A spring morning on the McLoughlin Promenade, a scenic walkway along the bluff above downtown Oregon City, with Willamette Falls in the distance. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)
Between riverside beaches, good restaurants, beautiful trails and one incredible waterfall, Oregon City has more than enough to fill your cup.
Those in the Portland area looking for a quick day trip – say, something far enough to be removed but close enough to be convenient – should look no further than the historic city at the end of the Oregon Trail.
Popularly lauded as the first incorporated U.S. city west of the Rocky Mountains (though Mayor Denyse McGriff will tell you it was the first west of the Missouri River), the town sits at the intersection of the Willamette and Clackamas rivers with a small, historic downtown near the amazing Willamette Falls and a more sprawling section of town on the bluff above the Willamette River.
Advertisement
While there’s definitely a small-town vibe, its proximity to Portland is clear, especially in the restaurant scene. This is a place where you can find the offshoot of Gabriel Rucker’s famed Canard, and at least one cafe that stocks beans from Deadstock Coffee. That said, you’re more likely to see people populating beloved establishments like Mike’s Drive-In and Ranee’s on Main, where the food is decidedly unfussy.
I have long loved spending the day in Oregon City, taking any opportunity to go there. For years, I took my car to a mechanic in town, often lingering long after the work was done.
This spring, when the sun emerged and the flowers began to bloom, I plotted my return: a daylong exploration of old favorites and new spots around town. If there’s one thing I’ve learned as a travel reporter, it’s that there are always new things to discover.
Coffee and a danish at Black Ink Coffee in downtown Oregon City. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)
The Oregon City Municipal Elevator is a 130-foot elevator built in 1955 that takes pedestrians to the bluff above the town. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)
BREAKFAST AND A WALK
The best place to start your day downtown is Black Ink Coffee, a cafe on the southern end of the historic downtown that shares space with White Rabbit Gifts. Portland coffee snobs will be at home here with beans from Deadstock, Proud Mary and Stumptown. On a sunny Thursday morning, I sipped a macchiato at a table with vague “Alice in Wonderland” markings, then slipped out into the beautiful day.
While this part of Oregon City seems designed for walking, those embarking on foot will have to contend with parking: Metered spots downtown have two-hour limits, forcing visitors to return and move their cars. There are a few four-hour and eight-hour spots, as well as one pay lot, but I usually just surrender and organize my day around the meter.
Advertisement
Not far from Black Ink Coffee is the famed Oregon City Municipal Elevator, a 130-foot free public elevator that takes pedestrians up to the bluff over town (a charming stairway to the top is also available). The elevator opened in 1955, replacing an old hydraulic model that forced people to cross a 35-foot catwalk over the railroad tracks. All this I learned at the top, where a cheerful worker sat at a desk offering information to curious passersby.
The city continues at the top of the elevator, with more shops and restaurants, as well as historic buildings and neighborhoods. A few blocks over, I found The Hive Social, a hip, modern restaurant that serves food all day. In a cozy booth, I sidestepped the pricey Benedicts for an order of the Just Avo Toast and over-easy eggs, with a (surprisingly tall) glass of grapefruit juice that came out to about $20 – good fuel for a morning walk.
Oak trees and green spaces are found along the McLoughlin Promenade. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)
Willamette Falls, seen from a viewpoint on the side of Oregon 99E in Oregon City. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)
A mock pharmacy showcases old medicine bottles and other medical devices inside the Museum of the Oregon Territory. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)
The elevator gives access not only to the upper part of town, but also the McLoughlin Promenade, a half-mile pathway that runs along the edge of the bluff, past beautiful gardens and great views. The promenade comes alive in the spring, with blooming flowers, blue skies and lots of green space to enjoy. For now, this is also the best place outside of a boat to get a look at Willamette Falls, which since time immemorial has been a place for fishing and communal gathering.
As walkers on the promenade can see, Willamette Falls is still surrounded by several old paper mill buildings and hydroelectric powerhouses, some of which are active and some of which are actively being torn down. On the Oregon City side of the river, the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde is slowly demolishing those buildings to make room for its tumwata village project. On the other side, the Willamette Falls Inter-Tribal Public Access Project is working on a vision of its own. Both projects promise new, beautiful community spaces, but are expected to take years to complete.
At the end of the McLoughlin Promenade, I crossed a pedestrian bridge over Oregon 99E and walked up to the main Willamette Falls viewpoint on the side of the highway. The view here doesn’t come close to what you’d get on the river, but it’s still a pretty good look.
Advertisement
Across the street, I popped into the Museum of the Oregon Territory, a small museum run by the Clackamas County Historical Society that had just opened for the day. The $8 admission gave me a self-guided tour of the exhibits, which run from Indigenous history through the industrial era into modern times. This is a nice way to dip your toes into local history; those looking for a more immersive experience can visit the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center on the other side of town, with its historic re-enactors, crafts, games and tours.
