Beacon Rock & Beacon Rock State Park
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Located in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Beacon Rock is the core of an ancient volcano. The mile-long trail to its summit provides outstanding panoramic views of the Columbia River Gorge. The trail up the rock is 4,500 feet long with a 15% grade. Handrails line most of the ascent, making the climb brisk, but safe. From the viewpoint at the top of Beacon Rock; islands, rugged basaltic cliffs and waterfalls can be viewed along the Columbia River Gorge. Beacon Rock offers excellent opportunities for rock climbing except where it interferes with nesting raptors, primarily on the south face. The presence of the falcon nest requires that the south face be closed to technical rock activity February 1 to July 15 annually.
Beacon Rock State Park is a 4,650-acre year-round camping park with historic significance dating back hundreds of years. The park has over 20 miles of roads and trails open to hiking, mountain biking and equestrian use. The park includes 9,500 feet of freshwater shoreline on the Columbia River. There are two kitchen shelters with electricity in the park, plus two sheltered and 53 unsheltered picnic tables. The lower picnic-area kitchen shelter is located at Hamilton Mountain Trailhead, availble first-come, first-served. Water and power are available in the shelter. The upper picnic-area kitchen shelter is available by reservation for groups of up to 100 people. Water and power are on-site. There is fishing on the lower Columbia River, below Bonneville Dam, for sturgeon, salmon, steelhead, bass and walleye. The park is a popular site for weddings.
FEES
There is no fee to hike Beacon Rock.
An additional $1 per night is added to the basic camping fees listed below at this high-use park between April 1 and Sept. 30.
Basic camping fees are:
Standard campsite, $13
Utility campsite, $19
Primitive campsite (accessible by motorized vehicles), $8
Primitive campsite (accessible by non-motorized vehicles), $6
Extra adults: An additional $2 is charged per adult per night when there are more than four adults per campsite. Maximum eight people per campsite.
Second vehicle: $6 per night is charged for a second vehicle unless it is towed by a recreational vehicle. Extra vehicles must be parked in designated campsite or extra vehicle parking spaces.
Water trail camping site, $6.
A watercraft launch site permit is $3 or $4 per watercraft, depending on amenities available (bathroom, parking area and docking facilities). Nightly moorage for boats under 26 feet, $10; for boats 26 feet through 34 feet, $13; for boats 35 feet and over, $16.00.Buoy fee per night, $7.
CONTACT
800-452-5687, 360-902-8608 or 509-427-8265
MISC
Park Hours:
Summer: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Winter: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for day-use only. The park is closed for camping Nov. 1 to March 30.
Camping:
Check-in time, 2:30 p.m.
Check-out time, 1 p.m.
Quiet hours: 11 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.
HISTORY
Beacon Rock served as a landmark for river travelers for hundreds of years. The Indians knew it marked the last of the rapids on the Columbia River and the beginning of tidal influence from the Pacific Ocean, 150 miles away. Lewis and Clark were the first white men to see the rock. They camped at its base in November of 1805, noting the rock in their journal and giving it its present name. In 1811, Alexander Ross, of the John Jacob Aster expedition, called the rock Inshoack Castle, and it was known as "Castle Rock" until the United States Board of Geographic Names officially restored the title of "Beacon Rock", in 1961. No record of a successful ascent exists of the 848 foot rock until 1901. Henry J. Biddle, an early owner of the rock, built the original trail to the top. He completed it in 1918 after working on it for two years.
SERVICES
- Camping
- Hiking Trail
- Mountain Biking
- Rock Climbing
- Wildlife Viewing
- Fishing
- Boat Ramp
PHOTOS
