Columbia Views

2010 Columbia Views �

columbia views

2010 visitor guide for southwest washington and northwest oregon

� tdn.com/ColumbiaViews

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hichever direction you look from within the

Lower Columbia region, the views are outstanding.

Our annual tourism guide, now called Columbia Views,

will help you decide which ones to see.

The pages that follow tell how to make the most of a visit to Mount St. Helens, which has a special anniversary this year. It’s been 30 years since its eruption changed the local landscape — and the volcano became the main tourist attrac-tion in the Longview-Kelso area.

The harsh but beautiful landscape around the volcano has plenty of competi-tion for sightseeing in the Lower Colum-bia region.

For a completely different experience, follow the route of Lewis and Clark, who spent the winter of 1805-06 near Astoria, Ore. Drive west along the broad Columbia River, which meets the Pacific Ocean near towns fresh with sea breeze that have become tourist destinations.

Ocean landscapes range from miles of flat, sandy beach to towering cliffs topped by solid lighthouses that still are in use a century after they were built.

The region’s small towns offer their own delights, and most put on family-ori-ented festivals during the summer.

This guide helps you plan for those festivals, and many more of the region’s natural and man-made pleasures.

May your views of the Columbia region be good.

Plenty of clear views ...

2010 Columbia Views �386745


on the coverThe North Head Lighthouse at Cape Dis-appointment seen during a summer sun-set. Tours are available at this century-old lighthouse. The lighthouse grounds are open at no charge, year-round, dawn until dusk. Call (360) 642-3078 for details.

Photo: Bill Wagner


columbia views

2010 visitor guide for southwest washington and northwest oregon

columbia viewsThe 2010 visiTor guide for souThwesT washingTon

and norThwesT oregon

discoverLocaL HistoryWalk in the footprints of Lewis & Clark . . . . 6

Mount st. HeLensLearn all about the volcano . . . . . . . . . 8-15

Hiking traiLs10 trails you shouldn’t miss . . . . . . . . 16-17

caMpgroundsPick your perfect getaway . . . . . . . . . 18-19

WiLdLifeTop spots to see animals . . . . . . . . . 20-21

fisHingMany different fish to hook . . . . . . . . 22-23

riversPlay, fish, relax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-25

boat LauncHesLearn where to drop your boat in . . . . 26-27

Mountain bikingTrails – beginner to expert – abound . . 28-29

road bikingGear up for scenic trips . . . . . . . . . . 30-31

skate parksA new, challenging park beckons . . . . . . 32

suMMer concertsFree entertainment this summer. . . . . . . 33

tHeatersA bounty of performing arts space . . . 34-35

art sceneGalleries display local art . . . . . . . . . . . 36

goLf coursesLearn where to make a tee time . . . . . 38-39

festivaLsExtensive list of regional events . . . . . 40-41

destinationsLongvieW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42-45

keLso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46-47

castLe rock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48-49

kaLaMa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50-51

WoodLand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52-53

coLuMbia county . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

WaHkiakuM county . . . . . . . . . . 56-57

astoria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

WasHington coast . . . . . . . . . . 60-63

oregon coast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64-65

regionaL Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66-67

22 32catch of the day

Learn about tHe LocaL fisHSturgeon, salmon, trout, bass and smelt are all for the taking in Lower Columbia and its tributaries.

a skate of mind

pick a park to pLay inThe region offers several skate parks, including a top-notch, brand spanking new outdoor park in Kelso.

that’s oddtHe region is no stranger to strangeness, and it Has tHe attractions to prove it

nutty narroWs bridge: San Francisco may be known for the Golden Gate Bridge, but that’s peanuts compared to Longview’s Nutty Narrows Bridge. De-signed to spare the life of spastic squirrels with a penchant for playing chicken, the Nutty Narrows was originally erected over Olympia Way in 1963 by Amos Peters, a local construction firm owner. The 60-foot-wide span is fashioned from aluminum and a length of retired fire hose. The Nutty Nar-rows moved to its 1600 Louisiana Street, directly across from the Longview Public Library in 2005.

