Season 6 . Hike # 15 Beacon Rock

 Season 6 . Hike # 15 Beacon Rock 


Starting Location: Small parking lot off of Hwy 14

Point of Interest : views of Columbia River, Gorge, Bonneville Dam, interesting trail

Distance: about 2 miles up and down.

Difficulty: easy to moderate. Trail is pretty easy, but a bit steep in some places, narrow.

Bathrooms: Yes, at parking lot

Parking: yes

EV Chargers: no

Dogs OK? not sure? I wouldn't take a dog, trail is too narrow.



I've seen Beacon Rock every time we drive down the gorge, but today we finally hiked it. We were originally going to kayak/hike Trillium Lake, but the weather was not Lake weather, so we switched it up.

There's not a ton of parking here, but due to the weather, and it being a Monday, there was plenty of space.

Since the hike goes up this big rock, the leftover inside of a volcano, the sides are a pretty steep drop off. Luckily, there are railings most of the way. The trail was built over 100 years ago, but is still in very good shape.
The views of the Gorge are worth the hike. The trail does end up going around the rock, so you get to see the river both directions. We could even see Bonneville Dam in the near distance. 

The fog was still around when we started at about 9:30am, but eventually cleared up as we descended. 

The trail is pretty narrow, but there are spaces to stand aside and let others pass.

We did have a hiker with us who was worried about the height, and being afraid to do the hike. We managed to talk her into going, and she had no issues at all. The railings really are sturdy.

I read that there are 52 switchbacks on this trail. I believe it. However, this makes the trail manageable as far as steepness. The only places I notices the steepness was at the very top, heading to the final viewing platform, as if the builders were ready to be done, and didn't want to make more smaller steps. 
The viewing platform is the end. It isn't huge, but will hold a dozen people without crowding. This means if there are a lot of hikers, you need to get your pictures quickly, and then make room for others. 







During the hike, I sent a picture to the family text thread, and got the following picture back, so I had to recreate it while I was there!

  




  I do recommend this hike. It's easier than it looks, and the history is also interesting to learn about. 




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