beacon rock

SeanChristina

We went here on a weekend. It was easy to find and family friendly. The climb is moderate and made safe with all the railing. Take the time to stop along the way up to see all of the amazing views.

michaelwD7407VZ

Beacon Rock is a unique experience to climb a monolith rock if you are afraid of heights I would recommend you don't take this trail but if you love Heights there's a number of ramps and bridges to get to the top and the view from the top is awesome

siesta2014

Great hike up a rock to view the beautiful Columbia Gorge. This is close to Portland and a close place to get away off Hwy 14 in Washington, 35 miles from Vancouver. It is 1.8 miles round trip with switchbacks and rails on the side of a tall rock right along the Columbia River. If heights make you nervous, this is not the "trail" to hike. The trail is on the outside of this rock and is 848 ft. high. You will need a parking pass to park (http://discoverpass.wa.gov/).

DocW543

This is approximately a mile of climbing for about 800 feet of elevation gain. You will climb stairs most of the way. The stairs are an engineering feat accomplished years ago into the side of this rock. The views from the top are great on a clear day. Check out the history of this State Park while you are there, it is quite interesting.

AnnArborMiBob

This olivine basalt monolith (formation consisting of a single piece of rock) is the plug of an ancient volcano, and is one of the largest free-standing monoliths in the world. It looks from a distance very much like a monstrous snub-nosed bullet sticking out of the ground on the north bank of the Columbia River. If you are on a commercial tour of the Columbia River Gorge, then you can see it to your east from Vista House, and it will be a prominent sight directly across the river about 25 miles farther down the road. If your tour driver does not stop to let you get a picture (and I don't know that it would be safe on that stretch of highway), at least have your camera out to get a quick grab shot through your bus window.

rollngstone

The 1 mile hike to the top is a very cool hike, and not that difficult. Expected it to be steeper and more difficult, but at a nice slow and steady pace, you can make it up in about 40 minutes. (20 minutes to get down) Good family hike / dogs must be leashed!Enjoy the spectacular views while you are hiking up and down, because there's not much at the top. *Extra bonus: we saw a Pileated Woodpecker in a tree just as we started the hike up.

cookbookguy

Beacon Rock trail has a great hike to the top. The trail makers worked hard to make this trail and it worth a special trip. The views from the top are great. the only draw back is the ten dollar entry fee (i'm spoiled by all the fee free attractions across the river in Oregon) i had a great time

johnwY516OF

This is an easily accessible hike in the Columbia Gorge. It's pretty much straight up the rock to the top so not very pet friendly. There are spectacular views up and down the gorge from the top and along the way to the top. This hike took my family about an hour to do (up and down).

BrigitteH91

My dad told us about this place because he remembered hiking it as a child with his grandfather and wanted to do the same with his grandson. It is a 1 mile hike to the top with some sharp turns on the path, but well worth the effort to get to the top. The views from the top are beyond belief. If you are afraid of heights, don't look down as you hike up!

handpickd

One day of our trip we went through the Columbia River Gorge to the The Dalles. Beacon Rock was a great short hike to have during that day. There are bathrooms at the parking area. You need to purchase a 1 Day Discovery Pass for $10 but there is a parking machine there so you can use your credit card. You hike a very safe trail with 57 switchbacks to reach the summit. The summit is fenced in so you can't get a great picture from the top. But it gives you beautiful views of the river and is an interesting hike. It's a great way of building an active stop into a trip through the gorge.

196elizabethl

Beacon Rock is an outcropping on the Columbia River, just east of Portland/Vancouver. It's a great hike - a couple miles or less total, the first thru forest, then up the rock - on a paved trail that switchbacks along the edge. Guardrails go the entire way, just in case you get vertigo w/ heights. Magnificent views of the river, valley, and the tops of the fir/hemlock forest below. We took a 5 year old up (holding very tightly to her hand), but it was the 11 and 12 year old boys we took who had the most fun. It's an adventure and an accomplishment they bragged about all week! Beautiful walk, around 2-3 hours round trip, and an iconic part of the Northwest.

matthewr2014

This is a great hike easily within an hour drive from Portland and only a few minutes from the Bonneville Dam and Bonneville Spa and Resort.A lot of the hike is on wooden plank ways with railing. Maybe not so great for little kids or those who have issues with heights. Wonderful views of the gorge to the east and west from the top.

scottsdalegolfergirl

Scenic and well maintained. It was invigorating but not to strenuous, a great day trip! I would definitely recommend and try the Charburger in Cascade Locks for a late lunch after.

PATRICK59Cracovie

Hiked to the top takes between 30/45 min .. But once you reach the top , you have wonderful view of the Columbia gorge

JoeW70

I used to live and play up here quite often about twenty years ago , so I was familiar with the layout and the yardages but the course was in great shape on a clear and sunny day with absolutely no wind , there were but a hand full of golfers that day and teeing off was just about as much fun as a golfer can have because of the layout , sometimes tight and sometime wide but always a challenge. The staff was pleasant and friendly and parking was ample , if I was to have a complaint it would be that damn tree on the finishing hole. l enjoyed my day very very much and certainly would recommend it to anyone wanting a great day of golf with great views