Hamilton Mountain — Breathtaking views from above Beacon Rock

April 29, 2021 |

Quick Facts:

Location: Beacon Rock State Park, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

Land Agency: Washington State Parks

Roundtrip: 7.5 miles

Elevation gain: 2,100 feet

Contact: Beacon Rock State Park

Notes: Discover Pass required; Dogs permitted on leash.

Green Trails Map: Columbia River Gorge West No. 428S

Recommended Guidebooks: Day Hiking Columbia River Gorge, 100 Classic Hikes Washington

Good to Know: dog-friendly, snow free winter hike; exceptional wild flowers, historic, waterfalls, practice Leave No Trace Principles, Popular Trail-parking fills early-consider hiking on a weekday

Access: From Vancouver WA, follow SR 14 east for 35 miles to Beacon Rock State Park. Just beyond park headquarters, turn left toward campground reaching trailhead in .3 mile.

Hamilton Mountain’s impressive basalt cliffs.

One of the finest hikes on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge; Hamilton delivers breathtaking views, dazzling wildflowers, and a pair of dramatic waterfalls. Amble below, along, and above basaltic cliffs peering up and down the dramatic gorge spread before you. And delight in the trails and bridges leading you to all of this; showy legacies of the 1930s era Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). While Beacon Rock is the crown jewel of the 4,458-acre state park of same name; Hamilton Mountain is where the real hiking action is in the park. But don’t expect solitude—for all of the aforementioned reasons, this is an extremely popular hike.

The trail starts at a lovely picnic area graced with structures built by the CCC. Beacon Rock is one of over 800 state parks nationally that was developed and enhanced by President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Tree Army” during the Great Depression. Enter a grove of large firs and immediately start climbing. At .4 mile, bear right at a junction with a trail leading to the campground. Continue climbing through attractive forest decorated by snowy-white Pacific dogwood bouquets in spring and garnished with golden vine maple leaves in autumn.

At 1.1 miles, come to a junction with the Hardy Falls Viewpoint spur. Affording not the best vista, the spur drops steeply 50-feet to a platform above the falls. Better waterfall viewings are ahead—so carry on .1 mile to another junction. Left leads to Rodney Falls, an impressive 50-foot cascade that thunders through a tight chasm into a punchbowl basin named the “Pool of Winds.” “Pool of Mist” is what I prefer to call it—and you’ll realize why soon enough!

After literally soaking in the view, continue on your way to Hamilton, dropping fifty feet to cross Hardy Creek on a hardy bridge. Then, steeply climb reaching a junction with the Hardy Creek Trail at 1.6 miles. You’ll be returning left, so continue right steadily climbing; switchbacking beneath and around steep ledges and cliffs. Views begin. Beacon Rock and the Bonneville Dam lie directly below. Mount Hood peeks above Oregon’s steep and impressive Gorge Face. In late spring and early summer, paintbrush, phlox, larkspur, and others decorate Hamilton’s steep slopes. At 3.4 miles crest Hamilton’s 2,438-foot summit. Brush obscures viewing to the south and west, but views are good east especially to impressive Table Mountain.

Now, hike along Hamilton’s north ridge enjoying excellent views of Hardy Ridge. Emerge on an open flat saddle. By this point, crowds have thinned out considerably as many Hamilton hikers travel out and back instead of making the loop. At 4.3 miles reach a junction with an old fire road. Follow it left slowly descending through forest, passing Don’s Cut-off and reaching the Upper Hardy Creek Trail. Continue left and soon afterward veer left onto the Hardy Creek Trail. Now paralleling Hardy Creek gently descend through lush forest occasionally passing remnant burnt snags arriving back on the Hamilton Mountain Trail. Turn right and retrace familiar ground 1.6 miles back to the trailhead.

For more information on this hike (including maps) and others in Beacon Rock State Park as well as 100 other hikes in the Columbia River Gorge in both Washington and Oregon; check out my Day Hiking Columbia River Gorge.