Elk Rock Island — Attraction in Milwaukie

Very beautiful, but unfortunately overcrowded & undervalued. Last year the trash can at the entrance was overstuffed & the entire entry area smelled of human excrement. Just returned a few weeks ago, none of that yet, but there were large volumes of trash abandoned by earlier visitors in multiple places.

Also, parking is always risky here. Police actively patrol the neighborhood & take photos of vehicles for ticketing purposes. There are "no parking" signs everywhere, even in places that don't really make sense. Thus, people often encroach on private property or generally park illegally. Won't be surprised if it's eventually closed to visitors in the near future. Pretty...

Awesome place, accessible pretty much during the dry summer months only for pedestrians, unless u ride by boat or stay in the upper part of the park and look at the island from a distance. The island is volcanic lava rock with plants and driftwood and trees.....and lots of poison oak. There's beautiful Madrone trees, very tall Eucalyptus, Maple trees and some fir. I usually do a perimeter of the island but occasionally will explore the inner island but beware.....that is where u will find the poison oak. I will see all peoples here, kids, old people, families, lovers, all having picnics, sun bathing, hiking, boating, fishing or just wading around in...

This is a great island that is only accessibly by foot for about half the year when the Willamette river is low.

Just park in the parking lot of the nearby (and so-so) Amadeus (run by a mad German woman who will have your car towed if you use her lot on a high traffic day such as Valentines day and Mothers day) and walk on down towards the river through Keller Park.

I have had so many great days and nights chilling with friends and even throwing a couple parties. When you need a great formerly volcanic island to hide out on while being surrounded (on a minimum of three sides) by water Elk Rock is the best! A+++ volcanic island, would...