Tillamook Forest Center

Tillamook Forest Center Tillamook Forest Center Consider yourself invited to explore the Tillamook State Forest. Come on up and see us, and find yourself in the forest.
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The Tillamook Forest Center is a special place to develop a deeper connection with Oregon’s forests through experience and exploration. Located in the heart of the Tillamook State Forest, the center showcases the legacy of the historic Tillamook Burn and the public spirit behind a monumental reforestation effort that left a permanent imprint on Oregon history while also shaping sustainable forest

management today. We’re the region’s largest forest-based learning center and outdoor classroom facility, located 50 miles west of Portland and 22 miles east of Tillamook on Oregon Highway 6. FREE Admission & FREE Programs (donations welcomed)
CLOSED December, January & February

Did you know you can find living fossils in the Tillamook State Forest? Horsetails (Equisetum spp.) first appeared in th...
06/20/2026

Did you know you can find living fossils in the Tillamook State Forest?

Horsetails (Equisetum spp.) first appeared in the early Jurassic, more than 100 million years ago! While Stegosaurus and Hadrosaurs might have munched on these ancient plants, you should only eat them when they’re young. The young shoots are often eaten like asparagus but as the horsetails grow, they absorb silica from the soil making the plant incredibly abrasive. So much so it’s also called a scouring brush and is a great tool for scrubbing dishes.

Have you ever tried using this ancient plant as a snack or scrubbing tool?
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Alt text: Image 1: A group of segmented, pale green plants emerges from the ground. The top is conical and has brown spots. Image 2: A group of horsetails grow in in a field.

You are cordially invited to a free teatime party! This Saturday (6/20) and Sunday (6/21) at 1:30 join a naturalist for ...
06/18/2026

You are cordially invited to a free teatime party!

This Saturday (6/20) and Sunday (6/21) at 1:30 join a naturalist for some afternoon tea. As you sip and sample teas, you’ll learn about the plants found in the TSF that can be brew into these tasty tonics.
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Alt text: A flyer with a green teapot. The text reads: “Tea Time: Tonics of the Forest. June 20 & 21 1:30 PM. You’re Invited to a Delightful Afternoon Tea!”

It can be easy to overlook ferns when it seems like every inch of the forest floor is covered in them. But don’t let tha...
06/13/2026

It can be easy to overlook ferns when it seems like every inch of the forest floor is covered in them. But don’t let that blind you to the amazing varieties there are.

If you have a keen eye and good luck, you might spot a maidenhair fern (Adiantum aleuticum)! This dainty looking plant has long fronds that might remind you of flowing locks of hair. Maidenhair ferns love to grow along rock crevices near rivers, thriving in shady damp areas, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled the next time you visit the Wilson River.
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Alt text: Close up of a vibrant green maidenhair fern spread out throughout the photo frame.

For thousands of years tea has been prepared as a soothing, satisfying drink and as a natural remedy to all types of ill...
06/11/2026

For thousands of years tea has been prepared as a soothing, satisfying drink and as a natural remedy to all types of illnesses. Foraged plants from our very own Tillamook State Forest can provide opportunities to create these tasty tonics.

Join us this Saturday (6/13) and Sunday (6/14) at 1:30 to discover the plants that steep into sensational teas and sip some samples of these forest flavors.
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Alt text: A flyer with three green teacups with flowers. The text reads: “Tea Time: Tonics of the Forest. Join naturalists for a talk about teas from plants that can be found throughout the Tillamook State Forest. 1:30 June 13 & 14”

It can be hard to see a forest beyond it's trees but trees alone don’t make the forest. This month we’re highlighting a ...
06/06/2026

It can be hard to see a forest beyond it's trees but trees alone don’t make the forest. This month we’re highlighting a few of the overlooked species in the underbrush. 🍀🌱🌿☘

