Beacon Rock State Park

The Rock is closed. The state park staff let me know that there were hurricane level winds that blew massive rocks onto the trail. Was disappointed and was told its indefinitely closed — hope I get to hike it soon.
Instead the very friendly staff let me know that I can take a 2.52 mile hike to a few waterfalls. It was an incredibly beautiful hike with trees, views of the gorge and snow-​tipped mountains and the summit of Mt. Hamilton.
Parking is $ 10 day fee.
Bring water. It can get steep.
The drive from Vancouver is beautiful on the 14-​E.
There is an insane amount of mud on the trails right now — being appropriate shoes.

Man you kidding. What a nice wonderful adventurous short hike that can be done in les than couple hours. Don’t rush it. Be sure to chill and enjoy the view along the way.

For the rock. Y’know, the big one? Beacon Rock. It’s a beacon that’s a rock. That’s the one.
Parking is $ 10 for a single visit, or $ 30 for an annual pass. Trying to scam a short-​term space for a fast ascension will not only yield you nervous tension during the 40 minute round trip, it’ll also get you a ticket. Enforcement is diligent with those dozen parking spots.
Get a little history before you hit 50 switchbacks both zigging and zagging up the face of the etched and lushly vegetative chunk of earth. You’ll hit 4 – 5 notable vistas during the modest and handrail-​guided walk to the 850′ acme. Calling it a hike is a like calling a Krystal Corn Pup lunch (it’s a bit of a stretch).
That said, the views from the top offer supreme Gorge peeping. We perched up on an off-​trail lip (don’t tell!) and passed an easy half hour just enjoying the unobstructed, picturesque, quintessential Washingtoregon. Maybe Nana couldn’t make the climb, but the rest of the fam should be in good shape.

Beacon Rock has been a landmark beacon along the Columbia River for centuries. Its current name was bestowed by America’s original dynamic duo Lewis and Clark when they stopped nearby on Halloween (Oct. 31) in 1805. For about a hundred years, it was known as Castle Rock thanks to John Jacob Astor, but regained its name of fame as Beacon Rock in 1916.
What makes Beacon Rock State Park a quick-​hike near Portland is the trail to the top built by the enterprising Henry J. Biddle. A century ago, he bought the monolith, carved the original trail, and marketed it to aspiring tourists. Luckily for us, his heirs donated Beacon Rock to the state of Washington in 1935 so that nowawdays it’s a free and well-​maintained hike curving along the river side of the tower rock offering fabulous views of the Columbia and Oregon /​Washington border.
* Bring your Washington State Park Discover pass ($ 30/​year)
* Otherwise buy a day pass ($ 10) on site
* Check the website for «Free Days» like 2015: 08/​25, 9/​26, ¹¹⁄₁₁
* All trails are open 8:00 a.m. to Dusk
* The Beacon Rock Trail is 0.9 miles with 52 switchbacks
* It’s a sweaty climb until the last curve north
* From there the winds blow like a god-​sent AC unit
* At the summit is a small viewpoint filled with people
* The peak elevation is 850′ with views of the Gorge for miles
* A jacket for the top might be nice
* Bring water and wear comfy shoes of course
* The park is more than just a rock with 5,100 acres
* Just west is the ¾ mile River to Rock Trail
* A long (9,500 foot) shoreline offers access to the Columbia
* Hamilton Mountain Trail is an 4 mile hike up a mountain
* Rodney Falls, Hardy Falls, Pool of the Winds are about 1.5 mile hike
* Rock climbing on Beacon Rock has become limited over the years
* 13 miles of bike and horse trails are also available
If you have the Washington State Park Discover Parking Pass there really is no reason to not visit Beacon Rock State Park along between the Evergreen Hwy (14) and the Columbia River just 45 minutes from PDX.

Fantastic Views and sometimes a long wait to park.
what to expect:]
–10 $ day pass required –believe me, I had seen parking enforcement patrolling, so you had better be payin’
–scenic wonderful views on the way up
–switch backs, no trail, straight up paved and flat.
–get to the top and you will be lucky to have people move so that you can see the view. guess how the way back down goes, right behind everyone that made their way up, narrow pathways, you can easily get stuck behind those just going for a leisurely stroll
–Easy climb, not super adventurous and not the most labor intensive for a hike.

