Wilson River (Oregon)

The Wilson River is a river, approximately 20 mi (30 km) long, in the coast of northwest Oregon in the United States. It drains a mountainous timber-producing area of the Northern Oregon Coast Range west of Portland.

Sources and tributaries

It rises in several forks in the Tillamook State Forest in the mountains of northeastern Tillamook County. The North Fork (approximately 10 mi/16 km long) rises in northern Tillamook County and flows south. The South Fork rises in eastern Tillamook County and flows west, receiving the Devils Lake Fork and joining the North Fork near Lee's Camp. The combined river flows southwest to Tillamook, entering the southeast end of Tillamook Bay approximately 3 mi (5 km) northwest of Tillamook. The mouth of the river is approximately 1 mi (2 km) north of the mouth of the nearby Trask River.

The river provided an early wagon road from the Tualatin Valley to Tillamook. Oregon Route 6 now follows the valley of the river, providing a convenient route from Portland to the Oregon Coast.

Recreation

The Wilson has been a popular river for fishing since the first pioneers settled in the area; even today, it is noted for its runs of steelhead and salmon. For residents of the Tillamook area, it is a common destination—along with the Trask and Kilchis rivers—denoted by the phrase "up the river". Summer weather patterns, which leave the coastal plain and beaches cool and damp, bring warm temperatures to the river valleys, making the Wilson and its neighboring rivers desirable destinations for swimming (including skinny-dipping), rafting, and other unpowered water recreation.

From several locations along the Wilson River Highway, enthusiasts can engage in off-road vehicle recreation. For the adventuresome with pick-ups, preferably four-wheel drive, it is possible, with a good map, to leave the Wilson River and journey by mountain road to the Trask or Kilchis, and even to the Nehalem.

ee also

*List of Oregon rivers

References

External links

* [http://www.oregonlink.com/flyfishing/historicphotos/wilsonflyfish.html Flyfishing on the Wilson]
* [http://www.scottdiamond.com/Running/runs/Tillamook/wilson.htm Wilson River Wagon Road]