Photo by Adam Sawyer
Beacon Rock is the 848-foot-high monolith that sits on the banks of the Columbia River in Bonneville, Washington. Once a volcano, the Missoula Floods washed away the exterior of Beacon Rock, leaving only an eroded lava plug.
Referred to as Che-che-op-tin (meaning, “the naval of the world”) by Native Americans, the rock was renamed by Lewis and Clark in 1805 and purchased by Henry Biddle in 1915. Along with his donkeys, a sure-footed Biddle constructed a unique trail to the summit. Completed in 1918, the trail consists of dizzying hand-railed bridges, ledges, and switchbacks. Though segments have been replaced or repaired over the years, Henry Biddle’s trail to the top of Beacon Rock remains to this day—and what a trial it is.
In the 1930s, Beacon Rock was almost blown to bits as part of an Army Corps of Engineers jetty project. In an attempt to save Henry’s labor of love, the Biddle family offered the basalt icon to the state of Washington in hopes that the area would become a state park. Initially, Washington cold-shouldered the offer and Oregon stepped up to accept the gift. This prompted a change of heart by Washington, and Beacon Rock State Park was born shortly thereafter.
The hike up Beacon Rock begins as the trail ascends gently through a traditional Gorge forest. The real fun starts once you pass the metal gate used to close the trail when conditions are too icy. Once you head up onto the rock itself, the trail looks a lot like a madman’s jungle gym. Wooden platforms, metal railings, chiseled basalt, and molded concrete all combine to create this one-of-a-kind trail. The middle half-mile of the ascent can be either exciting or nail biting, depending on your family’s tolerance for heights and exposure. The trail once again becomes a bit more traditional as you get closer to the summit. Though a picnic is possible, there’s not much room at the top. Savor the views of the Columbia River Gorge instead.
The one-mile, 600-foot elevation trip to the top of Beacon Rock provides the family with an opportunity to hike along a path that is an amazing feat of trail engineering, and also a piece of Gorge history.
-Adam Sawyer
Photo by Adam Sawyer
Photo by Adam Sawyer
