Camassia Natural Area

Why You Should Visit    
Sculpted by prehistoric floods, this rocky plateau hosts an extraordinary floral diversity including rare plants and uncommon wetland and grassland communities. The rock was exposed 12,000 - 19,000 years ago when the Bretz Floods poured down the present Columbia River Gorge and far into the Willamette Valley. The floods swept soil and vegetation from parts of the valley and deposited granitic boulders (called "glacial erratics") from as far away as Canada.

Location
The hills of West Linn, above the Clackamas and Willamette Rivers, in northwest Oregon

Size
26 acres

How to Prepare for Your Visit
The preserve is signed, with an interpretive board indicating trails. Trails are muddy in spring and the boardwalk can be very slippery. Watch out for poison oak. For more information, please see our Preserve Visitation Guidelines.

Directions

• Drive S from Portland on Highway 43 (SW Macadam Avenue) through Lake Oswego to West Linn OR drive S from Portland on I-205 to the West Linn Exit # 8 and turn left at the end of the exit ramp.
• After going under the highway, turn uphill onto Willamette Falls Drive just before the gas station.  (This is the last right turn before coming to the bridge over the Willamette River, so if you find yourself on the bridge, you went too far).  
• After one block, Willamette Falls Road turns 90 degrees to the left; continue on Willamette Falls Road for .25 mile.
• Veer right onto Sunset Avenue, which continues uphill, passing over I-205.  
• Take the first right onto Walnut Street, which ends at the preserve entrance and parking area.

What to See: Plants
Camassia is named for common camas -- historically a highly-valued food source of Pacific Northwest Native Americans -- which blooms profusely in April and early May.  More than 300 plant species are found on the preserve, including some rare Willamette Valley species. The rare white rock larkspur occurs here and at only six other places in the world. The shallow soils of this rocky plateau support wet meadows, Oregon white oak-madrone woodlands, vernal and permanent ponds, and even a stand of quaking aspen.

What to See: Animals
The preserve provides habitat for many well-known bird species, including the wood duck, California quail, hairy woodpecker, western bluebird and golden-crowned kinglet. In spring and summer, green mosses and purple camas pose a stunning contrast to the dark gray basalt bedrock.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
Conservancy volunteers are restoring Oregon white oak woodlands on the preserve by removing invasive Douglas-fir trees. Populations of the rare white rock larkspur are monitored by Conservancy ecologists. Researchers also monitor water quality and study ways to minimize the impacts of urban development on the preserve's hydrology. During spring and summer, volunteers lead guided hikes and teach visitors about the ecology of the preserve. Additionally, teams of volunteers work to eradicate the invasive, non-native Scots broom from the grassland, and English ivy and Himalayan blackberry from the woodlands. West Linn High School ecology students use the preserve as an outdoor classroom and help keep it litter-free.