I went here on a recommendation from someone… We went at the end of February because it started to get nice and sunny out! It was around 60 – 64 degrees, a little windy by the road and parking was almost tricky. It was a great hike for my boyfriend and I, good for us to wear off some winter weight without getting totally exhausted. (I have slight asthma too, just bring some water and stop at those viewpoints). Lovely stop points to look out over the gorge towards the Oregon side. Easy hike for to spend an hour or two outside getting some exercise, definitely recommend!

I’ve been jaunting up and down Beacon Rock since I was knee-​high to a mayfly (over 20 years) and loved every minute of it. It’s not too hard a hike. I’d give it a 3 on a scale of 1 – 5 for difficulty. The views are fantastic: the Columbia river basin, I-​84, highway 14, and the Oregon side in the background. You can see really far up the Gorge as well on a clear day. If you bring powerful binoculars with you, you can see so much more. The best time to go is in the late summer or fall, when the trees are starting to change and the weather’s mild. It can get windy at the top sometimes though.
Unless you’re a geology nut like me, what people might not realize is Beacon Rock isn’t really a «rock.» Well, it is, but it isn’t because it’s actually a volcanic «neck» or the inside part of a volcano where the ash and lava comes out during an eruption. The magma inside the volcano hardened up after it stopped erupting, and over time the softer outside of the volcano (likely a cinder cone volcano) eroded away, leaving the harder rock inside. Pretty cool. Devil’s Tower in Utah is the same thing. So if you go, remember that you’re really hiking up a volcano’s skeleton 8^)

My husband and I and grandson being taking this hike since he was 3 yrs old he hike it all by himself up and down, is really a FAM tradition for us now love it the view is all worth it Suyapa Stephen and Kipi h we rate it a 10

I read somewhere that this hike is not truly a «hike.» Well, no. But yes. I wouldn’t categorize it as a walk up. But, you don’t really need poles or hiking boots for this one.
It’s a ton of switchbacks up the rock, and there are a ton of handrails. I’m scared of heights but this one was a-​ok with me.
It really tripped me out how old it was. I’ll let you read the signs and get tripped out, too.
I’d say that the views coming up were much more interesting to me, I think because they were sweeping views… the view at the top was somewhat hindered by trees.
There is a $ 10 charge for parking. Steep, just like the rock, I know. But if you do any kind of hiking, just go ahead and get the Discover Pass for the year. It’s $ 30, and you’re already ¹⁄₃ of the way there. There is a green little ATM-​ish kind of kiosk that you can pay in case you’re like me and don’t carry cash.
PS: There are chipmunk friends at the top. And apparently, they enjoy M&Ms more than peanuts or raisins. Sounds like my kind of rodent.

Five star hike up Beacon Rock about a mile, elevation gain of 800 feet, with panoramic views of the Columbia River Gorge. Lot’s of switchbacks on the sheer cliff edge with railings to hang onto. Not too difficult. Not too scary. Just amazing!

I hadn’t been here for years and was doing a hike here and Mt. Hamilton. I not only looked in my hiking book, but as well on
…and there was no mention of a fee was mentioned. So, I was quite upset to find out about the steep $ 10 fee! Most parks in OR are $ 5 at least. As nice as it was, and Mt. Hamilton… the $ 10 really upset me. The rock though is beautiful. Just be prepared to pay $ 10.

We hiked to the top on a Saturday morning in late December. Pretty decent weather considering. Not a tough hike at all. Great views! Would recommend to anyone.

Hiking to the top of this made me really sweaty.. .
The views are amazing & once you get to the top it’s nice & windy. The trail is a zig zag the entire way up, so some folks might have an issue with that.
When the leaves change colors its even better. As you look out into the gorge & are able to see the vibrant fall colors.
* side note, I encountered one snake on the trail, I almost stepped on it when it came out of its cave in the rock. Yuck.