tHe WinLock egg: The town of Winlock can “egg-cite” you. Once the world’s second-largest egg producer, Winlock dedicated a giant ovum to itself in the 1920s. Its latest “egg-carnation” is a half-ton structure, balanced ever-so-precariously on a pole. The town hosts an “egg-stravagant” festival, Winlock Egg Days, June 25-27 this year.

gospodor MonuMent park: Driv-ing north on Interstate 5 near milepost 63, motorists can see Dominic Gospodor’s eye-catching works at his monument park. Towering 108 feet high is Mother Teresa, crowned with a wooden carving of Jesus Christ. Another statue of Mother Teresa and a third 87-foot-tall monument honors victims of the Holocaust. A fourth piece honors American Indians. His newest cre-ation features the Alaskan and American flags high atop a massive weather vein.


40 4636

10

tour art galleries

LocaL artisans Have been busySeveral galleries offer a mix of student and professional art from the Northwest. Also see Page 34-35 for local theater info.

festivals

packed fuLL of funSomething is happening every weekend throughout the summer and into the fall. What events will you see?

roll into kelso

History & exciteMentA new family fun center, the Three Rivers Mall, the Cowlitz County Historical Museum and a reviving downtown await.

mount st. helens

cLiMb tHe voLcanoIt’s strenuous but most beginners can summit the peak in a day


longview: a planned city

Longview was founded in 19�3 by Kan-sas City timber multimillionaire R.A. Long. It’s reportedly the first American city built from scratch since Washing-ton, D.C. Today, you can see evidence of that original plan in the careful layout of the downtown area, especially in the area around the Civic Center, a grassy, tree-laden park fronted by the Post Of-fice, the public library and the historic Monticello Hotel.

Stop by the Merc at the corner of Commerce and Broadway, where historical information is available. A brochure tells about historic buildings in the town.

•cowlitz county historical society

For more information on local history, visit the Cowlitz County Historical So-ciety at �05 Allen St., Kelso. Its hours are 10 a.m.-� p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. 577-3119.

•lewis and clark interpretive center

The single best source of information

on the Lewis and Clark Expedition in these parts is the Interpretive Center in Cape Disappointment State Park near Ilwaco.

It’s near the North Head lighthouse, which has guided sailors to the Colum-bia River since 185�.

Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Cost to enter is $5 for adults, $�.50 for children 7-17.

Information: (3�0) ��-30�9 or www.capedisappointment.org

•fort clatsop

The replica of Fort Clatsop, where the Lewis and Clark Expedition spent the winter of 1805-0�, is a good place for kids and adults to explore. Peer into the tiny wooden rooms and lie down on the hard wooden bunks.

The Fort Clatsop National Memorial is about 5 miles west of Astoria. Summer hours are 9 a.m.-� p.m. daily. Cost is $3 for adults and free fom those 15 and younger.

For information, call (503) 8�1-��71 or see www.nps.gov/focl

•fort stevens

Fort Stevens, now one of Oregon’s most popular state parks, was built in 18�� because of concern that British

forces in Canada might invade. It has the only enclosed Civil War earthworks on the West Coast.

The massive concrete gun batteries, one of which has a replica of a World War I-era gun, are fun to explore.

A museum tells of one of the fort’s claims to fame as being the only U.S. mainland fort attacked during World War II, when it was shelled by a Japa-nese submarine.

The park is 10 miles west of Astoria, off Oregon Highway 101. There’s a $3 day use fee.

www.oregonstateparks.org

•fort columbia state park

Like Fort Stevens, Fort Columbia State Park has artillery bunkers and military buildings dating from around 1900.

Military personnel manned the fort during three wars, the Spanish-Ameri-can War of 1898 and World Wars I and II.

People can spend the night in one of the fort’s old residences.

Fort Columbia State Park is two miles west of the Washington end of the Astoria-Megler Bridge. The entrance is just west of a tunnel on Highway 101.

