Paddle Around Ross Island

Portland, Oregon

5.0/5

based on 2 reviews

Save

View all 6 photos

All 6 photos

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Description

Added by Ty Rauber

A fun flat-water paddle in the heart of Portland. Enjoy a picnic on the island before heading back. An easy 5 miles of paddling. Duration: Half day.

This is a great little adventure for those looking to get on the water, but who don’t have time to escape the city. Paddle the loop around Ross Island for a scenic workout and a relaxing picnic.

To begin your loop, put-in at Sellwood Riverfront Park – it features easy parking and sandy beach at almost every water level. As you make your way over to Ross Island, keep an eye out for eagles, blue herons, deer, and river otters. Although Ross Island is privately owned, you are free to wander and picnic along the beach area (below the “ordinary high water mark”). When you’re ready to complete your loop, head out around the island and return to Sellwood.

Although Holgate Channel (on the east side of the island) is now a No Wake Zone, there is still a large barge that runs along the Holgate Channel…so keep an eye peeled and steer clear.

Download the Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Features

Stand Up Paddle

Kayaking

Bathrooms

Beach

Easy Parking

Scenic

Wildlife

Reviews

Explorer

Madison Sankovitz

Explorer

Paddle Around Ross Island

06/29/16

This is a wonderful adventure on a sunny day, because you can experience the beautiful city from a peaceful kayak. A relaxing and fun experience!

5.0

Alisha Durgin

Paddle Around Ross Island

09/05/15

If you don't own a kayak, start this route at the Willamette Park and rent one at Portland Kayak Co. for $12/hour! That's what I did, and it was a blast. It was surprisingly peaceful, and it's nice to have such an adventure right in our backyards (for Portlanders). To read more about my experience, check out my blog: http://cleanspiritblog.com/2015/09/05/kayaking-around-ross-island-portland-oregon/

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Run Springwater Corridor Trail

Springwater Corridor is a 40-mile paved trail that stretches from downtown Portland all the way to Boring. This trail is wide, virtually flat, and yes, paved - but there is a clear manmade path on the dirt shoulders that's friendlier to knees. Any given day, you'll see dozens of cyclists and pedestrians on their daily commute or enjoying a break from the road.The starting point for this adventu...

Run or Hike the Outer Loop of Tryon Creek

Tryon Creek State Park has a fantastic, well-maintained trail system that’s a great alternative to Portland’s downtown Washington Park and Forest Park. It’s a super family-friendly area with a Nature Center that hosts kid’s events year round. This entire area is relatively small and therefore easy to navigate. You’ll also have full cell service up here, and all of the trails are trackable on Go...

Night Photography at the OMSI Dock

Starting at OMSI, walk towards the Hawthorne bridge, and away from the Tillicum bridge. After about a tenth of a mile, you will see a dock and the Hawthorne bridge. Walk down on the dock, or take pictures from above. For added adventure, walk under the Hawthorne bridge and take pictures from the other side!

Run Along Waterfront Park

Looking for a quick run along the water in the heart of Portland? Look no further. This relatively flat 2.6 mile loop runs right along the Willamette and features great views of the city’s bridges, river, the downtown skyline, and all of the fun people enjoying this urban park. From the Salmon Street Springs fountain, follow the river path north through Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Take the Stee...

Hike the Wildwood Trail

Take the train to Washington Park and hike through the arboretum. This will bypass a few miles of Wildwood Trail, but you won't miss much.In the arboretum, the trail twists and turns through the trees, will smaller trails jutting off to the sides, through other groups of trees (each trail is aptly named for the type of respective tree). Continue on Wildwood and eventually you will cross Burnsid...

Explore the International Rose Test Garden

The International Rose Garden located in Washington Park near downtown Portland is a must stop on your visit to the Rose City. The City of Roses, as Portland as known, won't let you down. Portland is host to the largest Rose Test Garden in the U.S. The 5 acre park, with over 7,000 rose bushes, and 500 different varieties has been impressing visitors since 1917. In the middle of the first world ...

Paddle Around Ross Island

Description

Download the Outbound mobile app

Features

Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Run Springwater Corridor Trail

Run or Hike the Outer Loop of Tryon Creek

Night Photography at the OMSI Dock

Run Along Waterfront Park

Hike the Wildwood Trail

Explore the International Rose Test Garden

Discover

Community

Company

Follow Us

Mobile Apps