Explore Skamania County - Find a Sasquatch or a Mountain Trail
The Skamania Chamber of Commerce has developed itineraries for all types of travelers.
This week we offer two of our favorites - Sasquatch Sightings and Mountain Adventure.
Find out for yourself on this journey through Skamania County, a true Sasquatch Refuge!
Sasquatch Sightings from Skamania County Chamber.
1. Cape Horn Overlook. You can either stop at the pullout on MP-26, or take a short hike from the picnic area.
2. Beacon Rock State Park. (Discover Pass Required). During the summer of 1970, three reports were made with sightings or evidence of Sasquatch in the Beacon Rock area. A Portland man encountered a creature in a cave; another person measured footprints that were 9 inches wide and almost 19 inches long; and a local woman changing a tire in the middle of the night had a face-to-face experience that she detailed in very descriptive terms. Take the hike to the top of Beacon Rock, the core of an ancient volcano. The mile-long hike that is open year-round provides panoramic views.
3. Stop in North Bonville and check out the North Bonneville’s Bigfoot Discovery Trail system. Enjoy more than 12 miles of paved trails that wind through the small town and seek out the 15 Bigfoot statues that live there. While exploring, take the path to Beacon Rock Golf Course for lunch outside on their deck. Hearty sandwiches and juicy burgers are their specialties. Who knows—you might spy something peeking out from the many trees lining the fairways.
5 & 6. Stevenson: In September 1969, Skamania County Sheriff Bill Closner photographed two tracks, 15½ inches long by 9 inches wide, at a logging operation five miles north of town. While seeking evidence of your own, check out Bigfoot Coffee Roasters (4) for a delightful variety of Sasquatch memorabilia along with fabulous coffee. Just down the street at the Skamania County Pioneer’s offices, you can read special issues of the local paper that document many of these stories. Don’t miss the photo opportunity in front of the Skamania County Chamber of Commerce (5)—put your face in Bigfoot and say cheese! As you leave Stevenson and head east, stop at The Cabin Drive-Thru (6) for another photo op. Make sure you have a cone full of their tasty frozen custard as you stand next to Bigfoot holding his own.
Beacon Rock State Park
7. Carson, Washington, is the southeastern gateway to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Mt. St. Helens. This part of Skamania County is rich with Sasquatch appearances, dating back to the 1850s. Best to spend the night in Carson and prepare for an intense day of “squatching” tomorrow. Carson Hot Springs Resort has been in operation for over a 100 years, providing healing waters for those seeking respite from aches and pains. The remote location is perfect for increased anticipation of another potential sighting. Reserve a Wind River room with a hot tub on the balcony and treat yourself. Or choose a standard guestroom and take advantage of the new soaking pool. Either choice will rejuvenate you for the next day’s adventures.
8. Continue north past the Carson National Fish Hatchery and then up and over Old Man Pass. In April 1969, three men from Gresham photographed tracks that appeared to have been made by someone with a five-foot stride, about 20 miles north of Carson. For generations hunters seeking deer and elk have reported sounds and smells unattributable to anything human. At the intersection with Forest Road 90, turn north on FS 25 to Windy Ridge. In the summer of 1955, workers at a YMCA camp at Spirit Lake claimed to have viewed an albino Sasquatch, hurdling logs between Coldwater Lake and St. Helens Lake. Look for yourself along FS 99 while checking out the interpretive signage at the McClellan Observation site (9) re-telling eruption details from 1980.
9. Challenge yourself by climbing the 368 steps of the sand ladder at Windy Ridge and be rewarded with the closest viewing of the Mt. St. Helens crater available. On the trip back down the east side of the mountain, imagine escaping the avalanche of mud and ash that occurred during the historic blast. Endless numbers of unexplained experiences have been reported around Mt. St. Helens and the only answer seems to be – it must have been Bigfoot.
Skamania Mountain Adventures
Mountain Adventure from Skamania County Chamber.
1 & 2. Base your stay at the Resort at Skamania Cove or Carson Hot Springs Resort, where you can opt for a room with a private balcony hot tub.
3. Dog Mountain Trail. This challenging trail is particularly spectacular in the spring when wildflowers are blooming, but it offers amazing views of the gorge year round. Be prepared for a challenging hike with an elevation gain of almost 3,000’ in 3.5 miles. A NW Forest Pass is required at the trailhead and you must have a permit to hike the trail on weekends in May and June.
4. Enjoy dinner at the Red Bluff Tap House in Stevenson.
5. You can either follow the original itinerary suggestion, and hike the Wind Mountain Trail, or the alternative we are showing on this map is the Pacific Crest Trail. You can start the trail at the Columbia River if you are up for an energetic climb, or you can start at the Panther Campground or nearby trailhead and enjoy a peaceful and gentle walk along the ridge top.
6-9. After your hike, head down to Stevenson where you can check out the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center (6), which provides an overview of the economic, geological, and cultural history of the area, and enjoy Teo Park (7) on the Columbia River waterfront, and enjoy local stores such as Bloomsbury Flower Shop (8) and Out on a Limb Clothing and Home Décor (9).
10 & 11. For dinner, head to Carson Backwoods Brewing Company’s pub (10), with an outdoor patio and indoor dining, and then finish the evening with a nightcap at the nearby Bungalo Bar & Grill (11).
12. On day two, check out Beacon Rock State Park and the Hamilton Mountain Hike. Hikers will experience lush forest scenery with views of Hardy Creek, Rodney Falls, and the Pool of Winds, an impressive cavern enclosing Rodney Falls. The trail is eight miles round trip, and one of the coolest features is the opportunity to look down on Beacon Rock. Make sure to bring your Discover Pass.
13. For the second night, treat yourself to dinner at the Cascade Dining Room at the Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, known for superb dishes that are interestingly unique to the Cascades as well as their impeccable service.
14. Before heading home on your last morning, take a hike up Silver Star Mountain. Sitting in the center of the Chinook Trail System near Battle Ground, Silver Star offers expansive vistas from the get-go and is one of the absolute best spots in Southwest Washington for wildflowers in the springtime.