Summer hours are �:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. daily. Admission is free.

www.parks.wa.gov

The Lower Columbia area’s main historical claim to fame was the Lewis and Clark Expedi-tion’s visit the winter of 1804-05. More recently, Longview became a rare planned-from-

scratch city when it was formed in 1923. Here are some places to visit to enrich your appreciation of history.

Walk through history

Photo: River Walk trail in Castle Rock

Ride the

Chehalis-Centralia Steam Train

Chehalis Exit 77 • (360) 748-9593www.steamtrainride.com

• Brunch/Dinner Trains• Murder Mystery Dinner Trains• Weekend Rides Through Sept.• Special Charters• Special events monthly

385996

columbia viewsThe 2010 visiTor guide for souThwesT washingTon

and norThwesT oregon

editoriaLeditor Rieva Lester

associate editor Tom Paulu

associate editor Julie Breslin

Lead pHotograpHer Bill Wagner

pHotograpHer Roger Werth

pHotograpHer at Large Tyler Tjomsland

pHotograpHer at Large Greg Ebersole

pHotograpHer at Large Evan Caldwell

pHotograpHer at Large Leila Summers

Lead Writer Tom Paulu

Writer Jill FitzSimmons

creative director Evan Caldwell

Web site designer Mike Rogers

onLine editor Scot Heisel

associate onLine editor Greg Garrison

advertisingretaiL saLes Manager Steve Quaife

cLassified & onLine saLes

Manager Marianne Chambers

grapHic supervisor Kaci Foultner

grapHic artist Barbara Chapman

grapHic artist Marc Monge

grapHic artist Deborah Proshold

grapHic artist Emily Kilbourn

ad Layout designer Susan Robinson

LoWer coLuMbia MediaMaiL P.O. Box 189

770 11th Ave.

Longview, WA 98632

pHone 1-800-341-4745

Web tdn.com/ColumbiaViews

to advertise For information or to advertise

in our next issue, call 360-577-2552.

copies Columbia Views is published by Lower

Columbia Media and distributed throughout

Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon.

Copies are available at select businesses and

destinations throughout the region and at The

Daily News, 770 11th Ave., Longview, Wash.

© Columbia Views, 2010 Lower Columbia Media; The Daily News, a Lee Enterprises newspaper

pubLisHer Rick Parrish

8 tdn.com/ColumbiaViews

Volcano ViewsMount St. Helens’ eruption on May 18, 1980, killed 57

people and permanently changed the local landscape. Since then, the volcano has spawned a wealth of

tourist attractions. Three decades after the eruption, visitors can easily spend two or three days checking out all the volcano-related trails, visitor centers and scenic drives.

The best views into the crater are from Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, which has four visitor centers.

South of the volcano is the climbing route, a fasci-nating cave and a dramatic canyon (on next page).

Or drive all the way around the peak to Windy Ridge, which has still more breathtaking views.

The view from Johnston Ridge Observatory

discover Mount St. Helens

Silver LakeMountSt. Helens

N o r t h F o r kT o u t l e R i v e r

5

504

mount st. helens visitor center

day trip

5 can’t-miss destinations along Spirit Lake Memorial Highway to the north side of Mount St. Helens

sediment dam

hoffstadt bluffs visitor center

weyerhaeuser forest learning center

Johnston ridge observatory

1 the start

The main Mount St. Helens visitor center isn’t just a place to learn about the volcano, it’s one of the most impressive public buildings in the region — so are other visitor centers farther up the road.

Even if you’re not planning to go all the way to the mountain, the Mount st. Helens visitor center is worth a trip. You can easily spend an educational 90 minutes seeing everything at Cowlitz County’s largest museum. It offers lessons in geology, history, and, of course, volcanology.

A 36- by -22-foot mural of the volcano’s billowing cloud of ash and steam greets visi-tors at the center, which is 5 miles up Spirit Lake Memo-rial Highway.

The center is now owned and operated by Washington State Parks, so federal access passes aren’t valid.

Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily May through September. Cost: $3 adults, $1 ages 7-17, $8 per family. Fee covers admission to this center only.

Phone: (360) 274-0962 Web site: parks.wa.gov/interp/mountsthelens/

The Toutle River sediment retention structure traps gravel and sand that has washed down the Toutle River valley.

