Horsethief Lake State Park
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Horsethief Lake State Park is a 338-acre camping park with 7,500 feet of freshwater shoreline on the Columbia River. Horsethief Butte dominates the skyline. It stands over the lake like an ancient castle. The lake itself is about 90 acres in size and is actually an impoundment of the Columbia River. The lake was flooded into existance by the reservoir created by The Dalles Dam. The park adjoins the 3,000-plus acres of The Dalles Mountain Ranch State Park. The park has four tent spaces, eight utility spaces, one dump station and one restroom. In addition, there are two primative hiker/bicycle camp sites. Be aware that it can be very windy in the Columbia River Gorge, and be prepared for such conditions. All campsites are first-come, first-served.
FEES
Please note that the following general fee information is not customized for each individual park, so not all fees will apply to all parks (for example, primitive campsite and dump station fees listed apply only to parks that have primitive campsites and dump stations). 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. Dump stations: Year-round dump station fees are $3 per use. If you are camping, this fee is included in your campsite fee.
CONTACT
To make a reservation, call the park office at 509-767-1159.
MISC
Summer: 6:30 a.m. to dusk.
Winter: Closed November 1 through March 31.
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
For centuries, the park was the site of a Native American village. The Lewis and Clark expedition camped at the village and described its wooden houses in one of their journals. The village was flooded by the waters of The Dalles Dam. Oral history has it that the park received its name from workers in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who developed the site. The workers thought the terrain was similar to that of horsethief hideouts in popular 1950's Hollywood westerns. The abundance of horses kept on the premises by local Indians apparently gave the workers their inspiration.
SERVICES
- Camping
- Boat Ramp
- Hiking Trails
- Petroglyphs
- Rock Climbing
- Day-Use
- Picnicing
- Swimming
- Fishing
- Sailboarding
- Horseshoes
- Interpretive Activities
PHOTOS
