Willamette River Greenway - Wapato Access

Wapato Access is a 170-acre, day-use park along Virginia Lake on the western edge of Sauvie Island. There are two ways to access the park's 2-mile trail around the lake: from the parking lot along Sauvie Island Rd, or by boat from Hadley's Landing on the Multnomah Channel. 

The park features abundant wildlife and birds. A riverside forest grows along the Multnomah Channel and is home to Pacific wrens and red-breasted sapsuckers. Many wetland plants grow around and in Virginia Lake, where you might hear a marsh wren and common yellowthroat. Buffleheads, mallards, and wood ducks are common visitors to the lake.

A picnic shelter and tables is about a quarter-mile from the parking lot. Stop at the viewing platform and bird blind for a closer look at the lake, or walk down to Hadley’s Landing and listen for belted kingfishers and osprey fishing from Multnomah Channel. The moorage is 3.7 miles below the confluence with the Willamette River. 

Know Before You Go

  • A life jacket loaner station is at Hadley's Landing, with life jackets of various sizes. Be aware of swift currents and hidden obstructions beneath the surface. Wearing a life jacket, and making sure it fits properly, saves lives. 
  • Boaters: check ahead for obstructions on the Oregon State Marine Board's Reported Obstructions and Alerts page.
mdi-alert-outline General advisory
Effective Sep 4, 2024
Four counties in this area are in the permanent quarantine zone for all ash, olive and white fringe tree materials. To protect our forests, please do not bring any materials from these trees, including firewood, into Oregon State Parks. This will help slow the spread of the emerald ash borer, a highly invasive and destructive insect that threatens to wipe out all of Oregon’s ash trees.

Help protect our forests by following these firewood tips:
  • Buy firewood local to your campsite: Choose firewood harvested within 10 miles of your destination or buy certified heat-treated firewood.
  • Avoid transporting restricted wood: Do not bring ash, olive, or white fringe tree materials into any Oregon State Park even if it’s within the same quarantine area. When in doubt about the tree species, leave it out. 

Learn more about the quarantine and emerald ash borer. 
 mdi-white-balance-sunny Open for day use year round mdi-cellphone Call for info: 800-551-6949
Call for park info: 503-636-9886 Current Conditions Directions Feedback

Amenities and features

History

Wapato Access is part of the Willamette River Greenway system of parks and conservation areas managed by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. These areas were established in 1960s-1970s to protect and preserve the natural, scenic, historic and recreational qualities of lands along the Willamette River. Totaling nearly 5,000 acres on 90 parcels of land, these properties continue to offer places to recreate and enjoy nature near many communities in the Willamette Valley.

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