Indian Henry, near Mt. Hood National Forest, is a unique campground that offers a blend of natural beauty and rustic charm. With its proximity to the Clackamas River, it’s a fantastic spot for those who enjoy the sound of flowing water and the opportunity to splash around or search for interesting rocks.

The campground features a variety of sites, some nestled among towering trees, providing a sense of privacy and seclusion. Visitors have noted that while some areas are well-maintained, others are being reclaimed by nature, adding a wild, adventurous feel to the experience. As one camper put it, “Nature doesn’t need much from us, but gratitude’s always good.”

For those looking to explore, there are plenty of trails nearby, and the campground is a short drive from popular hiking destinations in the Mt. Hood area. Families will appreciate the safe environment for kids to roam and discover, with many reviewers highlighting the fun of exploring the forest and creek. Just keep in mind that the campground is temporarily closed due to fire damage, so check for updates before planning your visit.

## Overview

 Campground closed due to the 2020 Riverside Wildfire Indian Henry Campground is located in the Mount Hood National Forest, along the scenic Clackamas River. The campground is a great location for relaxation and a spectacular outdoor experience, providing ample access to the river and the surrounding wilderness, as well as other scenic spots in the area. 
## Recreation

 The family-friendly Clackamas River Trail is popular for hiking and mountain biking and begins at the upper end of the campground. It extends about 8 miles and climbs about 450 feet in elevation along the way. It is available year-round, but may be covered in snow during winter months. The Indian Henry Trail, which trolls through the forest, is also located near the campground. Fishing is very popular in the nearby river and anglers can expect a catch of winter steelhead, spring chinook and late summer kokanee salmon, as well as other species of freshwater fish. Whitewater rafting is also enjoyed by visitors to the area. The Clackamas River provides miles of wild water as it bends through the scenic Cascade range.
## Natural Features

 The campground is situated at an elevation of 1,249 feet, in Oregon's Cascade Mountains, nestled in a mixed forest of conifers and hardwoods, including grand old Douglas firs and a variety of evergreens. A thick gathering of ferns and ivy increase privacy between campsites. Some sites overlook the river and others neighbor a mountain creek. 
## Nearby Attractions

 The picturesque, blue-green Surprise Lake is located not far from the campground, up a steep climb. It is most popular for fishing, as the lake isn't large enough for motorized boats. The Bagby Hot Springs are located about 20 miles southwest of the campground. A popular site for soaking and relaxation, the springs are in a heavily wooded forest in the scenic Cascade Mountains of Oregon. A historic guard station was built there in 1913 and the available bathhouses are fed by three major hot water springs and several minor outlets in the area.

Indian Henry - TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE

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The Best Camping Near Welches, Oregon

This campground is tucked away in the mt hood forest, with a river that runs along it and a creek that runs through it. The kids had fun exploring in the forest and the creek and riding their bikes. There is a short hike to an old amphitheater that was neat. Some of the campsites are very large while others like our wasn't big enough for our family sized tent. Another con is that much of the park was closed due to falling trees so everyone is in one loop and there was only one bathroom open for a full loop. A line everytime. Nice safe place for your kidos though so we had a wonderful trip with friends.

Gorgeous campground

Indian Henry has a nice river flowing next to it that is very fun to swim in. It also has a lot of places that are about 5 minutes away that are nice to spend a day at. One of the only problems was that they didn't have a time when people should be quiet. When I was trying to get to sleep, kids were shouting very loudly and I couldn't get to sleep. Also, they woke me up really early because no one told them to be quiet. The campsites were really close together as well. Another thing was because of the weather there was no fires allowed. But the actual campground was nice.

