Wilsonville Community Spring, Wilsonville, OR

## Overview The Wilsonville Community Spring is a hidden natural spring tucked away at the edge of the Wilsonville Community Garden in Clackamas County, Oregon. Fed by a deep aquifer that reportedly originates from the southwest side of Mount Hood, the water travels approximately 400 feet underground before surfacing here in Wilsonville. According to a hydrologist who was collecting data on the city's water wells, this depth and origin give the spring water notably high quality. The water has been described as snowpack melt water — cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter — a characteristic consistent with deep aquifer-fed springs. The land surrounding the spring has an interesting backstory. The site was once slated to become the Nike Corporate Headquarters, but the project was never built. Today, the area has been repurposed as a three-quarter-acre community gardening space, with the spring quietly flowing at the forest's edge just beyond the garden plots. A brick pumphouse structure marks a nearby city water well, though it is reportedly rarely used. One longtime visitor, Alec, reported consuming the spring water daily for six months and noted that his health improved throughout that period. As with any wild spring, water quality can vary over time, and the spring has not been confirmed as an officially tested public drinking source. ## Directions The spring can be a bit tricky to find. GPS and mapping apps may lead you to the end of SW Kolbe Lane with no obvious signage. Here's how to reach it: 1. **Navigate to 7524 SW Kolbe Lane, Wilsonville, OR 97070.** This is the nearest address. If you're driving, you'll reach the end of the road — it's okay to park here. 2. **Cross the bridge over Boeckeman Creek** at the end of the road. On the other side, you'll find a gravel parking lot. 3. **Look for the Wilsonville Community Garden** on your right. A gated gravel road runs through the garden area. 4. **Follow the gravel road toward the brick building**, which serves as a pumphouse for a city water well. You'll pass a fenced area on your left. 5. **Continue past the building** (keeping it on your left and the garden on your right) and follow the footpath toward the forest. 6. **Watch for cattails** in a sunken area approximately 50 yards beyond the garden — this marks the entrance to the forested area. 7. **The spring is just to your right** as you enter the forest. Look for a 6-inch pipe that leads to the spring outlet. It can be easy to miss, so look carefully. **Note:** The area around the spring can become heavily overgrown. As of a June 2009 visit, the vegetation had been recently mowed, but conditions may vary. Long sleeves, long pants, and a machete or brush-clearing tool may be helpful, especially in summer months. ## What to Expect This is a rustic, off-the-beaten-path spring — not a developed public water fountain. The spring emerges through a 6-inch pipe at the edge of a forested area adjacent to the community garden. The surrounding landscape is lush and can become densely overgrown with vegetation, including cattails in the low-lying, marshy ground near the spring. The Wilsonville Community Garden provides a pleasant backdrop, and the walk from the parking area through the garden to the spring is short — roughly a five-minute stroll. The gravel road and footpath are generally flat and accessible, though the final stretch near the spring may be muddy or brushy depending on the season. Because the spring is not prominently signed or maintained as a public water access point, first-time visitors should allow extra time to locate it. Park hours may vary by season, so plan accordingly. The GPS coordinates (45.302509, -122.757301) can help orient you, though mapping apps may not pinpoint the spring itself — use the walking directions above once you arrive at the parking area.