I thought I had reviewed this before, but apparently not.
Many people think of Beacon Rock State Park as just the big rock, but there are several hiking and camping areas on the other side of the road. I am most familiar with Beacon Rock and the Hamilton Mountain Trail.
Beacon Rock is straight up for the most part, but relatively easy because of it’s length. A good little hike if you are driving by, or a nice ending to one of the other local hikes. If you go in the summer, expect crowds.
If you hike the Hamilton Mountain trail you get to see a few waterfalls. It’s actually two different hikes, imo. The potion to the waterfalls is mostly gradual elevation gain, but nothing too hard. The Pool of the Winds is worth the walk by itself. If you pass that point though, then the elevation really starts to rise sharply. Eventually you hit a sign where the loop starts and you can choose ‘Difficult or More Difficult.” Both are great! It’s the same trail, but you really get a different view depending on the direction you travel, unless of course you always look back. If it becomes a regular hiking trail, just switch it up every so often.
Cons: That $ 10 fee! Seems rather high for a one day fee, but it is what it is. If you hike in Washington often, just buy the $ 30 annual pass. But even that kind of sucks because it is a pass for YOUR CAR and is NOT TRANSFERABLE. That sucks and is a rip off. It should be like every other pass and good for the person who buys it, not the car they drive.
And btw, Washington is very strict about parking fees. As you can read in previous reviews, you WILL get a ticket. I support user fees, I just dislike the price for a one day visit and how the pass if for your car and not the individual.

Beacon rock is a sweet, fun, and tall chuck of rock sticking up on the WA side of the gorge. I think it’s the second largest rock of its type in the world (Gibraltar is bigger).
I went here with a friend and each of our daughters and we all got both up and down in a short enough time for the kids to not get too bored (teenagers are picky about this), and had a good time.
It’s under a mile in each direction, but has over 800 feet in elevation gain you will get a nice elevation in heart rate anyways.
All in all a good short, and fun, hike.

This turned about to be a really great hike! The views are breathtaking and the climb is pretty decent for an average hiker.
The parking lot if pretty big and it wasn’t crowded when I hiked which was nice but it was a bit cold.
Definately a good hike!

I’m newer to the hiking and trail scene, especially in the gorge. I came to Beacon Rock on a recommendation from my parents from a while back, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was a rock, jutting out of the ground, hundreds of feet tall, next to a river. I couldn’t help but thinking…
This is important. This means something.
Turns out, Beacon Rock makes for a really nice quick day hike. The round trip hike will only take you a couple hours, and it offers amazing views. A 360 panorama of the gorge! I loved the crazy switchback bridges on the way to the top. And when you reach the top, you really feel special. You are important! You do mean something! I searched on the backside of the rock when we descended and found no alien mothership to my great disappointment.
This is a great place for kiddos of all shapes and sizes. Littluns can even walk their way to the top with ease. And whether or not you have a close encounter of the first, second, or third kind, you’ll still feel as if you’ve conquered the ENTIRE Columbia Gorge, and that’s the next best thing.

Wow! That’s all I can say.
Breath taking views, a nice easy-​moderate hike (as long as you don’t mind heights) and lots of friendly people. I don’t know when I’ve enjoyed a hike this much.
I brought my small kids with me — ages 3 and 5 — and they both did the hike on their own. Of course, I would advice caution as some of the edges are really steep, but if you’ve got a good grip on a hand, and your kids decide they want to listen to you that day, you’ll be fine!
The view of the Gorge from several of the scenic stop points and the top of Beacon Rock was just stunning.
$ 10 day use fee and $ 1 to cross the toll bridge if coming from Oregon. Totally worth the $$!

this park is beautiful. lots of campsites (all primitive). clean bathrooms and a shower (¢.50 for 3 min.) water and garbage cans. they don’t take reservations for beacon rock. we took a couple of the trails. first to the waterfalls then little beacon rock. got to see a doe on the trails. the views on the trail were amazing

It is beautiful, right down to the chipmucks at the top that Know ya gonna give the furry balls a cuteness a piece a sandwich or cracker.
At the very top theres about 6 steep steps, but the walk up the trail is very easy. Its something about the views; spectacular to the point you don’t realize How high you are, (until one or two points looking down at the zig-​zagging trails up the side of the rock).