| Difficulty | III |
| Length | 3 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 35 fpm |
| Gauge | Wilson River Near Tillamook, or |
| Flow Rate as of 48 minutes | 91 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | August 1, 2026 |
The Wilson is a rainy season run that parallels Highway 6 between Portland and Tillamook. Much of the river is visible from the road. The rock is basalt and the channels are deep with an occasional cobble bar. The Wilson is popular with fishermen and boaters are advised to be diplomatic and give them lots of room.
The Jones to Footbridge section is usually not run by itself. It's possible to double the length by running to Jordan Creek or Cedar Butte Road, or go farther by running down to Milepost 15, the last exit before the Narrows.
Jones to Footbridge is a delightful class 3 skillbuilder or play run, except for when it is high, when it gets a class 4 character in places. It has good surfing and fun eddies for skillbuilding. It has the same wall-shot and seam character as the rest of the river.
The put-in is at Highway 6 milepost 22.6 at the Jones Creek Day Use Area. Turn off the highway and cross the bridge. The day use area is on the downstream river right side of the bridge. (The photo of the put-in shown is of people launching on river left above the bridge, which is also possible but more difficult.)
Just below the Jones Creek Day Use Area there's an easy class 2 with a good group-collecting eddy on the left at the bottom. After Cedar Creek comes in on the right the river swings right then left and enters a rapid called Hollywood, known for its hole on the right.
There are several possible takeouts making it possible to do shorter play runs or a longer float. From 1100-2000cfs the run from Jones Creek to the Footbridge is a great 3 mile play/skills run finishing with a scenic class III+ gorge (check for wood from a highway pullout while running shuttle). From 1400 up excellent play continues to Jordan creek making for a 4 mile run, with possible access on river left immediately below Jordan's confluence, or river right at the next bridge. There is more excellent play downstream from Jordan which is best developed at 3
...The photo shows boaters in the water upstream from the bridge on river left, but the best access is downstream from the bridge on river right. Drive into the Day Use Area parking and park in front of the information kiosk. There is an easy trail to the river there.
The turnoff from the highway is hidden below the edge of the highway until you are on top of it. The parking area is well above river level and there is a developed trail down to a large river left beach and eddy.
This is a rough fisherman's trail up to a pullout alongside the highway. It is possible to park across the highway at the bottom of the Jordan Creek Road, but then you have to carry boats across the highway which is likely the most dangerous thing you'll do all day.
This access point is on Cedar Butte Road but some call it the Wolf Creek Road access. Both roads are right there. It's on river right, and requires carrying your boat up a trail from a smallish eddy on the right. At high flows the eddy gets hard to catch because the current diverts boats away from it.
This is the takeout above the Narrows. It is just a pullout alongside the guard rail. From the river it's a rock landing then a steep scramble up to here. Definitely scout the get-out. To get turned around to drive back upstream, go downstream to the outside of the next curve, then turn left from there.
Use the pullouts upstream from the highway bridge, on river left, and look for trails to the water. There are several. There used to be a playspot here but no more as of March 2026.