Accessible Trails - Vancouver Area of Southwest Washington

Vancouver, holds an annual Discovery Walk festival in April which draws walkers from all over the world. This city has received awards for having one of the best urban trails systems in the country. Be sure to check out their site for maps of the various walks, which include the trails mentioned below. While enjoying the greenways and trails in the area, be sure to take in all the other attractions this area has to offer.

Waterfront Renaissance Trail

Directions:

Trailheads are located at Waterfront Park and downtown Vancouver, Marine Park and Wintler Park.

See the trail map.

If you are looking for a hotel on the trail, the Red Lion at the Quay is a riverfront hotel, just west of the I-5 Bridge. The Renaissance Trail begins at the hotel and passes several restaurants with table-side views along the waterfront.

The Waterfront Park trailhead is located along the Vancouver Waterfront at the east end of the I-5 Bridge. Going N on I-5 take Exit 1B, N on 6th St S on Columbia St., continue on Columbia Way to 115 Columbia Way. Going S on I-5 take Exit 1C and go west on Mill Plain. Turn South on Columbia St. Continue south until the road turns to the left and turns into Columbia Way. The park is on your right.

GPS (Waterfront Park) - 45°37'17.02"N, 122°40'18.03"W

Features:

The Waterfront Renaissance Trail in Vancouver follows the Columbia River from the Captain Vancouver Monument to Tidewater Cove.

Waterfront Park. This is a good starting point as it is located at the western end of the 4-mile Waterfront Renaissance Trail. The site offers free parking, picnic areas, and a great view of the Columbia River.

From the park, the paved path follows the Columbia River past a number of upscale condominiums and five restaurants.

This is a wide, shared-use trail, and you are apt to be accompanied by walkers, joggers, in-line skaters, strollers, and bikers.

Benches are scattered along the way, offering perfect spots to look for wildlife along the river and, on clear days, catch outstanding views of Mt Hood.

Wheel along the trail passing Vancouver Landing, the Captain Vancouver Monument, and the public plaza dedicated to IIchee. (IIchee is a seven-foot tall statue honoring the daughter of Comcomly, a 19th century Chinook chief.)

The trail is also a great viewing area for the Christmas Ships Parade in December.

Marine Park to Wintler Park. This part of the trail parallels the Columbia River, passing the shops and restaurants of Columbia Renaissance, Marine Park wetlands, the Kaiser Viewing Tower and Shipyards, the Water Resources Education Center and Tidewater Cove.

Marine Park is a 26-acre site offering walking trails, play equipment, picnic shelters, boat launch, and restrooms.

Wintler Park is a 12.5-acre park with picnic tables, a restroom, a sandy beach area, and excellent views of the Columbia River, Portland International Airport and Mount Hood.

This is part of the Columbia River Trail which runs both on-street and off-street connecting the downtown area to the city’s recently renovated riverfront.

Other Info:

Attend the International Discovery Walk/Taste of Nations: Everyone is invited to this international three-day event of noncompetitive walking events, entertainment, gourmet food, and making new friends from around the world. The event is sanctioned by the International Marching League as one of their program of yearly walking events around the world. Family participation is encouraged with some routes suitable for wheelchairs.

Discovery Loop Trail

Directions:

You'll find easy parking on East Evergreen Blvd. at Officers Row. From I-5 go E on Mill Plain, S on Fort Vancouver Way (first light after freeway), L on Evergreen Blvd at the traffic circle.
Parking lots on the right across from Grant House and Marshall House.

GPS - 45°37'40.43"N, 122°39'37.05"W

Features:

Few places in America offer so many historic and scenic attractions in such close proximity as this inviting urban trail.

The 2.3-mile loop begins on East Evergreen and winds through Fort Vancouver National Historic Site (see description below), Officer's Row, and downtown Vancouver, joining the Waterfront Renaissance Trail at Vancouver Landing.

Sights along the way include Fort Vancouver, Pearson Air Museum, Providence Academy and Esther Short Park.

The trail can be covered in 1.5 hours, or enjoyed in sections to allow more time to explore.

See map from Discovery Walk Organization.

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site

Directions:

612 E. Reserve, Vancouver. From I-5 to Exit C1-1D, go E on Mill Plain one block, South on Ft. Vancouver Way, E. on Evergreen Blvd. Near corner of Reserve St.

