Pets allowed
Allowed
Guided tours
No
Backcountry camping
No
Lodging
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

The Lewis and Clark Corp of Discovery pulled up along the shores of the Columbia River in the fall of 1805 and were the first to describe this iconic basalt outcropping as "Beacon Rock".  However, the name was later modified to Castle Rock and remained that way until 1915, when Henry Biddle, a wealthy engineer and amateur botanist originally from Pennsylvania, purchased the land encompassing the monolith for a reputed $1.  Biddle convinced the US Board of Geographic Names to restore its 1805 moniker. When Biddle died 12 years later, his children donated the land to the State of Washington, and Beacon Rock became a public park in 1932.

Whether you are looking for a good day hike, hoping to take the horses out on the trail, need an overnight camping spot, want to picnic in an open field, need to dock your sailboat, or want to scale the south face of the rock that started it all, this 5,100-acre state park has you covered.  Besides the popular switchback trail that allows the common visitor to make it to the top of the 680-foot Beacon Rock, the hike to the top of 2,445-foot Hamilton Mountain is perfect for taking in panoramic views of the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood, catching a glance of Rodney Falls, and simply enjoying the mountain's spectacular display of wildflowers in early summer.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Spring
Summer

Congestion

Moderate

Parking Pass

Washington Discovery Pass

Pros

Numerous excellent hikes. Plenty of amenities for the whole family.

Cons

NW Forest Pass not recognized (Washington Discovery Pass required).

Features

Campgrounds + Campsites
Showers
Flushing toilets
Boat ramp(s)
Rock climbing
Potable water
Picnic tables
Covered picnic areas
Marina
Waterfalls
Horseback riding
Playground

Site type

Full hookups

Location

Nearby Adventures

Comments

03/17/2018
Equestrian Campground is open after 7 pm for campers without horses for one night. There are two pull-in sites with tables, hitching posts and fire rings, they are visible from the parking lot. They are 12$ a night with 10$ per vehicle. This place was a saving grace when we were trying to find a last minute late night campsite.
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