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 Reporter |
Summary: Parking at Beacon Rock State Park requires a Northwest Forest Pass or a $5.00 day use fee payable via the lockbox at the end of the lot. Once you have that out of the way the hike begins climbing moderately into the wooded foothills of Hamilton Mountain and passes through a variety of terrain on the way to Hardy and Rodney Falls. Pause here for a few pictures or sit on the bridge and listen to the water, wildlife, and the winds that seem to blow on most days. As the trail climbs it becomes quite steep on your way to sheer cliffs and spectacular views of the Columbia Gorge. Stay to the right on the “most difficult” marked section of trail that will lead to a plateau overlooking the Columbia River and the Bonneville Dam. There is a variety of plant life on this trail as well, including Sword Ferns, wild rose and snowberry plants as well as mock orange, ocean spray and low bush Oregon grape. This has become one of the more popular hikes in the area, so be on the lookout Trailhead: From Portland OR, I-5 North to WA State Route 14. Travel East to Beacon Rock State Park. Trail Head is located near campground day use area. (Lat:45.63242 Lon:-122.02005) Trail Guides for Hamilton Mountain, Portland Oregon: Hiking the Columbia River Gorge by Russ Schneider (Falcon Guide) Best Seasons: Year-Round User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: Gifford Pinchot National Forest Headquarters 360-891-5000 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Drew Furnia, who has posted 23 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 5 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by mk on 7/14/2008 Loved this hike! Lived in OR all my life and never have been before.. Would def come again...
Reviewed by JamesK on 6/5/2008 My friend Scott and I did this hike on May 31, 2008. Had a great time! The trail is in good shape with a few muddy spots that you need to take care while traversing. Stay to the right at the fork in the trail as others have said, as this will give you the best views. Coming down the back-side of the mountain using the other trail is recommended. It's easier on the knees and allows for a great view about 5 minutes from the top, where you can get a great view of Mt. Adams on a clear day (not to mention a better view of the Gorge.) Great hike!
Reviewed by Joseph on 4/7/2008 This was my first time on Mt Hamilton. We had a bit of a rainy day yesterday, but this was still a very enjoyable hike. The hike was not near as difficult as I expected, and I do agree with everyone else to "stay to the right." The sign says its "more difficult", but it really was not bad and the views (at least of the falls) were spectacular. It was cloudy, foggy, raining, and we even got a bit of wind driven hail near the top, but I look forward to doing this one again on a clear day. There are some magnificant views to had.
Reviewed by Tyler on 3/10/2008 I have done this hike several times, with my most recent on March 5th. The trail was in good condition, if a bit muddy in places. There were no major downed trees though. There was several feet of snow (in drifts) above the 2000' level. The snow was present on the road (trail) back down to about 1,500'. As always, great views and few people.
Reviewed by lin on 11/26/2007 This was a great hike, wonderful views and nice waterfall. After reading the review of the hiker on 11/24 I am wondering where they encountered a hornets nest this time of year! Glad to report, we saw -0- bees or the like, seems a bit chilly for them. Dress warm as the wind is very cold on the first leg of the hike. Enjoy!
Reviewed by Donovan Mattole on 11/24/2007 This is a great hike, but, I don't think we'll be hiking it again anytime soon, due to a frightful encounter with a ground hornets nest. My daughter and I took the "right" trail to the top. Definitely the best way to go! It has majestic views of the Columbia, Dog Mt., Beacon Rock and the Bonneville Dam. It is a steeper, but as we found out the hard way coming down, it is much quicker. For variety, we took the other trail down. Instead of a trail, about a third of the the hike is along a Forest Service road. I don't know about you, but when out in the woods I prefer not to hike along roads. We also had a nasty encounter with bees and have now dubbed this hike Triple H Mt - the "Hamilton Hornet Hell" hike.
Reviewed by MAS on 11/11/2007 Take the path to the right. The one we took to the left was boring. It just goes up a stupid gravel service road with few views. The path to the right is far more scenic and trail is more pleasant. Lots of good switchbacks. I would help if the park service would tell people the distance on the sign for each route.
Reviewed by JB on 9/8/2007 Great hike and workout!! I advise to stay to the right for the best views. It's a bit more difficult but the views distract you. This hike is not often crowded and offers a great outdoor escape. Also, took the dog and he loved it. Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Washington Hiking, Washington Trails, Washington Hikes, Skamania County Hiking, Skamania County Trails, Skamania County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||