Left unchecked, all the sediment loos-ened by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens would clog the Cowlitz River, with a resulting risk of flooding.

It’s an impressive structure: 184 feet high and 1,800 feet long. A short path leads to a viewpoint, or walk a mile to get onto the SRS itself, and stroll its length. This summer, the Army Corps of Engineers plans to solidify the channel behind the dam to reduce the sediment flow.

The turnoff to the SRS is at milepost 22 of Spirit Lake Memorial Highway.

Owned and operated by Cowlitz Coun-ty, Hoffstadt bluffs visitor center was remodeled last year.

It has expanded exhibits and Fire Mountain Grill restaurant menu, along with a gift shop.

In summer, Hillsboro Aviation offers he-licopter tours starting at Hoffstadt Bluffs, weather permitting. The cost is $149 per person. The center is 27 miles up the highway. Admission is free. It opens at 11 a.m. daily, with variable closing hours.

Phone: 274-5200. Web site: hoffstadtbluffs.com

Weyerhaeuser, which lost 20,700 acres of timber to Mount St. Helens’ fury, has a visitor center of its own — the Weyerhaeuser for-est Learning center.

Exhibits tell about the pre-eruption forest and how the company salvaged downed timber.

Observation areas outside the center have telescopes, and elk can often be spotted in the Toutle valley below. Vol-unteers sometimes help point them out.

This year, the center’s exhib-its will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Fridays through Sundays and holidays May 14 through Labor Day. The gift shop, playground and observation areas are open daily through the end of October.

Admission is free.Phone: 274-7750. Web site:

mountsthelens.com/ Forest-Learning-Center.html

The Johnston ridge obser-vatory boasts the best view-point into Mount St. Helens’ crater accessible by road.

The base of the volcano looms just three miles away, with the sharp summit ridge twice as far. The observatory sits atop a 1,000-foot-high cliff, adding to the drama.

The building itself houses a high-tech theater and big volcano model along with exhibits on geology and the 1980 eruption.

The Eruption Trail outside makes a ¾-mile loop, or continue on the Boundary Trail for as many miles as you have time and energy for. An outside amphitheater opens this year.

A trailer in the parking lot offers limited food service such as hot dogs, snacks and drinks.

The observatory is at the east end of Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, 54 miles from I-5.

Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. every day from May 18 through October.

Cost: $8 per day for those 16 and older, to visit the center or park in the lot.

Phone: 274-2140. Web site: fs.fed.us/gpnf/mshnvm

2 one dirty dam

3 new & improved

5 at the top

4 the trees’ story


Monday - Friday 10:00am - 5:30pm;Saturday - Sunday 10:00am - 4:00pm


105 Cowlitz St. West, Castle Rock360-274-4663

over 3000 bolts!

Castle RockNursery

360-274-8388I-5 Exit 48, 1 mile West on Huntington, right on Buland

H2O • Dirt • SunLove • Imagination

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386190

Wine tasting roomopen daily at

The Blue Heron Inn2846 Spirit Lake Hwy. Castle Rock

5 miles from I-5, Exit 49(360) 967-2257

www.mtsthelenscellars.comcall or check the website for hours

The 7Wonders Museum & Bookstore presents:

Clues�from�Mount�St.�Helens�to�earth’s�catastrophic�past�

4749�Spirit�Lake�Hwy.��www.creationism.org/sthelens�

360�274�5737�Free�admission��

Castle RockI-5 at Exit 49

1163 Mt. St. Helens Way(360) 274-4271

LongviewBaker’s Corner Plaza5614 Ocean Beach Plaza

(360) 577-7272Try our Drive-Thru!

RidgefieldI-5 at Exit 14

109 South 65th Ave.(360) 877-1818

ThrEE LoCaTIons ToBETTEr sErvE You.

SeRving the BeSt Pizza

in Southwest Washington Since 1974

• Pizza • salads• Chicken Wings

• soft Drinks • Beer & Wine

We Offer Everything & More!• Minit Mart• Food• Beer & Wine• Fuel• Gun Room

Great Selection of Fishing EquipmentFrom rods to reels

to lures to bait.

