Clackamas County - East Metropolitan Area

Since its incorporation in 1843, Clackamas County on the east side of the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area, is one of the most diverse regions in the state.

Named after the Clackamas Indian tribe, Clackamas County has everything from larger cities and suburbs to rural towns and well-known geographic landmarks like Mount Hood National Forest and the Clackamas, Willamette, Sandy and Salmon rivers.

SCHOOLS

Clackamas County offers area residents a variety of different school districts to serve its children, including the following: Clackamas Education Service District, David Douglas School District, Evergreen School District, Lake Oswego School District, Multnomah Education School District, North Clackamas Schools, Portland Public Schools and West Linn-Wilsonville School District.

The east metropolitan area is also home to several community colleges: Clackamas Community College, Mount Hood Community College and Portland Community College’s Sylvania campus – all of which offer a rich assortment of education programs.

RECREATION

Offering area residents access to some of the most pristine natural areas in the region, Clackamas County is the ideal location for the outdoorsman – or woman.

With Mount Hood National Forest in their backyard, Clackamas County residents can take advantage of the many outdoor recreational opportunities available – from fishing, hiking and boating in the summer months to skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and other popular activities during the winter. Wildlife abounds in the nearby Cascade Mountain range, lakes and streams in the forest that spans more than 1 million acres.

Clackamas County encompasses more than 50 different parks and natural green spaces that are managed by the North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District. From the Willamette River to the Clackamas River, the district includes Milwaukie’s 45-acre North Clackamas Park and 190-acre Mount Talbert Nature Park in Portland.

The North Clackamas Parks and Recreation District also manages the North Clackamas Aquatic Park – an indoor aquatic park with waterslides, a wave pool, a kiddie pool, fitness classes and a lap pool.

ENTERTAINMENT

From art galleries, theaters and museums to other entertainment options, Clackamas County offers a plethora of things to do.

Residents living in Clackamas County can enjoy performances of both original plays and Broadway classics by children age five to 17 at the Krayon Kids Musical Theater Company in Oregon City.

The Museum of the Oregon Territory in Oregon City features exhibits on the clothing, transportation, medicine and education used by the first settlers in Oregon. Boasting similar exhibits is the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center also in Oregon City. This popular Oregon landmark features stories about life on the Oregon Trail as well as a variety of educational activities about the state’s early pioneers.

For further Oregon Trail history, Clackamas County residents can check out the Mount Hood Cultural Center and Museum in Government Camp, which displays artifacts from the Oregon Trail as well as equipment used in the Mount Hood wilderness.