- The Sauvie Island Community Association welcomes you  -

Above photo, Multnomah Channel sunset by Sauvie Island resident, Barb Scot.

Sauvie Island lies approximately ten miles northwest of downtown Portland, Oregon and is accessed by a sole bridge from US 30.  As you cross the bridge a serene vista of fields, trees and a wide expanse of the Cascade Range spread out in front of you. If the day is clear, you’ll be able to spot five mountains which bejewel the Range; visible from north to south, they are Mt. Rainer, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson.

The island is situated between the Columbia River to the east, the Multnomah Channel to the west, and the Willamette River to the south. It is an island so large it has its own rivers, lakes, islands, and sloughs. Southern two-thirds of the island is in Multnomah County; the northern third is in Columbia County.

The island was visited by Lewis and Clark on their expedition to find a Northwest Passage and later became the home of fishermen, ship captains and farmers. In 1836 dairies were established on the island by the Hudson’s Bay Company. They were managed by French-Canadian employee Laurent Sauvé for whom the island is named. To learn much more about history of Sauvie Island please visit the Historical Facts page.  To find out where a few of the existing historical locations are located, visit the Historical Attractions page.

Today its unique character as a wildlife area, agricultural community and recreational destination in such close proximity to Portland is highly prized by island inhabitants and visitors alike. Sauvie Island has become a popular destination for a variety of reasons. People seeking the freshest produce can commonly find fruit (most notably berries), vegetables, flowers, pumpkins and flowers for U-pick. If you don’t want to get into the fields, island farm stands sell just about everything grown on the island and offer a superb selection of local staples and other delicacies. More detail can be found in the Island Commercial Attractions section.

Nearly 12,000 acres of the island have been preserved as the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area, the vast majority of which falls within Columbia County. Managed by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the wildlife area is a premier hiking, biking, bird-watching, hunting and fishing location. More in the Recreational Attractions sections.

The wildlife area is open to the public mid-April through September and closed to hunting permit only over the wintering months. In the fall and winter, the island hosts over 150,000 migratory ducks and geese. Birdwatchers wishing to see seasonal fowl guests including summer birds are likely to spot wood ducks (the official island mascot), cinnamon teals, kestrels and warblers, bald eagles in winter, sandhill cranes and Osprey in fall and spring and tundra swans in fall. Permanent residents of the preserve to include great blue heron and wood ducks will not be disappointed. They may also spot our beavers, red foxes, black-tailed deer, and raccoons. See the Natural Attractions section for much more detail.

Getting to the Island. Tri-Met bus #17 travels to Sauvie Island; or, parking is available at foot of the bridge on east end. If you are driving or biking please beware that the island roads present some unique challenges, so check the Road Safety section. Have some basic questions? See our Questions and Answers section. 

We welcome your comments and questions; simply go to the contact box at the top of this page.  OUR INTERACTIVE MAPS ARE CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THEY’LL BE UP SOON!

- The Sauvie Island Community Association is recognized by Multnomah County as an official neighborhood association and as such, serves as the representative of the Sauvie island community to the county -