Timber is a beautiful well kept park set in the tall trees of Estacada It is often overlooked because legendary Milo Mciver is just around the corner. This course will keep your mind active as you negotiate the mandos the many obs,and charting your course through the many trees. There are several birdie opportunities even for the amateurs but concentrate and park the birdie holes because sooner or later the ob or trees will nab you. There are 19 good tee pads, fine baskets and restrooms. There also is an elevated volcano hole in the B position of hole 10. You could hit the volcano with a good shot and then roll ob. Make a great long day of it by starting here and moving to Milo for the 2nd round for a total of 46 holes.A great mix of different shots and varying distances.

I suppose a hardened critic could find some flaws but I like Timber just the way it is.

Make it a yearly stop on your disc golf rounds if you live within striking distance.

As long as you try not to compare this course to its neighbor Milo Mciver you are going to have a really good time at a very good course. I recently played this course for the first time after playing Milo for the second time in my life and I had a really good time here and it was a bit relaxing and more fun than trying my best to conquer Milo if that's even possible. The mix of open and wooded sections of this course is quite impressive for any course just to have either one but this course has both, it kind of reminds me of a Milo/Pier hybrid; not quite that good or long though. With the exception of hole 18 I really enjoyed the multiple holes with the giant trees and no underbrush to the open field holes. The last two holes on the course (1 and 19) involve elevation with hole one being an uphill pitch to a tree protected basket sitting underneath the tree with hole 19 being a short shot with the dangerous "bowl" if you go long which adds strokes.

I have never been a huge fan of using a mandatory in course design and the ones that are here do not make much sense. Protecting a tee pad or fairway is the only reason a mandatory should be used and even then the question should be would it have been better to change the hole or use less holes overall on the course if there is an issue with space?

Some other reviewers have commented about following the course so I thought I would address this. I played with people that had played the course before so we didn't have much of an issue but if I would have tried to play it alone I more than likely would have been frustrated trying to find my way around. A couple of next tee signs would go a long ways here and it wouldn't take much money or resources to do so. It is nice though that the hole number is written on the correct tee pad.

There are some really memorable holes both good and bad here but this is a fun break from the demanding Milo Mciver Park and only a mile away. This course is well taken care of there was even someone who goes around and talks to the players and does work in the park in their golf cart; now if he could only sell snacks and drinks!

Timber Park is nice wooded park filled with mature Douglas Fir trees and very little underbrush. The course plays mostly flat except for the for the first and the last (19th)holes. The course starts and finishes at the parking lot. There are concrete pads but no signs of any kind. Even without signs, it's a fairly logical, easy to follow navigation. The only tricky part is when you get to hole # 18. Not only is it the only hole on the course over 400 ft., it stands out by the power lines by itself at 600 ft. The course does a nice job of mixing in open fields, some more technical holes, a severe anhyser hole and the two before mentioned holes where you get to throw off some hills. You start the course with an interesting ACE run probably throwing an hyser off over the parked cars to a partially protected basket on a hillside. It's a fun little hole to start off with. The course was clean and free and litter. There's no signage for the idiot teens to grafitti up. It's suitable for beginners/families but challenging enough up to the upper Rec type player.

The lack of signage is a concern but then again it sure makes for a nice clean playing enviroment for a course without all those signs around. Advanced to pro players probably won't find this course challenging enough.

Being in such close proximity to Milo has probably been both an advantage and a disadvantage for Timber Park. I'm sure many players drive out here, play Milo, then come over and are disappointed. I think that's what happened to me the first time I played Timber. This time when we drove out here and found Milo shut down for a Civil War Re-enactment, we came over and played Timber and really enjoyed it. It's a great little throw! Most areas would love to have this course in their town or city.

tons of friendly people willing to show new player where the holes are at, well manicured and clean.

Not a great beginners course, long tee shots, lots of ways to lose your disk here, holes not marked but easy to find where the tees at unless your that ignorant. Hole # 11 is a pain unless you like jumping in the creek.

I love this course, I grew up laying on this course and it will always be one of my favorite courses!!

