94% of the Calapooia River watershed is located through private landowner property, and is categorized as a non-navigable waterway. Despite this, there are several great spots from which to enjoy this special river!
Taking Highway 228 and riding a mile to the west of Crawfordsville or about 6 miles to the east of Brownsville, you will find the McKercher County Park. The park is good for picnics in green scenery under the calming shade of a white fir and Douglas tree canopies. However, what the park is most esteemed for are swimming holes that punctuate the Calapooia River, and which hosts one of the most acclaimed swimming holes near Eugene. Tourists and local residents concur that the McKercher Park is primarily the land of picnics and swimming.
The park provides a series of swimming holes some shallow enough for the children and some extremely deep and ideal for the adults. Here is the home of outdoor river recreation on the overdrive as the Calapooia River majestically flows at the heart of Brownsville near the South Santiam River. The park provides adequate and reliable parking. Fishing is available as well.
The McKercher Park scenery is picturesque with numbers of channels and little pools in the rocky terrain. The park features a small waterfall and a sandy gravel beach along the big wading and swimming area, located downstream. (Oregon Discovery website, https://oregondiscovery.com/mckercher-park, 2019)
A downloadable map to the watershed’s strolling and hiking trails from the City of Albany.
Links to Recreation along the Calapooia:
Linn County Parks & Recreation, McKercher Park
Linn County Parks & Recreation, Pioneer Museum
Oregon Birding Trails, Willamette Valley Birding
Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW), Fishing
Oregon Department of Geology & Mineral Industries (DOGAMI)
Oregon State Parks & Recreation Department, Thompson’s Mills
Ten Rivers Food Web, Linn County
Weyerhaeuser Recreational Access Information
- To determine if the Weyerhaeuser gate on Upper Calapooia Road is open and access is permitted to the Wendling TM Area, call 888-741-5403 and dial “6.”
Willamette Valley Kayak & Canoe Club
Willamette Zone Sport Fishing Regulations
Boating Information & Current Calapooia River flows (estimate)
