Trout Creek Campground - Willamette (OR)

Trout Creek is tucked into a heavily wooded landscape with lichen- and moss-draped alder, Douglas fir, hemlock and maple. Campsites are well shaded and full of ferns and similar sub-tropical greenery, and many stretch along the South Santiam River, a 66-mile tributary of the Santiam. There are 24 sites on a single loop, both reservable and first-come, first-served, with four RV pull-throughs ranging from 24 to 40 feet. Parking spurs are gravel and roads are paved. Two double vault accessible toilets and one accessible single vault toilet are available, and drinking water comes from one hand pump well. Campfire wood is not readily available at the park, so plan to bring firewood or purchase it from a nearby vendor; Linn County Parks staff may occasionally come through with firewood for sale. The Civilian Conservation Corps constructed the campground in the 1930s, and it includes a centrally located day-use picnic shelter with a fireplace, tables and a BBQ grill, with nearby river access. There are about three to five spots for parking there, depending on the size of the vehicles. Wading and fishing are popular in the river, and hikers enjoy easy access to the 2.8-mile Trout Creek Trail and the short Walton Ranch Interpretive Trail. The Menagerie Wilderness can be reached from the Trout Creek Trail, so hikers and backpackers can explore the area's extensive system of trails. The Menagerie Wilderness and Trout Creek Trail are located directly across from the campground. To the west is the historic Long Ranch, now an elk refuge; a short wheelchair-accessible trail directly across Highway 20 from the campground leads to a wildlife viewing platform overlooking it. The Old Santiam Wagon Road stretches along the Highway 20 corridor nearby. There may be no cellular service, or very limited service, at the campground.