Features:

Hudson's Bay Company established the Fort in 1824 as trading post and settlement. The Fort has been partially reconstructed, including stockade, bakery, and Chief Factor's quarters. A visitor's center is located near Evergreen Boulevard. The complex includes accessible walking and biking trails, picnic tables, and reservable picnic shelter. Officers Row sits north of the Fort.

Other:

Public tours of the reconstructed Fort Vancouver site are offered daily. Admission is charged to the fort site during the summer season (early May through late September). It is $3.00 per adult. Ages 16 and under are free.

Hours: November 1 to February 28: 9:00am to 4:00pm daily; March 1 to October 31: 9:00am to 5:00pm daily. Closed on November 22, December 24-25, and December 31, 2001

Water Works Park

Directions:

Fourth Plain & Ft. Vancouver Way, Vancouver. From I-5 Exit 1C-1D go E on Mill Plain, N on Reserve Street to the park.

GPS - 45°38'17.04"N, 122°38'48.44"W

Features:

Adjacent to Clark College, this 20-acre site offers walking trails, play equipment, picnic shelters, restrooms, and a community amphitheater. Park has the Swift Skatepark, the only city-operated skateboard facility in the city.

Ellen Davis Trail

Directions:

The Ellen Davis Trail is located at Leverich Park. between St. James and St. Johns boulevards near Northeast 59th Street. Turn west onto Northeast 59th Street into the parking area.

GPS (estimate) - 45°39'52.98"N, 122°38'48.50"W

Features:

This crushed rock trail meanders along Burnt Bridge Creek through abandoned Bonneville Power Administration Gardens, along manicured grounds of the J.D. Ross Substation Complex, and through a forested buffer zone in the Minnehaha area. Connects Discovery Trail at Leverich Park with St. James Road. The trail skirts the BPA Ross Complex and meets up with Burnt Bridge Creek. It follows the Burnt Bridge Creek over Friendship Bridge to Leverich Park and connects with the Discovery Trail. The scenery is a mix of woods, valley and creekside meadows, and residential areas. This is a generally flat trail with a couple of steep switchbacks. (Portions of the trail are steep. This trail has not been checked for partial accessibility, and whether the switchbacks are in the beginning or end of the trail.

Discovery Trail (Burnt Bridge Creek Greenway)

Features:

This trail combines four trail sections (8 paved pedestrian miles) from Fruit Valley Road to Vancouver’s Douglas Park. See the park department Website for up-to-date information and trail map.

Discovery Trail - Burnt Bridge Creek Trail (Stewart Glen)
The first section is a 1.5 mile, hard-surfaced, shared-use trail beginning at the mouth of Burnt Bridge Creek at Fruit Valley and NW Bernie Drive. The trail is open year round and can be accessed by parking at the west end of Bernie Drive off of Fruit Valley Road.

GPS - 45°40'24.73"N, 122°41'25.11"W

The trail meanders east, through thick forests and grass bottomlands, over two bridges to Hazel Dell Avenue.

A 130-foot wooden bridge crosses the creek at Beaver Marsh Park. The trail is mostly flat and runs along both wooded and residential areas.

This is a multi-use recreational trail serving walkers, joggers, bikers, and in-line skaters.

December 2008: If you haven't tried this trail section for awhile, check it out now. The trail was resurfaced, tree roots were removed and trees and brush were cut back to make it wheelchair accessible. The trailhead was redone and more benches were added for slow walkers and others to rest and enjoy the scenary.

Discovery Trail - Leverich Park to Bagley Park
The hard-surfaced, shared-use trail connecting these two community parks begins at the NW corner of Leverich Park. It runs along Burnt Bridge Creek and through the forests and grasslands of Arnold Park, crossing St. Johns Road and following Nicholson Road to Bagley Park.

Discovery Trail - Fourth Plain to Devine Road
This section of hard-surfaced, shared-use trail follows the Bonneville Power Administration's power line through Meadow Homes Park and soccer fields, crossing 18th Street to Devine Road by way of Burnt Bridge Creek.

Discovery Trail at Blandford Drive
This section of Discovery Trail is a primitive forest trail with steep grade meandering down the Blandford Drive canyon from MacArthur Boulevard to Evergreen Boulevard.

(Not sure which portions are wheelchair accessible at this time.)

Vancouver Lake Park

Directions:

6801 NW Lower River Road, Vancouver

GPS - 45°40'44.87"N, 122°44'34.85"W

Features:

A 2.5-mile multi-use trail connects Vancouver Lake Park to Frenchman’s Bar Riverfront Park. See trail map.

