Fir Valley Pour House Creates Community Near Colton

By Guest Author: Matt Wastradowski

The Fir Valley Pour House has lived many lives over the decades. It started just outside Colton in the 1950s as a gas station along an old logging road, transformed into a quick-stop deli where loggers could pick up sandwiches on their way to work, eventually started serving beer as the Fir Valley Tavern and became a full-blown restaurant and bar in the 1980s. At one point, it moved across the creek that runs through the property. That building burned down in 2009, was rebuilt in 2014, changed ownership a few times and largely laid dormant until Christal Davis first saw the space in the fall of 2022.

When Davis, now the restaurant’s co-owner, re-opened the community gathering space and christened it the Fir Valley Pour House in December 2023, she wanted to build something to last. She knew the building’s interior needed some work, but she saw potential for late-night karaoke sessions, group gatherings on the spacious back lawn, live performances from local musicians and hearty meals after an active day outdoors at nearby Metzler Park and along the Clackamas River.

Less than three years in, Davis and her husband Elan have built all that — and more. Today, the revitalized Fir Valley Pour House dishes thoughtful takes on American pub grub, hosts groups of all sizes on the grassy back lawn and brings live acts to the pub’s outdoor stage between spring and fall. Here’s how they’ve done it and what to expect on your next visit.

Befitting its status as a long-running roadhouse — and as a community gathering space where diners come together to watch NASCAR races, celebrate birthdays and even get married — it’s no surprise that Fir Valley Pour House specializes in down-home comfort food.

Even so, Davis and her kitchen team take pride in imbuing pasta, burgers, salads, steaks and other pub-grub items with thoughtful upgrades that elevate the experience without sacrificing accessibility or affordability. The Fir Valley crew smokes all of its meats in-house, crafts burgers with ground wagyu and chuck steak and makes salad dressings and soups from scratch. Davis is particularly proud of Fir Valley's stroganoff, made with sauteed prime rib and topped with asiago cheese, as well as a fresh clementine salad topped with a homemade honey champagne vinaigrette.

Fir Valley even offers an extensive kids menu that invites young diners (or their parents) to pick and choose among healthy offerings, a half-dozen beverages, four sides and seven entrées — from butter noodles and chicken strips to nachos and mini cheeseburgers. Davis says parents can elect to receive tokens in lieu of desserts when their little ones don’t finish dinner; that way, the child can cash it in on another visit — provided they’ve finished their meal, of course.

Fir Valley Pour House specializes in down-home comfort food with a twist.

The fun at Fir Valley Pour House doesn’t end when you’ve cleaned your plate; in fact, it might only be the beginning.

That’s because Davis has gone out of her way to make the restaurant a welcoming, inviting space for diners of all ages and from all walks of life. Fir Valley fills for NASCAR races, sure, but the one-acre backyard is stocked with bubbles for toddlers and young children, as well as Connect Four, corn hole, Frisbees, footballs, Jenga, Yahtzee and other yard games for families and groups. “It’s been really fun for parents in the summertime, because they could just sit out in the sun, and their kids just run themselves tired until they fall asleep,” Davis said.

When the patio is buzzing between spring and fall, Davis adds to the backyard-barbecue vibes with a variety of one-off and annual events. Every Easter, for instance, diners race rubber duckies in the on-site creek just outside the eatery’s front doors. A Mother’s Day brunch and dinner spills out onto the partially shaded veranda when the weather allows. Local musicians take the stage, which Davis hopes to expand in the summer of 2026, every other weekend beginning in late May. This summer, Davis is particularly excited to host Slicker, a seven-piece cover band mostly made up of local firefighters.

The Fir Valley Pour House hosts multiple events a year, including concerts.

Fir Valley launched roughly 75 years ago to serve loggers heading to mills and into the woods. Even though the restaurant has grown dramatically over the years, it retains that close proximity to local forests and year-round recreation. Here are a few ideas for outdoor adventures to pair with a visit to Fir Valley Pour House.

Metzler Park: You could spend a whole weekend at Metzler Park (one of three Clackamas County campgrounds in Mt. Hood Territory) and still not enjoy all of the park’s laid-back offerings. The park, available for day and overnight use, sits along Clear Creek and hosts 2.5 miles of hiking trails through a forest of cedar and Douglas-fir, fishing opportunities, a playground and 75 campsites that welcome tents, camper vans and RVs 25 feet and longer between May and September.

Camp Colton: For another escape into nature, the long-running Camp Colton resides in a forest of western red cedar, Douglas-fir and maple. Spend your day canoeing around the on-site pond and walking through 50 acres of quiet forestland before settling in for the night inside the campground’s cozy cabins, private lodge rooms, campsites and a trio of vinyl-sided, tent-like yurts. Learn more about booking a stay at Camp Colton.

Clackamas River: Fir Valley Pour House and the community of Colton sit a short drive from the city of Estacada and easy access to multiple stretches of the Clackamas River. There, you'll find lazy river floats, fast-paced whitewater rafting, prolific fishing, miles of hiking trails and other outdoor fun.

The outdoor patio is perfect for sitting outside after an adventure.