| Muddy Fork | |
| Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map: | USA Oregon |
| Pushpin Map Size: | 300 |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the mouth of the Muddy Fork in Oregon |
| Subdivision Type1: | Country |
| Subdivision Name1: | United States |
| Subdivision Type2: | State |
| Subdivision Name2: | Oregon |
| Subdivision Type4: | County |
| Subdivision Name4: | Clackamas County |
| Length: | 6miles[1] |
| Source1: | Sandy Glacier on the west slope of Mount Hood |
| Source1 Location: | Mount Hood Wilderness, Clackamas County, Oregon |
| Source1 Coordinates: | 45.3883°N -121.7281°W |
| Source1 Elevation: | 5890feet[2] |
| Mouth: | Sandy River |
| Mouth Location: | Mount Hood National Forest, Clackamas County, Oregon |
| Mouth Coordinates: | 45.3944°N -121.8178°W |
| Mouth Elevation: | 2638feet[3] |
Muddy Fork is a tributary, about 6miles long, of the Sandy River in the U.S. state of Oregon. Arising at the base of Sandy Glacier on the west slope of Mount Hood, it flows west through the Mount Hood Wilderness in the Mount Hood National Forest. It joins the Sandy River in Old Maid Flat, about 5miles northeast of Rhododendron. The stream offers limited fishing for coastal cutthroat trout.
Muddy Fork begins at 5890feet above sea level at the foot of Sandy Glacier in the Mount Hood Wilderness of the Cascade Range. Its entire course lies within the Mount Hood National Forest and Clackamas County. Falling 3252feet between source and mouth, the stream's average loss of elevation is about 500ft/mi.[2] [3] [1]
Flowing generally west from the glacier, it passes south of McNeil Point, which is on the stream's right. It then flows between Yocum Ridge, which is to the left, and Bald Mountain to the right before being crossed by the Pacific Crest Trail near the eastern end of Old Maid Flat. The Sandy River enters Old Maid Flat to the left of Muddy Fork, and the two run roughly parallel across the flat until joining near Last Chance Mountain, which is on the right. The confluence is upstream of Fred McNeil Campground and Lolo Pass Road (Forest Road 18). Muddy Fork has no named tributaries.[1] [4]
Although Muddy Fork is closed to salmon fishing, the stream has wild cutthroat trout "of fair size". The stream is open to catch and release fishing for cutthroat but only with artificial flies and lures. Conditions are generally best in spring before seasonal runoffs of glacial silt.[5]