcasing the cheesemaking process and the chance to meet their “Cowlebrities.” Their tours showcase the entire process, as they pride themselves on being an open and transparent operation. The real stars of the show, though, are their cows, which love the attention. Additionally, their on-farm distillery creates Cowcohol, a vodka produced from leftover whey during cheesemaking. 

Other farms in the area offer guests the opportunity to hang out with traditional farm animals and even miniature donkeys, camels, and tree-climbing goats. As a bonus, you can find local animal products, including eggs, meat, and fiber goods, at local farm loops and farmers' markets.

Start planning your spring Mt. Hood Territory adventure today. Take guided tours, book charming accommodations, and don’t forget to pack your camera to capture the colors of spring.