Follow a short, established foot path to the Sandy River to enjoy the water, see our latest fish habitat restoration efforts, and watch for wildlife in a quiet, natural setting.The Barlow Trail Natural Area protects riparian forest, floodplain and wetland habitats along the Sandy River. Fed by glacier melt on Mt Hood, the Sandy River’s cold waters support the lifecycles of endangered salmon and steelhead populations in the Columbia River basin.
Recreational Activities: Hiking, birdwatching
Access: Open to walk-in access, no permission needed, day use only
Dogs: Allowed on leash only
Amenities: None
Trails: There are no maintained trails. From the entrance on Yakima Lane, you can follow a well-established footpath to the shoreline of the Sandy River.
Acreage: 30 acres
County: Clackamas County
Nearest Town: Brightwood, OR
Directions: View on Google Maps. Park along the shoulder of E Yakima Lane and enter the property at the large brown sign. Parking along E Yakima Lane is limited. Please be respectful of neighbors and do not block driveways.
Tips for Visiting: From the entrance on Yakima Lane, follow a foot path down to reach the gravel bars along the shoreline of the Sandy River. Stick to established paths where possible, and please keep dogs on leash and clean up after them. View the large log structures installed as part of an in-stream habitat restoration project for salmon completed in 2016. Beaver, osprey, and willow flycatchers are a few of our favorite species to spot here.
Year Conserved: 2007
About: This undeveloped forestland along the Sandy River was purchased from a local family by Western Rivers Conservancy with funding from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board and then transferred to Columbia Land Trust for long-term stewardship. In 2016, the Sandy River Basin Watershed Council completed a side channel restoration project, installing logjams that direct the river into a side channel at high water and providing habitat for fish including Chinook salmon, coho salmon, and winter steelhead. Barlow Trail Natural Area protects riparian forest, floodplain and wetland habitats along the river, whose free-flowing cold waters are fed by glacier melt on Mt. Hood and are a stronghold for endangered fish populations in the lower Columbia River system. There are no established trails or hiking routes, but visitors can follow a footpath to the shoreline, view the log structures, and watch for wildlife.
Project Partners: Sandy River Basin Watershed Council, Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board (OWEB), Western Rivers Conservancy
