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One step on a trail at Columbia Hills Historical State Park is like entering a dream. Everywhere you look you’ll get a sweeping perspective over a wide, impressive landscape. You’ll get a flavor and feel for the Native American culture and historical influence in this part of the U.S. Plus, the climate in this region tends to be mild throughout the entire year, making it a prime locale for year-round exploration.
Located a short drive across the Dalles Bridge, near the Washington-Oregon border, Columbia Hills Historical State Park is made up of these four different sites:
1. Horesethief Lake – great for campers and water sports enthusiasts. Both kayak and paddleboard rentals are available here for visitors to explore the lake which was created by The Dalles Dam. This site is also historical. Here you can join a guided tour of the striking petroglyphs at the park including the She Who Watches petroglyph. Reservations for this tour are required and limited to 20 people. You can learn more about this on the state park website here.
2. Horsethief Butte – ideal for climbers and those who enjoy short hikes and breathtaking views.
3. Crawford Oaks Trailhead – a popular wildflower trail and easier hike.
4. Dalles Mountain Ranch – for the history buffs with an interest in farming. You can also access Crawford Oaks trails from here.
Know before you go: A discover pass is required for vehicle access into the park and it grants you access to all 4 sites.
Hiking
We did a single day visit to this park. During our visit, we hiked at Horsethief Butte and Crawford Oaks Trailhead, two of the four sites at the park. You can read more about each hike/site below.
Horsethief Butte Trail
This is a very popular, short trail that requires a bit of rock-climbing or rock-scrambling at certain points which makes it an excellent choice for the tepid thrill-seeker. The butte is a castle-like formation that formed during Ice Age floods.
The trail is well signed and easy to find/follow with a restroom located at the trailhead. Total distance is about 1.5 miles and total elevation a few hundred feet gain. When we reached the top of the trail – the highest point we could access on the butte – we turned around and saw everything before us drop into a valley. The river, the roads, the trees, everything. And our jaws corresponded by dropping because it was beyond any scale of normal geography we had ever seen! The narrow valley here is the Columbia River Gorge.
Oaks Trailhead
This site offers lovely trails that crisscross the Columbia Hills. You’ll enjoy wide views of coastal savanna/prairie as well as the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. We hiked here in late spring and were hoping to get an eyeful of the abundant wildflowers that cover the hills, but things must have bloomed earlier in the season. If you’re able to hike here during peak wildflower season, we’re told you’ll see endless, golden-yellow balsamroot, dark purple larkspur flower and orange paintbrush.
Play it safe: Be on the lookout for ticks if you visit in the spring because that is prime time for those pests. Other critters to be mindful of are coyotes and rattlesnakes.
If you hear the Columbia Hills calling your name, we hope you’ll one day heed the call to visit!
~ Justin and Alyssa
