Elk Rock Island

Elk Rock Island is a river island in the Willamette River with rocky shorelines and dense forest. Native oak and madrone trees cover the land and create a natural wooded setting.

A private owner gave the island to Portland in 1940, and the City of Milwaukie took over management in 2016. This transfer helped ensure the forest would be protected and maintained going forward.

The island serves as a place where people walk through nature and observe the local plant and animal life that lives here. Visitors can see old oak trees and other species that belong in this landscape.

The island can be reached on foot from Spring Park by walking across natural rocks that are more or less exposed depending on water levels. High water can make crossing more difficult, so checking conditions beforehand is wise.

This place holds one of the last remaining groves of Oregon White Oak, a rare oak species in the region. The ground also contains seasonal pools that fill with water in spring and support plants found nowhere else nearby.

Location: Milwaukie

Inception: 1955

GPS coordinates: 45.43600,-122.64800

Latest update: December 21, 2025 16:05