Trip to Estacada

OK, a drive to Estacada is more accurate. Estacada is about 30 miles east and a little south of Portland. It is in the foothills of Mt Hood and on the north bank of the Clackamas River. Oregon Geographic Names by Lewis A. McArthur states that Estacada got its name from the Texas town of Llano Estacado. The name was used in Oregon because it had a pleasing sound, with not thought of its orginal significance.

Estacada, at one time, was a thriving mill town. Now it seems to be a sleepy commuter town for many people that work in Portland and want to live in the country.
View Larger Map (I recommend the hybrid view) Estacada is on of the many towns across the country that have put murals on the sides of the buildings. (Click on the markers to see some of the murals)  Estacada has many including large ones of their logging, milling history and how the trains played a very important roll in their work.

I have always enjoyed going to Estacada because it is on the edge of the Mt Hood wilderness. You can follow the road going east along the Clackamas River into the foothills and feel like you are the first person ever to see the area only to realize that there have been many people before you. If you keep following the roads, Forest Service roads and BLM roads you will come to places like Promantory Park, Lazy Bend, Fish Creek, Indian Henry, Bagby Hot Springs and somewhere there is "Oh Boy Camp", a favorite camping site of my late brother-in-law, Greg. It is best, if you get off the main highways to have a four wheel drive vehicle, a full tank of gas and some food.

If you cross the bridge in Estacada, going south, you will be taken to a plateau above the Clackamas River. Looking north from the Springwater road makes you feel like you are on top of the world. The view goes on and on. This area has a lot of farms and more specifically Christmas tree farms. Douglas firs and Noble firs are prolific. There are many nurseries and green houses that provide many of the plants for all of us that live in the city.

When you travel west from Estacada, back toward Portland you come across many of the little communities that were so important when this area was first being settled. Barton, a flour mill and store, was first settled in 1876 by E. H. Burghardt. Carver, was orginally called Stone because of the great number of boulders. About 1915 Stephen S. Carver promoted an interurban line from Portland into this part of Clackamas County. The townsite of Stone was changed to Carver in 1924. Both Barton and Carver are on the Clackamas River and both have bridges going over the river.

I would recommend this drive if you have the urge to get out of the house and "go somewhere". It can be a short drive or you can easily leave early and make it an all day trip.