|
Waterfront Park
Directions:
Along the Vancouver Waterfront, Going N on I-5 take Exit 1B, N
on 6th St S on Columbia St., continue on Columbia Way to 115 Columbia
Way.  Coming
S on I-5 exit and go W on Mill Plain, South on Columbia St.
 Features:
Located at the east end of the I-5 Bridge, this 5-acre site is
the starting point for the Waterfront Renaissance Trail. The site
offers benches, a trail, and a great view of the ColumbiaRiver.
Renaissance Trail
Directions:
Along the Vancouver Waterfront, 696-8173
 Features:
This 4-mile, 14-foot-wide paved waterfront trail in Vancouver
follows the Columbia River from the Captain Vancouver Monument
to Tidewater Cove. This 7-acre strip of lawn and decks overlooks
the Columbia River sharing the space with walkers, joggers, in-line
skaters and bicyclists.
Stroll along the trail passing Vancouver Landing, the Captain
Vancouver Monument. and the plaza dedicated to IIchee. Along the
way are shops, restaurants and great places to picnic, play or
just enjoy the view. The trail is also a great viewing area for
the Christmas Ships Parade in December. (IIchee is a seven-foot
tall statue honoring the daughter of Comcomly, a 19th century
Chinook chief.)
Other:
On the way, stop at Waterfront Park, the Renaissance Promenade,
or the public plaza dedicated to the American Indian monument
Ilchee. The Water Resource Education Center is along this trail,
coupled with other points of interest including the Old Apple
Tree, Marine Park wetlands, and Kaiser Viewing Tower and Shipyards.
Pick a spot on the shore of the great Columbia River and fish
for large and smallmouth bass, salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, perch,
trout and more.
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.
Marine Park to Wintler Park
 Directions:
Along the Vancouver Waterfront, 696-8173. See trail map.
Features:
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.
Other:
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.
The trail
parallels the Columbia River, passing the
shops and restaurants of Columbia
Renaissance, Marine Park, the Kaiser
Viewing Tower and Shipyards, the Water
Resources Education Center and
Tidewater Cove.
Discovery Loop Trail
Directions:
You'll fine 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
 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 .
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.
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.
Features:
This 2.5 mile, 12-foot wide, hard-surfaced, shared-use trail connects
Vancouver Lake and Frenchman's Bar making a continuous 5-mile
trail between the parks.
Vancouver Lake Park
Directions:
6801 NW Lower River Road, Vancouver
Features:
A 2.5-mile multi-use trail connects Vancouver Lake Park to Frenchman’s
Bar Riverfront Park.
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:
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.
Discovery Trail
Features:
The Discovery Trail combines four trails (seven paved pedestrian
miles) from Fruit Valley Road to Vancouver’s Douglas Park.
 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. It 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 truly multi-use recreational trail serving walkers,
joggers, bikers and rollerbladers. The trail is open year round
and can be accessed by parking at the west end of Bernie Drive
off of Fruit Valley Road.
 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.)
Note: Vancouver continues to develop its comprehensive
plan for trails. Planning and design work will begin shortly for
approximately 3 miles of new trail along the Burnt Bridge Creek
Trail. This project involves the development of sections of an
overall 8-mile, shared use regional trail system that extends
east/west through the city of Vancouver, along the Burnt Bridge
Creek Greenway. Project highlights include: 3 miles of accessible
walking trail, bridges, trailhead with automobile parking, restroom,
signage, site furnishings, and landscape and wetland mitigation
plantings. Design and permitting will be completed in 2004 and
construction scheduled to be completed by the end of 2005.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Other:
 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.
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).
Evergreen Highway Trail
Directions:
From SR-14 go S on 164th Ave, W on Evergreen Hwy to Columbia Springs
Environmental Education Center. The trailhead is in the parking
lot of the Columbia Springs Environmental Center, 12208 SE Evergreen
Highway, Vancouver.
Features:
This hard-surfaced, shared-use trail opened in 2001. It begins
at the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center (former
Vancouver Trout Hatchery) and proceeds westward to Ellsworth Road
(0.8 mile). At that point you can turn north (right) and go one
block, then follow the signs to join the I-205 Bridge Trail (2.2
miles long) to Oregon. At that point you have great trails to
the south on I-205 to Oregon City (20 miles) and to the east and
west on the Columbia River.
There is a short nature trail within the Biddlewood Preserve
on this site as well. The Biddle Trail, located on the west end
of the center, is a self-guided interpretive nature walk. Bird
blinds provide ample opportunity for wildlife viewing as well
as shelter in wetter weather.
La Center Bottoms Trail
Directions:
I-5 to Exit 16, East on La Center Road. South of the city of La
Center, turn right after La Center Road Bridge, trail begins south
of the sewer treatment plant
Features:
This trail follows the dike on the East Fork of the Lewis River,
offering bird’s-eye views of La Center Bottoms wildlife.
The trail runs on the east side of the La Center Bridge and is
dotted with interpretive signs and wildlife blinds that offer
camouflaged viewing areas to watch the animals — unnoticed
— in their natural habitat. This 314-acre park consists of
wetlands, floodplain, shoreline, and forested uplands. It is home
to coyote, otters, and migratory waterfowl. An 8-foot-wide trail
meanders through .66 mile of bird watching areas in the picturesque
wetlands. There are two viewing stations, interpretive signs,
a foot bridge over Brezee Creek, and wheelchair access.