The Corner 14 food cart pod is bustling on a weekday afternoon. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)
People gather along a beach on the Willamette River at Burnside Park in West Linn, with Goat Island in the distance. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)
WILDFLOWERS AND RIVERSIDES
Back along the promenade, down the elevator and once again downtown, I searched for something to eat. I’ve lunched a lot in Oregon City over the years and have settled on a few favorites: the lefse wraps at Ingrid’s Scandinavian Food, the perfectly-portioned lunch menu at Pho Thi, and the creative, upscale options at Canard.
On this trip, I decided to check out the Corner 14 food carts, across the street from Oregon City Brewing on the north end of downtown. After browsing carts offering Thai, burgers, Mexican and Russian peroshki, I settled on a place called Veggie Bowl, where I devoured a box of rice, quinoa, veggies and nori, flavored with an addictive spicysauce for a reasonable $11. Fueled up once again, I set off for an afternoon exploring the outdoor opportunities around town.
Oregon City has a number of good hiking areas, including Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park, which opened in 2021 with more than four miles of forested trails, and Canemah Bluff Nature Park, a small park with river views.
One of my favorite natural areas here is the Camassia Natural Area, a 26-acre nature preserve just across the Willamette River in West Linn. Camassia is known for its beautiful spring wildflower blooms, which on this day I couldn’t resist. A short loop trail took me through a forest blooming with trillium and Oregon grape, and into meadows where purple camas lilies and pink sea blush flowers were popping. Nestled into a local neighborhood, the preserve has limited parking, so be respectful of neighbors when finding a spot. (Alternately, you can make the one-mile walk from downtown Oregon City, which is along sidewalks most of the way.)
Advertisement
After the flowers, I drove a few minutes deeper into West Linn to Maddax Woods, a seven-acre park along the Willamette River. Despite what the name suggests, the highlight here is a riverside viewing platform that looks out to Goat Island (another misnomer, as the resident animals are roosting herons). A wooded trail leads a short way uphill and enters Burnside Park, a neighborhood forest that gives access to a shaded river beach. I could have spent the rest of the afternoon on the sand, where the scenery was peaceful despite the rumble of motors from a boat launch across the water. Instead, I marked it down for another time and continued on my journey.
A margherita pizza at Mi Famiglia, a pizza restaurant in downtown Oregon City. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)
A river intake pump station is an unusual landmark along the Clackamas River Trail. (Jamie Hale/Jamie Hale/The Oregonian)
Somehow hungry again, I stopped at the Mi Famiglia pizzeria in downtown Oregon City, where I downed half a $17 margherita pie, cooked speedily in the wood-fired oven. The day had grown warm, and I found the meal a necessary break from both the sun and from walking. Of course, that didn’t mean I was done exploring.
After visiting the banks of the Willamette River, I was interested to see what the Clackamas River parks had to offer. Back in my car, I drove to the north side of town where I found River Access Park, part of the Clackamas River Trail. Between the noise of nearby Interstate 205 and the disappointingly small river access points, this was no peaceful getaway (though the sunny, accessible picnic areas were tempting). The paved trail is better suited for cycling than walking, and my feet soon tired of the hard surface. I had hoped to spend more time by the Clackamas, but after a quick two-mile out-and-back walk, I had seen enough.
With evening descending and my to-do list complete, I searched for one final stop to put a cherry on the top of my Oregon City day trip. The day before my trip, a colleague who lives in the area gave me a great tip: Mike’s Drive-In, a local burger chain with a spot in the heart of Oregon City, offers soft serve ice cream cones for $1.49. There, I ordered a vanilla-strawberry swirl and grabbed a seat outside, chilled by both the ice cream and the cooling day.
It might have been a little early in the season for days filled with riverside beaches and ice cream cones, but I felt certain this town would soon be buzzing with activity, the community’s many wonderful destinations well enjoyed.
Advertisement
–Jamie Hale covers travel and the outdoors and co-hosts the Peak Northwest podcast. Reach him at 503-294-4077, jhale@oregonian.com or @HaleJamesB.
Our journalism needs your support. Subscribe today to OregonLive.com.
Oregon officials are opening an investigation into a shooting by federal agents in Portland that left a married couple wounded and sparked renewed outrage in the city over the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown there and across the US.
The shooting inflamed tensions a day after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis, prompting protests and condemnation from state and city officials there.
Following Wednesday’s killing, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told agents to “get the fuck out” of the city. Oregon state Sen. Kayse Jama took a similar tone during a news conference after the Portland shooting, telling ICE agents to “get the hell out of our community.”
