Shotgun Creek Recreation Site
Marcola, Oregon · Nw Oregon Upper Willamette Field Office
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- creek
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- $5
- SEASON
- May
About Shotgun Creek Recreation Site
Shotgun Creek Recreation Site is a Bureau of Land Management day-use area on Shotgun Creek near Marcola, Oregon, about 20 miles northeast of Springfield/Eugene. It features an official designated swimming area on the creek alongside picnic shelters, trails, and a playground, and is open for day use year-round with shelter reservations available May through September.
The site sits in a forested BLM tract along Shotgun Creek in the Oregon Coast Range foothills, reached via Marcola Road and Shotgun Creek Road northeast of Springfield/Eugene. A bridge crosses the creek within the developed recreation area, and the grounds include mowed lawns, picnic areas, and 6.43 miles of hiking trail through surrounding forest.
Swimming at Shotgun Creek Recreation Site
BLM designates a swimming area on Shotgun Creek within the recreation site, described in official materials as offering 'seasonal water play' in the creek. No official source gives water depth, current speed, or a description of the swimming holes themselves beyond confirming the designated area exists.
How to get to this swimming hole
From the north: take I-5 exit 216, follow OR-228 and Bush Creek Road to Marcola Road, then turn onto Shotgun Creek Road and continue 1.5 miles. From the south: take I-5 exit 194A onto OR-126 East toward Springfield, exit at 42nd St/Marcola, follow signs 13.3 miles to Shotgun Creek Road, then 1.5 miles to the site.
The hike in
Difficulty: easy (per visitor reports, for the optional onsite trails)
The designated swimming area sits within the developed recreation site itself, reachable directly from parking without hiking. The site separately has 6.43 miles of optional hiking trail through the surrounding forest (not required to reach the water); visitors describe these as easy hikes suitable for all ages. No official trail name, trailhead location, or mileage breakdown for these onsite trails could be found.
No land-manager trail map with named trail segments could be located; only the aggregate 6.43-mile figure from BLM/Recreation.gov is confirmed.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
Good for kids
Visitors describe the creek as shallow and ideal for wading; the developed BLM site also has a playground, lawns, and easy hikes suitable for all ages on the optional onsite trails. No lifeguards are present (unstaffed day-use site) and no official depth or current warnings were found.
Parking
Paid, $5/vehicle day-use fee
A $5 per-vehicle fee is collected on-site via an electronic fee station (cash or check); waived with annual BLM day-use or interagency passes. No source specifies a dedicated lot capacity or whether roadside/pullout parking exists as an overflow option.
Restrooms
Yes
Flushing toilets and changing rooms onsite at the recreation site (per BLM); vault restrooms are also available at the nearby Shotgun Creek OHV staging area.
Hours
Open for day use year-round. Peak season (May 1-Sept 30) gate hours are 9:00am-9:00pm; off-season (Oct 1-Apr 30) gate hours are 8:00am-4:30pm. Shelter reservations available May 1-Sept 30 only.
On the water
Travel Oregon lists Shotgun Creek Recreation Site under its canoeing category, but the listing itself contains no actual information about canoeing, kayaking, put-ins, or navigability, and visitors describe the creek as shallow and suited to wading rather than paddling. No source confirms any watercraft use, rentals, or restrictions here, so 'allowed' is left empty rather than assumed.
What regulars say
Recent visitor reports offer useful detail: the creek is shallow and good for wading, described as a spot for 'lazy afternoons reading by the water's edge'; the site is a bit more developed than nearby rustic options, with a mix of open lawn and wooded area; and it can get crowded with day-trippers on weekends. Some visitors cite an $8/vehicle fee, which conflicts with the official BLM/Recreation.gov $5 fee and should be treated as likely outdated rather than authoritative.
Shotgun Creek Recreation Site: FAQ
Does Shotgun Creek Recreation Site charge a fee?
$5 daily vehicle fee, collected on-site via electronic fee station (cash or check); waived with annual day-use or interagency passes. Group shelter reservations run $100-$300 for the May 1-September 30 season plus $1.50/person over 100 attendees, booked through Recreation.gov; the vehicle fee is not included with shelter reservations.
Is Shotgun Creek Recreation Site kid friendly?
Visitors describe the creek as shallow and ideal for wading; the developed BLM site also has a playground, lawns, and easy hikes suitable for all ages on the optional onsite trails. No lifeguards are present (unstaffed day-use site) and no official depth or current warnings were found.
Do I need to hike to reach Shotgun Creek Recreation Site?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Shotgun Creek Recreation Site?
A $5 per-vehicle fee is collected on-site via an electronic fee station (cash or check); waived with annual BLM day-use or interagency passes. No source specifies a dedicated lot capacity or whether roadside/pullout parking exists as an overflow option.
When is the best time to visit Shotgun Creek Recreation Site?
May through September, coinciding with the site's peak-season gate hours and shelter reservation window.
What are the rules at Shotgun Creek Recreation Site?
Day-use only; no overnight camping allowed. Site is open to day use year-round; peak-season gate hours are 9am-9pm (May 1-September 30), when shelter reservations are also available. Visitors should check current fire restrictions on the Oregon Department of Forestry website before visiting.
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