Reservations are available for this 12-site Forest Service campground along the Clackamas River, with sites accommodating RVs up to 26 feet. The access road requires careful navigation, as campers report rough conditions that can challenge larger vehicles. Each site includes a picnic table and fire ring with built-in grill, plus access to vault toilets, drinking water via hand pump, and trash service.
The campground sits directly beside the rushing Clackamas River, with most sites offering immediate water access. Campers can wade into a flat section of the river popular for setting up chairs in the shallow water. The swift current makes swimming with children inadvisable, though a small beach area under the nearby highway bridge provides access to slower water for play. Sites 10 and 4 receive particular praise for privacy and water proximity.
Meghan O. notes "You can hear it rushing by the campsites, which are right down by the water." The sound of flowing water provides natural noise buffering from the adjacent road. Fishing opportunities draw anglers to the river, while the Fish Creek (OR) trail system starts just up the road for hikers.
This smaller campground tends to have better availability than busier alternatives when larger state parks fill up. The $26 nightly fee covers the May through September season, with pets and alcohol permitted throughout the forested sites.
Description
Overview
Armstrong Campground is a small but beautiful place to camp, right on the edge of the Clackamas Wild and Scenic River. The river flows right by spacious, lush, family-friendly campsites, giving visitors plenty of access to the river, as well as to the surrounding forest.
Recreation
Fishing is very popular in the Clackamas River and anglers can expect a catch of winter steelhead, spring chinook and late summer coho salmon, as well as other species of freshwater fish. The Clackamas contains miles of wild water as it bends and drops through the scenic Cascade Range, creating prime whitewater rafting opportunities. A hiking trail follows the river north and south and begins about a mile away at Fish Creek Campground.
Facilities
The campground offers single-family sites available mostly for tent camping, but a few sites having space for RVs. Larger RVs may have trouble navigating the roads within the facility. An overflow parking area is available. Each site is equipped with a table and campfire ring with grill. Accessible vault toilets and drinking water are provided. No hookups are available. Parking surfaces are gravel and dirt.
Natural Features
The campground is located in Mt. Hood National Forest at an elevation of about 870 feet. A variety of ferns, shrubs and grasses cover the forest floor and provide some privacy between sites. While the campground is close to the road, the sound of the river blocks most of the noise. The forest provides habitat for the federally protected bald eagle and northern spotted owl, as well as an occasional peregrine falcon. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area.
Nearby Attractions
A boat ramp is available at Fish Creek Campground, which is less than half a mile south of the campground. It is a convenient place to launch kayaks, canoes or other boats on the river. Just below Indian Henry Campground, the Clackamas River offers 12.5 miles of class III-IV whitewater. The Upper Clackamas Whitewater Festival is hosted annually on the river, attracting rafters from all over the country.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsMount Hood National Forest Armstrong Campground is located in Oregon near Estacada
Directions
From Estacada, travel east on Highway 224 for 14 miles to Armstrong Campground, on the right.
Coordinates
45.162987 N
122.152048 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors
T-MobileNo Coverage- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Connectivity
T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoors- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonNo Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Yurts
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Reservable
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
Drive Time
- 53 min from Portland, OR
- 1 hr 19 min from Salem, OR
- 1 hr 38 min from Albany, OR
- 1 hr 54 min from Corvallis, OR