The Portland shooting unfolded Thursday afternoon as US Border Patrol agents were conducting a “targeted vehicle stop” and one of the agents “fired defensive shots” after the driver tried to run the agents over, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement. “The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene,” she added.
Advertisement
No agents were injured in the shooting, a federal law enforcement source told CNN.
McLaughlin said the driver and passenger are believed to be linked to Tren de Aragua, the notorious Venezuelan gang President Donald Trump has long targeted amid accusations of drug trafficking, murder and other violence, though she did not provide evidence.
Portland Police Chief Bob Day said local officers weren’t involved in the incident, but responded to reports of a shooting involving federal agents just after 2:15 p.m. Thursday.
Minutes later, police received a call from a different location from a man who said he’d been shot by federal officers and was requesting help, according to Day and dispatch audio.
When officers arrived, they found a man and a woman with gunshot wounds and emergency responders transported them to a hospital, Day said. The conditions of the patients weren’t known Thursday night, he added.
Advertisement
The chief said his department didn’t know if the vehicle involved in the shooting had been weaponized against the agents.
The two people who were shot are married, a senior law enforcement told CNN.
Portland Mayor Keith Wilson linked Thursday’s shooting to the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis, the circumstances of which has been disputed by federal and local officials. Wilson said he had spoken to the Minneapolis mayor earlier in the day to offer condolences and called Good’s death “entirely preventable” in a statement Thursday morning.
Hours after the mayors spoke, Wilson was similarly casting doubt on the Trump administration’s characterization of what took place in Portland.
“We know what the federal government says happened here. There was a time when we could take them at their word. That time has long passed,” he said.
Advertisement
Wilson called for ICE to halt all operations in Portland until an investigation can take place.
“Portland is not a training ground for militarized agents,” Wilson said. “When the administration talks about using full force, we are seeing what it means on our streets.”
Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced late Thursday the state will open an investigation into the shooting, saying officials “have been clear about our concerns with excessive use of force by federal agents in Portland and nationally.”
“The investigation will look into whether any federal officer acted outside the scope of their lawful authority and will include witness interviews, video evidence, and other relevant materials,” Rayfield said.
On the federal government side, the FBI said it is investigating an “assault” on two CBP agents. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting the FBI, it said.
Advertisement
Trump has frequently taken aim at Portland, depicting the liberal city as a crime-riddled war zone and falsely claiming on several occasions that it is “burning to the ground.”
The White House was locked in a months-long battle with city and state officials over the administration’s controversial deployment of National Guard troops to the city, which was blocked by a federal judge. City officials have argued Trump’s incendiary remarks and troop deployments have inflamed violence in the city, which has been rocked by frequent protests over immigration enforcement.
Multnomah County, which includes part of Portland, voted Thursday to extend an emergency declaration in response to ICE’s continued presence in the area, County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said.
The declaration was originally issued in December “in response to ongoing impacts from federal immigration enforcement,” Vega Pederson said at the time.
“Multnomah County will not stand by as federal governments attack our neighbors,” she said Thursday.
It’s a family affair for the Big Ten with a spot in the national championship game on the line as No. 1 seed Indiana squares off against fifth-seed Oregon in the Peach Bowl semifinal.
Indiana has smashed up just about everything in sight, marching out to a 14-0 record with its first outright Big Ten title since 1945 by edging out reigning champ Ohio State and then pounding the bewildered SEC runner-up Alabama in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal.
If they go all the way, the Hoosiers would become the first 16-0 team in college football since Yale did it back in 1894. Not bad for a program that has the most losses all-time.
Advertisement
Oregon is a 13-1 team with that one loss coming courtesy of these Hoosiers back during the regular season, but is coming off a dominant 23-0 victory over Big 12 champion Texas Tech in the quarterfinal round.
Indiana vs. Oregon: Keys to the game
Advertisement
Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
1. Indiana’s Defensive Discipline vs. Dante Moore
Indiana’s biggest edge arguably remains a very disciplined defense that already solved Oregon’s scheme once, holding Dante Moore to 186 passing yards with two interceptions and six sacks in the October win at Eugene.
The Hoosiers compress space, tackle cleanly, and rarely bust coverages, forcing Moore to sustain long drives instead of living on explosive downfield gainers.
Advertisement
Key to this rematch is turning that discipline into disruption again: winning on early downs, disguising pressures, and closing throwing lanes so Oregon’s timing‑based pass game never finds a rhythm.
Advertisement
If Indiana can keep Moore uncomfortable without giving up cheap shots in the deep field, it tilts the game back toward another grind that favors the unbeaten No. 1 seed.
2. Oregon’s Early‑Down Efficiency and Protection
Oregon’s path back into the national title picture depends on staying ahead of the chains and protecting Moore far better than in the first meeting.