By Fraser Barnes (Age 10)

Too Kid-Friendly

**Campground Review: Indian Henry Campground -- 4/5 Stars**

Have you ever wanted to sleep in a fun, wooded, semi-abandoned campground? Well come on over to the Indian Henry Campground in the Mount Hood forest on the Clackamas River. Originally host to nearly 100 campsites, an amphitheater, and a dozen toilets, much of the campground has been closed since about 2015 due to root rot. Now it’s down to about one loop and one bathroom. We arrived on a Sunday night and found a nice spot right near the river. Our site had the usual wooden table, a fire pit, and a medium amount of privacy, where people could see their neighbors but also were surrounded by huge trees everywhere.

The Clackamas river as it ran through here is perfect for splashing, wading and finding beautiful rocks. It gets a little deeper and faster in the middle, but it’s also very very cold, so we stayed mostly at the edges.

My absolute favorite part of Indian Henry was exploring all the semi-closed areas. Dozens of campsites were starting to be reclaimed by the wilderness but still semi hike-able if you like looking around. There’s also a smaller creek, tons of huge trees toppled over to climb on, and an old amphitheater. So many places for kiddos and their curious parents to wander around.

**Product Review: GoBites Uno, Duo and Trio Utensils -- 4/5 Stars**

As a ranger for [thedyrt.com](http://thedyrt.com/) our family were able to try a sample of humangear products including three of their utensil sets: the Uno, Duo and Trio, which are their fork, knife, spoon and toothpick combinations. In general, all are solidly built, pleasant to use, and hold up to the extensive abuse our family has put them through. Each set also has their own best use.

**Uno:** The Uno is a cute little spoon/fork combo and the simplest of the bunch. It also has the most colors. At a price of just a few dollars each and super-portable, it’s easy to picture picking up a set of ten or a dozen of the unos in different sizes to stock a trailer kitchen or camping kit.

**Duo:** The Duo is probably our family favorite, and the one we use most often. With a fork/spoon combo that slides in one direction for storage and another to extend into two utensils, I’ve packed this one up at least 100 times into lunches and it shows virtually no signs of wear and tear at all.

**Trio:** The Trio is the only set that comes in its own box and is thus by far the largest for transport. This is not a set you’d buy a dozen of to stack up for a trip, but rather a combo of fork, spoon, knife (with bottle opener) and toothpick that becomes your one special set to wash and use over and over and then store back in your multi-day camping backpack. The ability to eat messy chili or cream cheese on the trail for lunch, pack it up, and then wash everything later when back at camp is where I think this set shines. The toothpick is not something I personally use, nor is the bottle opener, but I did tend to use the knife a decent amount for spreading things like peanut butter. That said, when it was something I needed cut up for eating such as an apple, I most often used my incredibly sharp leatherman knife instead. So while the case and knife are a nice addition, in general the Trio has been more novel than practical in comparison to the Uno and Duo.

Ranger review: humangear Gobites Uno, Duo and Trio utensils at Indian Henry

Affordable forested campsites with many that are steps from the Clackamas River. River is gorgeous and you can hear the sounds of the creek from many of the campsites. While some spots in the middle lack privacy, the river side spots are great with lots of space and separated by large trees. Toilets, picnic tables and fire rings on site. Great in the summer if you wan to wade in the river. We were there on a Sunday night in August and almost had the whole place to ourselves. Fun hiking nearby. One of our favorite campsites in the Mt. Hood natural area. The river access is really cool and it's also a short drive to other swimming holes and hiking.

Favorite Campsite in the Area

A sprawling, dense menagerie of development, Indian Henry can be from whatever time frame you’d like and provide most forms of recreation. Some campsites are clear and secluded, others are half overgrown in a fishbowl of other sites. Finally, nature has almost completely reclaimed other areas, which gave me a little hope. Nature doesn’t need much from us, but gratitude’s always good. Trails galore, and the campground is near popular Mt. Hood destinations. On the other hand, stay here in the covered dark green to get away from it all. Come early or otherwise during the day to get a lay of the land. And his name is officially Henry, but he goes by something else. You can ask the open air and take whatever presents itself. 

Photos of Indian Henry - TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE

Real photos from real campers