This regional park is located on west shore of Vancouver Lake. The 234-acre park stretches for 2.5 miles along the lake, with thirty-five developed acres.

There are views of Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens.

The park is also a wetlands haven for wildlife and migratory waterfowl.

Other Info:

For hunting and waterfowl viewing, there is an accessible duck blind on the lake. From Vancouver, go north on I-5 to Fourth Plain Blvd Exit. Go west, then turn right onto Fruit Valley Road. Turn left onto Laframbois Street and follow to the wildlife area parking lot. The blind is usually about 200 yards from the gate. Also from the intersection of Fourth Plain Boulevard and Fruit Valley Road - travel west for 0.9 mile on SR 501 to Elmer Rufner's Pond. Pull off onto the shoulder where through the trees you can look down on the pond and the pasture around the area. Look for Great Egret, Greater White-fronted Goose, Eurasian Wigeon, Canada geese, Bald Eagle and Peregrine Falcons. SR 501 curves north for 2.4 miles to Flushing Channel. Here you'll find parking, toilets, and views of Mount St. Helens. See Audubon birding Vancouver Lake.

Frenchman's Bar Trail

Directions:

From I-5 take Exit C1-1D, go W on Fourth Plain Blvd turns into Lower River Road, Follow signs to park. Existing park sites serve as trailheads.

GPS - 45°40'47.04"N, 122°46'2.04"W

Features:

This 2.5 mile, paved, shared-use trail connects Vancouver Lake and Frenchman's Bar Park making a continuous 5-mile trail between the parks.

Salmon Creek Greenway Trail

Directions:

The trailhead is located at Salmon Creek Park., 1112 NE 117th Street, Vancouver. From I-5 take Exit 5 and go East on 99th St, N on Hwy 99, and W on 117th.

GPS - 45°42'24.54"N, 122°39'31.02"W

Features:

This 3 mile, paved, multi-use trail winds along Salmon Creek with views of Mt. Hood and excellent opportunities for viewing native waterfowl and other wildlife species. Despite urban setting, the greenway gets extensive use by wildlife, including migratory waterfowl, coyote, beaver and raccoon. It winds around wildlife interpretive areas, wetlands and ponds, duck nesting boxes and restored habitat - providing a great outdoor experience.

Entry points can be accessed from either the Felida Bridge at NE 36th Avenue or Salmon Creek Park at 1112 NE 117th Street. See trail map.

Other Info:

Klineline Pond is the starting point for the Salmon Creek Greenway Trail and also backs up to the Salmon Creek Sports Association Complex, home of Vancouver Girls Softball. Parking fees are charged during summer months from May through September; pedestrians and bicyclists are free year-round. Another option for nonfee parking is the other end of the trail at 36th and Seward. This is a very popular place to swim in a clear spring-fed lake, with bathhouse, roped swimming areas, observation platforms, and concessions during the summer months. Lifeguards are on duty during summer months. Also see Vancouver-Clark Parks & Recreation. If you like to fish, this pond with old stone quarry is a good place to put in your line.

Cougar Creek Trail

Directions:

From I-5 go W on 99th Street, N on Hazel Dell Ave, W on NW 114th St, N on 7th Ave, W on 119th St to 11th Ave. There is no off-street trailhead for this section of trail.

GPS - 45°42'26.62"N, 122°40'57.21"W

Features:

The trail connects NW 119 Street with the Salmon Creek Trail. Cougar Creek is the first major tributary upstream from the mouth of Salmon Creek. Excellent riparian woodlands remain along much of the deep ravine in the lower reaches. Exposed sandstone along the stream bank bears the names and initials of visitors from over the past fifty years. (accessibility unknown at this time).

Whipple Creek Park

Directions:

NW 179th Street and NW 21st Avenue (7 miles north of Vancouver - west of Clark County Fairgrounds).

GPS (est.) - 45°45'1.33"N, 122°41'36.81"W

Features:

Whipple Creek Park has 4.3 miles of equestrian and hiking trails. Opportunities abound for wildlife viewing, as Whipple Creek is heavily forested with mature Douglas Fir and home to many types of wildlife, including woodpeckers, hawks, and beavers. This park is an exceptionally pristine and tranquil forest environment. Parking at the trailhead. Accessibility unknown at this time, but it may be limited to slow walkers. See trail map.