*Fun design.
*Good flow.
*Most of the baskets can be seen from the tee.
*Lefts, Rights, Straights, Tights, Opens.... great variety

*No tee signs, no real signs at all, except for the course map at the parking area (which you should try to memorize, there's some tricky walkouts, I think from 4 to 5 or from 5 to 6)
*No real elevation to speak of, besides the first and last (#19) hole...
* #18 doesn't fit the flow of the course at all. All of the holes to that point have been under 400 ft, then out of nowhere, you step up to this 600 ft monster.... It was just a random, distance adding hole.

I played this course in probably some of the most miserable conditions I've ever played in, but..... I still had a great time.

This course is really fun. It seems to reward a consistent player with a good sense of course management. There's nothing too long, besides #18, and most of the holes are birdiable with some good shots off the tee.

Even though there are no navigational signs, there are blue waste buckets next to each tee, so that helps with navigation.

If you're feeling a little defeated after Milo and you have some time, swing by Timber for a quick pick me up.....

~ Great variety of technical holes with a variety of obstacles, distance, and dog-legs.
~ Several places where you get to "grip it and rip it".
~ Minimal chances for lost discs (you have to throw REAL bad and not pay attention to where you threw)
~ Scorecards with map provided at first hole.
~ Tee pads and baskets in good condition.
~ NO $3.00 State Park Fee!!!

~ The path from 17's pin to 18's pad can be easy to miss. Just know you have to head thru the trees to the power line tower. If you look in the right direction you'll see where you need to go

Easily one of my favorite courses! There is a sports bar in Carver (which is on your way if you are coming from the Portland area) where the food is great and the servers are awsome. Great place to stop after playing thru Timber Park or Milo McIver.

Nice scenery and good drive to the course, mostly empty of players/people, supportive encounters, ok course

Spent a lot of time looking for holes and tees, no map board, no maps available. It really needs better markings - at least for a noob.

This review targets experienced players new to the course!

Do have a copy of the map if you're unfamiliar with the course, I'm sure its better with some understanding, my experience was poor

It's been awhile since I've been there, but Estacada was a place that was always very enjoyable to play. Nice setting, nice park, we camped in or near the park, and there was other lodging close by also.
The course is moderately wooded /moderately open, and while the holes in general had some variety, there is only one really distinguishing topographical feature on the course.
In the center of the park, there is a large natural amphitheatre (like a big giant 3 sided bowl) where they host (or used to host) lumberjack competitions - hence the name Timber Park (I think). This feature comes into play on two holes that force you to throw over the edge of the bowl in one instance, and across the heart of it in another - both extremely fun shots. The woods are generally very large old growth trees, and so even in the summer time, it's well shaded and not uncomfortable to play.

Maybe just a little off the beaten path - about 20 miles east of Portland. But that's not much of a con.
Signs are needed.
Other than the one topo feature, the course is mostly flat.

Teepads were natural when I was there last, but apparently now has concrete pads.
I liked the mix of shots in and amongst the big trees. There are a couple places to let loose, and a few others that encourage creative shots off the tee (i.e. rollers, skip shots, etc.).
I think Estacada has been overshadowed by courses that have gone in since (McIver/Dabney) - but it's still worth the trip if you're in the area.

*Beautiful wooded course
*Well maintained course
*Trash cans and benches are provided
*Alternative basket locations
*Mandatory flight paths
*Nice tee boxes
*Baskets are in ok condition
*Offers fun playability for all skill leveles
*Offers other activities for non players

I didn't like that the course didn't offer hole maps/guides. I can see it being hard to navigate for that reason alone. No posted pars were made available either.

A few of the baskets were beat up and w/ the change of one of the hole locations, makes them now numbered wrong.

some of the baskets were hard to see, it would greatly improve the visibility of them if numbered correctly and or painted in a bright color or even having a few flags as the bare metal blends in w/ the course's natural surroundings. it also was crowded.

i really loved this course and enjoyed playing in the canopy of trees. i was very happy that it flowed well and the space was utilized perfectly not being a crammed course. Having the mandatory flight paths made it fun and challenging. there are many other offered activities to do if you don't play disc golf making it a good family outing. Milo McIver is just on the other side of the river offering a 2 course playable day.

Nice course and very challanging. Lots of trees and alot angles. Some long holes and some short. Nice park.

No Tee signs. Baskets are hard to see because they have no color on them.
No maps or scorecards. Pars are not posted anywhere.

Could be a great course when its done.