We will supply you with everything for your next fishing trip.

4858 Westside Hwy., Castle Rock

360.274.8111386846

• Picnic Supplies • Visitor Information • Fishing License & Bait • Fresh Coffee & Cold Drinks • Espresso On Site

5304 Spirit Lake Hwy. (Hwy 504)(360) 274-8920 Toutle, WA 98649

Full-LineGrocery & Hot Deli

Food

The Gateway to Mount St. Helens

Where Past, Present and Future Come Together

to castlerock • silver laketoutle • kid valley

Mt. St. HelensSouveniers

Post Cards • GiftsCastle RockPharmacy

117 1st St. SW, Castle Rock(360) 274-8211

Mt. St. Helens GiftsMt. St. Helens Art Glass & Pottery

T-shirts • Jewelry • DVD’sQuality Gifts • SouvenirsOPEN ALL YEAR

(360) 274-7011 • 1254 B Mt. St. Helens Way, Castle RockJust off I-5 Exit 49, in Crossroads Plaza.

2010 Columbia Views ��

I-5 Exit 49, Next to Burger KingM-F 5am-7pm, Sat. & Sun. 7am-7pm

Hand Pressed Espresso

Specialty Drinks...Ash Kicker, Big Blast, & Toutle River Mudslide

Fruit Smoothies • Mochas • Latte’s

When you visit Mt. St. Helens,dine and shop at

19 Mile HouseRiver View • Famous Cobbler

Homestyle BurgersVegetarian & Gluten Free Options Avail.

9440 Spirt Lake Hwy. (SR-504)Between Mileposts 18&19

Toutle, WA • (360) 274-8779

Last Gas Station on 504(Pay at the pump 24/7 w/ credit card)

93360 Spirit Lake Highway • (360) 274-4528

Kid ValleyStore

The Gateway to Mount St. Helens

Where Past, Present and Future Come Together

to castlerock • silver laketoutle • kid valley

Welcome to Mt. St. Helens & Bigfoot Country!

Come see the 22 ft. Bigfoot Statue in the parking Lot!

Large SeLeCtion of Bigfoot SouvenirS

Shirts • Hats • PostersBooks • Souvenir items

Mt. St. HeLenS gift iteMST-shirts • Hats • Mt. St. Helens art glass • DVD’s • Ceramics

Jewelry • Souvenir itemsno Charge to Park rv or camp

NorthFork

SurvivorS9745 Spirit Lake Hwy. Toutle, WA

360 274-6789Exit 49 from I-5, then head east. We are located on

Hwy 504 at milepost 19.3 on the right

386844

1� tdn.com/ColumbiaViews

Picture Perfect

climbing the volcanoMount St. Helens got some bad publicity in Feb-

ruary when a climber fell off the top to his death.But climbing is safer in summer months, when

there’s less snow, and the vast majority of climb-ers suffer nothing worse than sore muscles.

In past years, between 11,000 and 12,000 people have received climbing permits and more than 80 percent make it to the summit. To reach the top requires climbing 4,500 feet of elevation in five miles. Strong legs – but no technical climb-ing expertise — are needed.

Permits are required to climb the mountain. For more information, see www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/

recreation/mount-st-helens.

Spirit Lake Memorial Highway may get most of the glory, but don’t overlook the southern approach to Mount St. Helens. Because the south side didn’t suffer much devastation 30 years ago, there actually much more to do here.

lava canyonAbout 3,500 years ago, lava flowed

down a canyon a few miles from Mount St. Helens, forming giant blobs as big as three- or four-story buildings.

There they sat, largely unnoticed, until a 1980 volcanic mudflow down the Muddy River scoured out the canyon, exposing dramatic cliffs, lava forma-tions and churning waterfalls that had been hidden.

Now a system of loop trails 2 ½ miles long, some of it wheelchair-accessible, serves the canyon.

But beware: five people have fallen to their deaths from the area in recent years (it’s much more dangerous than climbing the volcano). Stay on the marked trails.