First up is the Vanilla Leaf (Achlys triphylla)! This plant can be found throughout the TSF, with three large leaves and a central stalk that blooms with tiny white flowers in the spring and summer. Vanilla leaf (unsurprisingly) is also known for its sweet vanilla like scent when dried. But this plant doesn’t just look pretty and smell good, it's the only home for sweet-after-death aphid (Macrosiphum tuberculaceps). These tiny aphids are only found on this single inconspicuous plant, revealing how easy it is to miss small wonder.
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Alt text: Image 1: A large vanilla leaf plant with three leaves and a central stalk of flowers blooms in the underbrush. Image 2: A small aphid sits on a leaf

Photo credit for aphid image: Lark999, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

It’s hard to imagine the green mountains of the Tillamook State Forest were once charred and bare. It wasn’t luck alone ...
06/04/2026

It’s hard to imagine the green mountains of the Tillamook State Forest were once charred and bare. It wasn’t luck alone that created this forest, but the incredible work of communities coming together. Helicopters dropped seeds, school children loaded up on buses, and wheel barrows were filled with saplings.

This weekend (6/6 and 6/7), join us for the Flames to Forest program at 1:30pm as we travel through time to experience how the TSF has changed and the hands that shaped it.
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Alt text: Two women posing in front of Smokey Bear. One is holding the other's legs, reminiscent of a wheel barrow race. They have stern expressions.

It's hot and we aren't just talking about the weather! ☀The summer edition of our newsletter, The Lookout, is available ...
06/03/2026

It's hot and we aren't just talking about the weather! ☀

The summer edition of our newsletter, The Lookout, is available now. Visit our website to read more about what the TFC is doing to prepare for our busy fire season, new volunteer site hosts, and programs for this summer. Link will be in the comments.
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Alt text: Graphic of trees and a lookout tower with text reading "The Lookout, News of the Tillamook Forest Center."

Life in a fire tower could often be lonely. It could be weeks between supply deliveries, which were often the only time ...
05/31/2026

Life in a fire tower could often be lonely. It could be weeks between supply deliveries, which were often the only time lookouts saw other people. Thankfully, some lookouts bought a furry friend to keep the blues away. Treva Harden worked as a lookout for several summers with her loyal pup, Freckles, to keep her company.

What would you bring if you spent a summer as a lookout?
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Alt text: A black and white image of a young woman sitting on a tree stump with her cocker spaniel type dog.

Meet Julie! She joined us earlier this year as a volunteer site host all the way from Georgia. Always up for an adventur...
05/30/2026

Meet Julie! She joined us earlier this year as a volunteer site host all the way from Georgia. Always up for an adventure or a good book, we’re lucky to have her.

Why did you first start volunteering with the TFC?
“I was interested to learn more about the Tillamook State Forest and its history. Also I was hoping to learn more about working with historical archives.”

What is your favorite thing to do while volunteering?
“I like talking to people about the trails in the forest and the wildflowers.”

What do you do when you’re not volunteering?
“I like to hike and learn more about the local wildflowers and birds. Kings Mountain has been my favorite hike. It was challenging but the reward of the view was worth it.”

If you were an animal found in the TSF, what would you be?
“Bald eagle because you can fly and see everything but also a carnivore and can eat good.”
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Alt text: Image 1: Julie, a woman with dark curly hair, wears a blue volunteer vest.
Image 2: Julie, woman with dark curly hair, sits on a trail looking up at a speaker who is out of frame.

Fire lookouts were on constant alert for smoke on the horizon. But when fire was spotted how did they know exactly where...
05/29/2026

Fire lookouts were on constant alert for smoke on the horizon. But when fire was spotted how did they know exactly where it was?

They used a fire finder! Using a topographic map, a rotating ring with compass degrees, and cross hairs the Osborne fire finder was just the tool for the job. Once they located the flames, they could call it in to dispatch, keeping the forest safe another day.
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Alt text: A man’s hands are adjusting a fire finder tool. It is large, round, and features a map.

Address

45500 Wilson River Highway
Tillamook, OR
97141

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm
Sunday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+15038156800

Website

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