Geography of Yamhill County

Lying on the west side of the lower middle part of the Willamette Valley, Yamhill County is bounded by Washington, Clackamas, Polk, Marion and Tillamook Counties. The Willamette River is the eastern boundary.

The county extends from about 15 miles southwesterly of Portland to within 11 miles of the Pacific Ocean. McMinnville, the County Seat and largest city, lies in the east-central part of the county. McMinnville lies 125 air miles from Bend, 35 from Portland, 45 from Corvallis, 20 from Salem and 80 from Eugene. The total county area has been calculated to be between 728 square miles (O.D.O.T.) to 714 square miles (older publications), with the Oregon Bluebook currently setting the area at 718 sq. miles.

Drainage is predominantly easterly into streams and creeks feeding the Willamette River. Elevations range from 3422 feet at Trask Mountain to less than 100 on the Willamette River.

A third of the county is covered with commercial timber. The principal economic base of the western part of the county is logging and timber related products.

Mountain ranges include Parrott, Chehalem and the Coast Range. The Amity and Red Hill lie near Amity and Dundee, respectively.