Take Road 90 east of Cougar for 7 miles, then turn left onto Road 83. Continue another 11 miles to the end of Road 83. A Northwest Forest Pass is required to park.

ape caveOne of the many natural wonders of

Mount St. Helens is actually underground. A volcanic lava flow 2,000 years ago sculpted Ape Cave, a series of magical caverns and passages a few miles south of the volcano.

At 12,810 feet in length, Ape Cave is the longest lava tube in North America.

It’s three-quarters of a mile from the cave entrance to the lower end, a relatively easy route.

For a longer adventure, head uphill from the entrance for about 1 ½ miles, climbing over no less than 27 piles of rock.

To reach Ape Cave, drive east of Cougar on Lewis River Road for 7 miles and turn left onto Road 83. Turn left again onto Road 8303.

A Northwest Forest Pass is required at Ape Cave. Passes are available at the Apes’ Headquarters, which also rents lan-terns and has information. Guided tours will be given June 20 through Labor Day.



Lew is River

N

Mount AdamsRanger District

Mount St. Helens NVMAdminstrative District

Cowlitz ValleyRanger District

SwiftReservoirYale

Lake

Cougar

To Castle Rock

Mossyrock

ColdwaterLake Spirit

Lake

RiffeLake

Cow li tz River

N. Fork Toutle River

Randle

Yacolt

12

Lake Merwin

81 83

90

99

25

30

88

23

76

54

51

12

MountSt. Helens

504

503

Mount St. Helens NationalVolcanic Monument

To Woodland

to-do list

The top must-see sights around the volcano

Cruise up Spirit Lake Memorial High-way and check out four visitor centers and a plethora of scenic turnouts for spectacular vistas of the volcano. If it’s cloudy, don’t despair. The drive up to Mount St. Helens sometimes leads you above the clouds. Check at the Silver Lake visitor center.

dramatic drive

The Windy Ridge viewpoint area boasts great views of Spirit Lake and the vast pumice plain extending toward the peak. The drive there passes the dramatic line between green timber and trees splintered by the 1980 eruption. Getting there requires about 200 miles of driving round-trip from the Kelso area.

Take I-5 north to Highway 12, then go east to Randle. Then take Forest roads 25 and 99 toward Windy Ridge.

The last few miles of Road 99 are steep and winding. Several other viewpoints along the road offer views and talks by Forest Service interpreters.

Road 99 opens in late June or early July, depending on how fast the snow melts.

windy ridge

lava canyonLooking for

adventure? Hike the trails at Lava

Canyon to see dramatic cliffs,

lava formations and churning

waterfalls.

get up close and personal

The closest you can get to the crater without the climb is the Johnston Ridge Observatory, which wows visitors with amazing views, interpretive trails, a high-tech theater and big volcano model along with exhibits on geology and the 1980 eruption.

explore caves

Try your hand at spelunking at the Ape Caves, the longest lava tube in North America. (Don’t worry, this is an easy route, and guided tours are available.)

climb the volcano

Want to tell your friends and family you climbed a volcano? Then grab some water and sunscreen and start walking up ... 4,500 feet of elevation in five miles to be exact. A permit and strong legs – but no technical climb-ing expertise — are needed.


30 yearsof change

experience historyThis year is the 30th anniversary of Mount St. Helens’ history-making eruption. The visitor centers, roads and trails around the peak offer plenty of places to see signs of the devastation of that awe-inspiring day.



386852

On March 20, 1980, rapidly increasing earthquakes on the mountain heralded a new phase of eruptive activity. A week later, the volcano began to spew ash and steam, and a new crater appeared.

At 8:32 a.m. on May 18, 1980, an earthquake registering 5.1 on the Richter scale shook the mountain. The quake jarred loose the mountain’s unstable north flank, which had been thrust outward 500 feet by the pressure of melted rock. The largest landslide in recorded history tumbled down the mountain at 150 mph.

Within seconds, the uncapped pressure of superheated groundwater and molten rock exploded out of the volcano’s collapsing north flank. A black explosion burst from the mountain and ripped over the hills, lakes, camps and meadows.

