Milo McIver State Park is a short drive from Portland, Oregon, and is perfect for a weekend RV getaway. This park is located in a stunning part of Oregon in Clackamas County along the banks of Clackamas River with lush forests and fields surrounding it. Because of its prime location along the Clackamas River, visitors can enjoy a variety of water-based activities. These include paddling along the river in kayaks and canoes, fishing on the nearby Estacada Lake, and enjoying self-guided tours of the Clackamas Fish Hatchery.
Activities are not only limited to the water; you can explore the park by hiking or horseback riding along the multiple trails available. If you're into golf or frisbee, you're going to love the park's world-class 27-hole disc golf course. In the summer, the park offers family-friendly interpretive programs that include activities from nature crafts to guided hikes.
The parcel of land that the park sits on was originally privately owned. Between 1966 and 1975, it was purchased from the owners, and in 1987 another portion was allotted to the state of Oregon by Grant Schiewe. The park gets its name from Milo K. McIver, who was a loyal supporter of state parks activities and a member of the Oregon Highway Commission from 1950-1962.
When you stay at the park, you can enjoy a wide selection of accommodation options. These include RV and tent campsites with water and electrical hookups, host sites with full hookups, tent-only sites, group camping tent sites, and backcountry sites.
You'll find the Milo McIver State Park a short distance off the CA-211. The city of Portland is just 25 miles southeast of the park, and if you need any supplies or a bite to eat, you can get it there. RVers traveling from Portland won't face any obstacles or height restrictions along their route to the park.
Once you've entered the park, the roads will remain paved. Make sure to drive a safe speed and keep your eyes peeled for pedestrians, cyclists, and wildlife. The park activities are quite stretched over the entire park and, if you feel up to it, you can cycle or walk to them from your campsite or the parking area for day visitors. If you don't want to walk, then you can drive around the park to the different activities with your rig or smaller vehicle.
There is plenty of parking available throughout the park. You'll find these spots at trailheads, boat ramps, the equestrian staging area, the Visitor Center, and the picnic area.
When you stay at the Milo McIver State Park with your RV you can enjoy their 46 paved RV and tent sites with 30-amp electric and water hookups. The two host sites have full hookups, including 50-amp electric connections. RVers looking for an ADA-accessible site should reserve site 10. Sites vary in length and can accommodate a variety of RV lengths. Site 36 is the longest site and can fit rigs up to 86 feet long.
Milo McIver is a pet-friendly park, and you are welcome to bring along your pets on your road trip. They must remain on a leash roughly six feet long at all times and you will have to clean up after them. A centrally located restroom with flushing toilets and hot showers is available for campers to use. If you need to use a dump station during your stay, you can make use of the one close by. Each site is equipped with a fire pit, picnic table, and can sleep a maximum of eight people.
Tent campers looking for a more rugged camping trip can enjoy one of the nine tent-only campsites available. The tent-only campsites are a short distance away from the RV campsites. Tent campers will have access to the same restroom facilities with showers and toilets. This camping is also pet-friendly, but make sure to keep your pets on a leash whenever they're not inside a tent or car. Each site can sleep six people a night and is equipped with a fire ring and picnic table. These sites need to be reserved in advance.
Enjoy a self-guided tour of the Clackamas Fish Hatchery when you visit the park. The hatchery is situated inside the park's borders and is run by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife as a joint operation. When you visit, you can see the life cycle of steelhead and chinook salmon. The best time of the year to visit the hatchery is late spring or early fall; during these seasons, the adult fish have reached adulthood and are most prominent. The Clackamas Fish Hatchery is open during daylight hours and is an exciting way for the whole family to learn about the process used to preserve and protect the steelhead and chinook salmon population.
Milo McIver State Park features a 27-hole, world-class disc golf course. The course is adjacent to the Clackamas River and players can enjoy the calm sound of water while they play. If you don't have your own discs, you can always rent or buy some from the park office. The aim of the game is to throw the disc from the tee into the basket using as few throws as you can. There is a nine-hole and an 18-hole course for you to try when you visit. Disc Golf is a fun way to actively enjoy being out in nature and is suitable for the whole family.
On top of the seven miles of multi-use trails that are shared with horseback riders, hikers and bikers have another seven miles all to themselves. These 14 miles of trails cover the entire area of the park, and you can explore as much as you want during your visit. You'll cover various terrains along the trails including open meadows, steep slopes, and floodplains. Remember to also wear a helmet when you are biking along the trails.
Groups of campers can reserve one of the park's group campsites. There are three group campsites to choose from; two of them can sleep up to 50 people and the third one can sleep a total of 100 people per night. The sites can hold a maximum of 15 vehicles, and each campsite has several picnic tables and fire rings. You'll have access to water from a nearby water spigot. Three flushing toilets are situated between the three group sites. If you would like to shower, you can use the nearby shower facilities in the RV campsite. Make sure to reserve a site in advance to ensure your spot is secured.
Hikers or bikers looking for a rugged, natural camping experience can try one of the park's hike/bike-in campsites. These sites are very primitive, and you will not have any access to restroom facilities. Each site can accommodate a single person per night and are available on a first-come-first-served basis. They may only be rented to people traveling by bike or on foot. The sites can only be rented for three days in a row. You will have a picnic table and a fire ring of your own.
The Clackamas River and Estacada Lake are hot spots for fishermen! Make sure to bring your fishing gear along as both the river and the lake are stocked with fish including rainbow and cutthroat trout, chinook salmon, and steelhead. The hatchery actively tops up the supplies of chinook salmon and steelhead in the lake and river, so there is no shortage of fish to catch. You can enjoy fishing from the shore, an accessible fishing dock at Estacada Lake, or if you have a boat you can cast your line while out on the water. Make sure to have a valid fishing license.
Visitors bringing their equestrian friends along on their RV road trip can make use of the seven miles of multi-use trails available at the park. The multi-use trail meanders through the park, and you'll get to explore a large portion of the park when you ride along the trails. Make sure you ride only on multi-use trails and avoid muddy areas where you may get stuck. If you decide to stay for a couple of days, you can house your equestrian friends at the available facilities at the park.
Boaters should bring along their boats when they visit Milo McIver State Park. There are three different boat ramps throughout the park, including one that provides access to the Estacada Lake. If you bring along your fishing gear you can also cast a line and try and catch something while you are out on the water.
If you have a kayak or canoe, bring it along as well. The remaining two boat ramps provide easy access to the Clackamas River. The river can be wild at times but is always beautiful and a joy to paddle along and, it provides a tranquil setting for you to enjoy exploring nature.