- Nice variety of holes.
- A few birdie opportunities, but no easy gimmes.
- Well-defined fairways on every hole.
- Very little underbrush; almost impossible to lose a disc here.
- Well-drained land; never sloppy/muddy, even in winter.
- Most holes have alternate pin placements.
- Excellent concrete teepads.

- Very little elevation.

The part of Portland General Electric's Timber Park set aside for disc golf is used ONLY for disc golf, and has been for years. So it has the feel of a "mature" course with straightforward fairways and very little brush to get lost in. Most of the course is under trees, but with enough open area that you don't feel like it's a crapshoot. No one hole stands out in my mind as much better or worse than the others; they're all different, all fun, and they flow together well. The only real negative I can come up with is that there isn't a lot of up and down; most holes are flat.

Timber is right across the Clackamas River from Milo McIver State Park, and lot of people think of Timber as an inferior alternative to McIver. I disagree; I think McIver has too many long, wide-open shots, whereas Timber mixes it up better. Besides, every time I finish at McIver I feel like the course has beaten me up, but I've never felt that way about Timber. It's not only that it's easier or shorter -- it's just more fun somehow.

Update, November 2009: they've finally re-opened the road down into the "bowl," updated the map on the kiosk, and changed the numbers on the baskets and teepads to reflect the new 19-hole layout.

Huge evergreen trees throughout the course. Should gives some good shade during the summer.
I think the quality of the holes is excellent, some short, some long, mando's to keep everyone safe and add to the difficulty. Enough open shots to really show your distance and some technicals thrown in.
Multiple Baskets, not sure how often they get moved.
Tee Pads are made of concrete and have a good length to them. Most have the hole number painted on them.
I think it is pretty hard to lose a disc on this course, except for hole 17. If you over shoot that one its a 50 foot drop off towards the dam. Elevation only come into play on #19.
Many of the tee's have benches next to them, some have picnic tables, and almost all of them have a trash bucket. This place was clean, no bottles or cans stuck in the bushes like other courses.

No tees sign made navigation difficult. That is the biggest con of this place. The tees are pretty easy to find but finding the basket was hard. I walked out on many tees to find the basket. On Tee 2 I got a heads up from a local on where the basket was. It wasn't where I was looking. Mach 2 baskets are hard to see in the trees for the first timer in the park. I prefer Discatcher Pro for that yellow band on the top.
The map of the course from this this website and the course home page are hard to read. Both are missing the new hole 19. I'm not a big fan of satellite pictures made into a maps. To much extra useless detail. The box for maps at the course was empty. No distance listing at the course or on the maps.

Of course it being winter the restrooms close to course are closed, but there is a porta-john at #19 tee and the restroom at the outer parking lot is open. The bridge over the creek is closed right now. This forces everyone to park in the outer parking lot and walk in. I think that is why I only saw one non-disc golfer on the course.

With economy the way it is I wonder if PGE could be persuaded to install tee signs? (Portland General Electric owns the park) They did install #19 tee pad and basket recently. That would give it another ½ point on the rating scale in my book.

I think it's great that this place is so close to Milo. If you have the time play both courses in one day do it. I would definitely like to live near this place if I worked somewhere in the Portland area.

2021 UPDATE to my 2008 Review
-3.5 stars to 4 stars

Well laid out design with a nice mix of hole difficulty, length and required shot shape. Quite a few holes allow for a choice of distinct paths/lines. There's also a nice mix of some wide open holes, medium foliage, and heavy foliage holes, all while having very little underbrush overall. Lastly, the layout has pretty good "flow" generally.
Good upkeep, Timber is very well-maintained both by the park management as well as the locals. There are trash bins on almost every tee, course is regularly mowed, nice benches on many of the holes.
Good solid baskets (which was not historically the case)
Paper maps these days are generally available on Hole 1, which is a rare treat in this area.
Good but also judicious use of mandos/OB to help keep play contained and add some challenge.
The addition of what are now hole 18 and 19 (changing it from a 19-hole to a 21-hole track) added a nice boost of difficulty

You could *argue* that it's a bit of an easy course, certainly for high rated (950+) players this is a bit of a birdie-fest.
The lack of clear signage can make navigation a bit tricky (though the maps are excellent and clear that up) especially through the first 6 holes.
Timber can get quite crowded in the summer.

