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Earlier this year, we asked readers to pick their favorite Oregon State Parks. Now, we're headed to the top 15 to check in, bringing back a comprehensive guide to each one.



Nestled along the curves of the Clackamas River, with many forested hills and Mount Hood on the horizon, Milo McIver is a beautiful state park that boasts a robust assortment of recreational opportunities.



Those features are enough to draw nearly 450,000 people each year, including more than 36,000 overnight visitors. With so many people and so much going on within its boundaries, the key to Milo McIver’s success can best be summed up in one word: balance.

At just more than 950 acres, the Willamette Valley park is the 30th biggest in the state. But in that space the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department has packed a lot. There are the usual hiking trails and boat launches, of course, but then there’s the famous 27-hole disc golf course, extensive equestrian trails, active fish hatchery, historic dam, off-leash dog area, interpretive wildlife trails and new memorial viewpoint. Not to mention several large parking lots to manage all the visitors.

It seems easy to bungle the balance of all those disparate parts, but park managers have found room for it all, even allowing for some peace and quiet while you’re out on the river or trail. But perhaps because of all the park has to manage, some areas are naturally in need of attention.

First and foremost are the hiking trails, which while multitudinous and beautiful, are remarkably hard to navigate. You can get a detailed trail map, but it does little on the winding, unmarked (and sometimes unmapped) trails that lead through forests and alongside the river. The campground, too, is less than enjoyable, with sites packed in tightly and favoring RVs.

Still, Milo McIver remains one of the best day-use parks in the valley. Located in Estacada, it’s only 23 miles southeast of Portland, and is the kind of place where a family can spend a long summer day doing whatever different activities they please. In that way, it’s a perfect place to scratch whatever recreational itch you may have, with enough space to spread out and enjoy to the fullest.

This is a park that fell out of our readers’ top 12, but that we picked to feature among the runners up. It lacks the “wow” factor you’d find at superstar state parks like Silver Falls and Fort Stevens, but the sheer recreational opportunity alone should put this among the very best parks in the valley. Here’s what to expect from a day (or more) at Milo McIver.

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CLACKAMAS RIVER

The Clackamas River runs alongside the park, making an ess-curve that branches off around the many small islands in the middle of the waterway. The river is home to steelhead and Chinook salmon runs, and offers boat launches, a dock and several sites to wade into the river to fish. It’s also a great spot to float or a paddle, with several put-ins in the park proper and upriver.

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MEMORIAL VIEWPOINT

One of the newest features at Milo McIver is the Memorial Viewpoint, a beautiful platform overlooking the Clackamas River, with a view of Mount Hood and a plaque commemorating Milo K. McIver, who in the 1950s and ’60s was a champion of the Oregon State Park system. A trail (not yet on the map) connects the viewpoint with both sides of the park.

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DISC GOLF

The disc golf course at Milo McIver is well-regarded as one of the very best in Oregon, and is host to the annual Beaver Fling tournament that draws some of the top talent in the sport. The course is located in the Riverbend day-use area, and features 27 holes designed for both amateurs and pros.

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HIKING TRAILS

There are many miles of hiking trails at both the Riverbend and Riverside day-use areas, with some connecting to horse trails and the new viewpoint. Some hiking loops are easy to follow, but others are poorly marked and downright confusing. Even if you get the detailed trail map, it can be easy to lose your way.

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CAMPING

The seasonal campground features nearly 60 campsites, 44 of which are standard sites with electrical hookups and water. The rest are a mix of basic tent sites, biker/hiker sites and group sites. All seem to be well maintained, but are packed in close together (a situation common at popular state parks). Rates range from $18 for tent sites to $26 for electrical sites.

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DAM AND HATCHERY

Two interesting manmade features are found on the river, with both the River Mill Dam and Clackamas Fish Hatchery on the east side of the park. The dam, visible from a viewpoint near the campground, has been in continuous operation since 1911. The hatchery, just beyond the Riverside day-use area, has been rearing steelhead and Chinook salmon since 1979.

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HORSEBACK RIDING

There are about seven miles of equestrian trails on the east side of Milo McIver, running in a sort of figure-eight with several connecting trails throughout. The local guides with NW Horse Trails say it's a good place for year-round riding, and even boasts rare "training stations," which offer obstacles to train your horse for trail riding.

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BATS

Milo McIver is a habitat for the Townsend’s big-eared bat, which is a protected species in Oregon. In recent years, colonies have begun nesting at an old barn on the south side of the park, which you can hike around on the Bat Trail. You can also see the bats at dusk swooping along the surface of the river to feed on insects.

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AP Photo/The Daily Astorian, Lori Assa

MORE OREGON STATE PARKS

Oregonians' 12 favorite parks: We asked our readers for their favorite state parks, and they answered with a solid top 12.

Silver Falls: The lush waterfall paradise is pure Oregon magic, with one of the very best hikes in the state.

Fort Stevens: Perched on the northern tip of the Oregon coast, Fort Stevens offers nature, history and an incredible shipwreck.

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