Cedar Creek Falls Overlook and Trail
 Directions:
Accessed from the Cold Creek Campground. It can be found on the
DNR Yacolt Burn State Forest map.
Features:
Cedar Creek Falls Overlook and Trail is a one thousand foot long
trail with a compact gravel surface. The trail meanders along
a stream bank between Cedar and Vine Maple Groves. It passes a
five foot thick log remnant from earlier fires. There is a viewing
platform at the end of the trail for enjoyment of the modest yet
attractive falls. This trail is open from May to September.
The Chinook Trail - Lucia Falls Park to Moulton Falls Park
Directions:
 From I-5 take exit 14 and follow signs to Hwy 502 and Battle Ground.
Turn north on Road 503, Rock Creek Road for about 6 miles. The road becomes NE Lucia Falls Road.
Turn right on Lucia Falls Road and drive 5 miles to Lucia Falls Park.
Turn right, cross old railroad tracks and continue to the road end and the trailhead parking lot.
Features:
This 2.5 mile segment of the Chinook Trail goes between Lucia Falls park to Moulton Falls park. It is barrier-free and paved part of the way. The trail has outlooks along the river with benches and picnic tables. Both parks offer restrooms and picnic areas.
 Lucia Falls park is 24 acres with the falls being a predominant feature. Moulton Falls park is a 387-acre park located at the confluence of the East Fork
of the Lewis River and Big Tree Creek. It boasts two waterfalls and
an arch bridge more than three stories high. Areas of interest include: volcanic rock formations
from early lava flows, historic Indian meeting grounds, the Murphy
Grade, and a swing bridge on Big Tree Creek.
Other:
In 2008, 29 miles of the Chinook Trail between Lucia Falls and Bluff Mountain was designated as a National Recreation Trail. The trail crosses Washington Department of Natural Resources and USDA Forest Service lands in Clark and Skamania counties. Although not wheelchair-accessible, some parts of this may be explored by adventurous wheelers and slow walkers.
Whipple Creek Park
Directions:
NW 179th Street and NW 21st Avenue (7 miles north of Vancouver
- west of Clark County Fairgrounds)
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.
Some Area Campgrounds
Paradise State Park:
Picnicking, camping, fishing, boating and hiking. Located six
miles south of Woodland, in Clark County. It lies immediately
east of Interstate Highway 5. This state park has accessible campsites
and restrooms, dump station, and picnic sites, primitive boat
launch (not accessible), and 2 hiking trails which total 2 1/2
miles (neither of which are ADA accessible). See Washington
State Park website and Lewis
River website.
Battle Ground Lake State
Park:
Battle
Ground Lake State Park is a beautiful camping state park in
the foothills of the Cascades located 21 miles northeast of Vancouver..
It encompasses 280 acres on 28-acre Battle Ground Lake. Approximately
45 acres of the park have been developed. Facilities include 10
miles of hiking trails. There is a self-guided nature trail in
the park, (no ADA trails), a swimming beach and bathhouse, boat
launch, and picnic sites. Two full-time park rangers live on site.
In addition, a volunteer campground host lives at the park year
round. The park has 31 standard campsites, two electrical hookups
sites, one RV dump station, accessible restrooms and showers.
There is accessible fishing by dock or boat. The spring-fed lake
is stocked with trout and is a favorite of anglers. From I-5 southbound:
Take exit #14, and follow signs to city of Battle Ground. Drive
to east end of town. Turn left on Grace Ave. (in front of Foodliner
Grocery), and follow signs to park, approximately three miles
from city of Battle Ground. From I-5 northbound: Take exit #9,
and follow signs to city of Battle Ground. Drive to east end of
town. Turn left on Grace Ave. (in front of Foodliner Grocery),
and follow signs to park, approximately three miles from city
of Battle Ground.
Rock Creek Campground (DNR):
Start at I-5 exit 9 (five miles north of Vancouver). Follow SR
502 to Battle Ground. Turn left onto SR 503. Go 5.8 mi. Turn right
onto Rock Creek Road (Lucia Falls Road) for 4.1 mi. Turn right
onto Sunset Falls Road, go 1.5 mi. Turn right onto Dole Valley
Road, go 1.5 mi. site is on the left.
Accessible camping, restrooms, and picnic tables. Equestrian trail,
horse mounting ramp (may require some assistance).
Cold Creek Campground (DNR):
See directions to Rock Creek Campground above) Continue past Rock
Creek entrance on L-1000 Rd. for 0.3 mi., keep right and go another
0.5 mi., site entrance is to right. Keep left on entrance road
approximately 0.5 mi to site. Accessible camping, restrooms, and
picnic tables, along a forest stream setting. Accessible trail
along forest stream to small falls - 1300 ft. Compacted crushed
rock. Mountain bikes are also allowed on these trails. Water is
from a handpump and is partially accessible.
Woodland Special Campground - DNR
A special campground for the handicapped located three miles east
of Woodland on County Road 38.
Facilities include 10 camp sites, five picnic sites, trails, and
playground equipment.
Private RV Parks
See Vancouver
RV Parks |