Timber Park is a real NW gem, and a course that is truly getting better with age. Contrary to a few folks saying that nearby Milo overshadows this course, I would argue instead that Timber is the perfect compliment to Milos grandeur. For newer players Timber will offer the more fun/approachable experience. When there are big events at Milo Timber is the escape valve. And for people who have crazy arm stamina, Milo + Timber can make for a great long day of golfing.

I think Timber above all else just has a really nice "fun" factor for a wide variety of players. For my money, I think Timber is actually the best course in the area to introduce people to disc golf. The lack of underbrush means lower risk of losing discs, the course is wide open enough to not drag on players like many of the tougher NW courses, but the court still has a nice forested/natural feel in contrast to more traditional city park style courses.

And I'm really happy to say that Timber has gotten even better over the now 15 years I've been playing it. I'm seeing cleaner course management, more amenities, better baskets. The addition of (now) holes 18 and 19 a few years back were a great addition. I'm happy to come back 13 years after my first review to bump Timber up to 4 stars.

This is probably one of the best course designs I've ever played. I makes the best out of the land used. Long, short, tight, open. Flows extremely well.

Needs tee signs. Gets crowded.

I don't think this course gets as much love as it should due to it's proximity to McIver.

Timber Park is a great course that is well thought out and well taken care of. It is a great place as gwillim stated in a previous review to practice, giving players a chance to work on all aspects of the game. The tee pads are all cement which makes for nice traction, and the baskets are in great shape. The course flows smoothly and is easy to find the first hole. However, players need to look on the cement pads to find what hole they are on to make sure they haven't skipped any. Garbage cans are spread throughout the course which is why it is so clean and inviting, making it a huge plus. The whole atmosphere of the place really makes for a great time. With this course being so close to Milo McIver, it is a nice change of pace (allowing for many more birdies than it's brother course).

The state of Oregon does a really nice job with their courses, making sure they have thought of most issues before putting them in. Because of this, it makes it difficult for me to find many cons. However, tee signs would deffinately improve the course, but once you've played it is easy to remember the layout.

I came down to Estacada for a road trip this summer hoping that it would be worth the drive from Seattle, WA. which it was and more. The parks and rec as well as the locals do an incredible job here as well as in Portland, and it gives me hope to think that Washington will have more courses that can be as well thought out as this one. Even though Wasington has some amazing courses, it would be nice to have MANY more.

Well maintained.
Plenty or trash cans and benches.
Variety of distances and hole layouts.
Enough trees to make it interesting.
Not too many nasty places to lose a disc.
Just down the road from McIver

Can get really busy in the summer.
No signs to next tee (a few tees harder to find).
Dark discs hard to spot in the shade.

A great course for any player and significantly shorter than McIver for new golfers. With McIver so close, you can play both courses in one trip. This park also offers fishing, picnicking, soccer fields and can be reserved through PGE.

it is hard to lose a disc and is a great course for all skill levels. nice variation of holes. some elevation changes but mostly flat.

no signs and usually no maps. if you dont know the course it is hard to get through.

this is my home course and do love it. the course has a good flow.

Great variety of tee shots.
Enough trees to keep you honest.
Well thought out flow.
Appropriate Mandos and OB.
NO UNDERBRUSH!!!
Very close to Milo McIver.
Great tee-pads.
Well Maintained.
Trash Cans easily accessible.
Good benches for every teepad.
Mostly decent baskets.

No tee signs. (however course map is available).
Water waste treatment plant next door (stinky).
Sometimes crowded in summertime.
Small amount of Poison Oak.

Timber is a great practice course! Most of the shots that you would need are available off the tee here. There is a good variety of longer distance oriented holes and also plenty of tighter short holes.It is moderately wooded in some areas, and lightly wooded in others giving the opportunity for both accurate shorter drives, and larger open field bombs.

The flow of the course was designed very well, so even when it's crowded, it plays fairly quickly.

One of my favourite things about Timber is it's proximity to Milo McIver. It's great to play a round at Milo, and then head over to Timber so that you can remember what it feels like to birdy holes.

For one of the oldest in oregon, this is well thought through. Worth the time and mcIver is just down the road.

Flatter terrain than advertised.

Estacada is a little haven for campers. Not too far from mt. hood