Advertisement
This is not a max‑protect offense; the Ducks prefer to get the ball out quickly on first and second down to avoid Indiana dictating pressure looks on third and long.
Advertisement
With top back Noah Whittington healthy and Jordon Davison sidelined, Oregon must manufacture run efficiency with motion, RPOs, and constraint plays rather than stubborn downhill calls into Indiana’s stout front.
If that early‑down formula works, Moore’s accuracy, Oregon’s speed at receiver, and a more confident offensive line could finally stress a Hoosier defense that has thrived when opponents become predictable.
Advertisement
3. Mendoza, Complementary Run Game, and Game Control
Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza has turned Indiana into a complete, ball‑control machine, pairing 36 touchdown passes with just six interceptions while adding some key rushing scores.
Advertisement
The Hoosiers average over 220 rushing yards per game, using a deep backfield and a physical line to stay on schedule and keep their defense fresh.
Against an Oregon defense coming off a 23–0 shutout of Texas Tech, Indiana’s key is balance: steady run success, efficient intermediate throws, and red‑zone poise that converts long, methodical drives into sevens instead of threes.
If Mendoza controls tempo again, limits negative plays, and avoids the rare turnover, Indiana’s complementary profile again looks built to survive a tight matchup.
Indiana vs. Oregon prediction: Who wins?
Advertisement
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Line: Indiana -3.5, 48.5, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Advertisement
If a team of destiny exists, it might be Indiana. Give them credit: they created that destiny themselves, playing a punishing brand of defense and riding an efficient offense behind a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback.
Advertisement
Dante Moore had the worst game of his season against the Hoosiers’ defense, and his late interception, one of two on the day, helped seal the deal in what remains Oregon’s only loss this year.
Jordon Davison was the Ducks’ leading rusher in that first meeting, and his absence in the rematch makes it difficult to see this going another way, in particular after watching the Oregon offense fail to capitalize as much as it could have in the Orange Bowl.
Having their rushing output compromised to that degree will only put more pressure on Moore to win the game, and Indiana’s secondary coverage unit is a little too good to let that happen. The Hoosiers will play for the national championship.
College Football HQ picks…
Advertisement
Indiana wins 33-20
Covers the spread
And hits the over
How to watch the Peach Bowl Game
When: Fri., Jan. 9 Where: Atlanta
Advertisement
Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern TV: ESPN network
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.
More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams
Advertisement
Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks
ATLANTA — Oregon’s options for who to rotate in at safety and nickel in the Peach Bowl are finite, but not inexperienced.
Peyton Woodyard has 22 tackles and an interception as a backup this season. The sophomore is the next player behind starting deep safeties Dillon Thieneman and Aaron Flowers and could also play nickel behind Jadon Canady in the Peach Bowl against No. 1 Indiana.
Woodyard was UO’s only freshman defensive player not to redshirt last season. Though he fell behind Flowers and Lopa prior to the season, he’s still prepared to play a significant role, which could come in Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal.
“You’d have more concern if you had a guy that wasn’t preparing like he wasn’t a starter,” defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi said. “But that’s the way he prepares. I’ve got the faith that we’re not going to put somebody out there that we don’t trust. … I don’t think if he’s out there competing for us, I wouldn’t hesitate one bit to put (him) out there.”
Advertisement
No. 5 Oregon lost Kingston Lopa and Daylen Austin to the transfer portal since the start of the playoff.
Walk-on Zach Grisham (44) and Woodyard (30) have the most snaps at nickel behind Canady and Austin. Woodyard has played 171 snaps this season, but just one in the Orange Bowl when Canady came out for a play. He played three snaps at deep safety during the October 11 game against Indiana.
Grisham has nine tackles in 11 games, splitting time between defense and special teams. He came in for the last defensive play in the Orange Bowl.
Lupoi called Grisham “an absolute baller” for the effort he brings to the field.
The Ducks may need to rely on one or both for a few snaps in the biggest game of the season.
Advertisement
“(Woodyard) brings a lot of range and he’s really smart,” Flowers said. “A really vocal leader. Great tackler. I feel super comfortable playing out there with him. Zach, he’s a man of the game. He knows every position; he knows star, safety. He’s really quick, really good man coverage.”
No. 1 Indiana (14-0) vs. No. 5 Oregon (13-1)
When: Friday, January 9
Time: 4:30 p.m. PT
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
TV: ESPN
Stream: You can watch this game on DIRECTV (free trial) or with Sling (a Sling day pass to watch this game and more is just $4.99). Streaming broadcasts for this game will be available on these streaming services locally in Oregon and Washington, but may not be available outside of the Pacific Northwest, depending on your location.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/advancelocal/VDG5QICFUFBIRC5HXCQAPIQ3JI.jpg?ssl=1 "Oregon City is a perfect day trip destination, with rivers, restaurants and trails to explore")