From the barren area near the Coldwater Ridge and Johnston Ridge visitors, consider that heavy forest once covered the ground.

Heat from the May 18 blast melted bil-lions of tons of glacial snow and ice on the mountain and started mudflows that charged down the Toutle and Cowlitz rivers.

Within minutes, a towering column of ash and pulverized rock rose 12 miles into the sky. Few traces of the ash remain. The slide rammed into Spirit Lake — itself created by a stream-plugging eruption 3,500 years earlier — and caused a tidal wave that splashed 700 to 800 feet up an adjoining mountainside. Debris displaced the lake, raising its surface 206 feet, and today it’s much larger than it was.

You can see that site by hiking out the Boundary Trail about 2 ½ miles from the Johnston Ridge Observatory.

After the blast, 230 square miles of what was once lush forest was an ashen wasteland.

The Spirit Lake Highway bridge just east of Toutle is a replace-ment for one that was swept away.

After that Sunday 30 years ago, there were 21 more eruptions through 1986, most of them of the dome-building variety, in which molten rock slowly oozes out of the volcano. The successive eruptions built a dome about 900 feet high. The mountain started spewing ash and steam again in September 2004, building a second dome that’s bigger than the first one. But the dome doesn’t stay level. Its unstable top crumbles away from time to time, then rebuilds.

Mount St. Helens began to erupt about 40,000 years ago onto the eroded surface

of a still-older volcano. Nine “pulses” of volcanic activity occurred in the millennia before 1980, lasting from 100 to 5,000 years. One such event created Ape Cave, south of the peak. (See previous page).

The Hummocks Trail near Coldwater Lake is a good place to see remnants of the mudflow. Or gaze down on the Toutle River valley from the Weyerhaeuser Forest Learning Center.

The best place to see Spirit Lake is from Road 99, east of the volcano.

The Johnston Ridge Observato-ry and nearby Boundary Trail are the best places to see what’s going on inside the dome.

Another part of the slide gathered so much force that it crossed the Toutle Valley floor, climbed up a 1,150-foot hill and hurtled into another valley.

Look for a sign marking the edge of the blast zone on Spirit Lake Memorial Highway, near the Hoffstadt Creek Bridge. A good place to see blown-down trees is on Road 26, east of the peak.

A devastating mudflow roared down the south fork of the Toutle, followed by a much larger one on the north fork. Cementlike mixtures of water and volcanic soil, the flows picked up and tossed logs, railroad cars, trucks and buses as if they were toys. The mud lifted some homes from their foun-dations. Others were carried down the river and smashed into splinters as they struck the underbellies of bridges, such as that on Old Highway 99 north of Castle Rock.

the history where to see it

learn more

Daily during the summer, tourists can listen to presentations from rangers about Mount St. Helens’ history at the Johnston Ridge Observatory.

boundary trailThe single most spectacular hike near

Mount St. Helens is the Boundary Trail, which starts at the Johnston Ridge Obser-vatory.

Day-hikers can go as far as they have the time and energy for, ranging from an hourlong stroll to a 13-mile roundtrip trek to the summit of 5,727-foot Coldwater Peak. Backpackers with permits can stay overnight in designated campsites.

For the first 1 ½ miles east of the Observa-tory, the trail stays near the edge of John-ston Ridge, which is at 4,200 feet elevation.

Then the trail cuts across “The Devil’s Elbow,” a steep side slope of pumice and not-very-stable earth, with drop-offs that can be disconcerting.

Two-and-one-half miles from the parking lot, you’ll reach an intersection with the Truman Trail.

truman trailThe Truman Trail descends

through a deeply eroded valley, past a palette of colorful deposits.

It flattens out on the broad pum-ice plain between Spirit Lake and the volcano.

It’s about 1 ½ miles from the Boundary Trail down to the Spirit Lake area, a good turn-around point for a one-day hike.

2

3hummocks trail

A loop of 2.3 miles winds through the harsh landscape of the hummocks, debris deposited by the mudflow down the Toutle River valley. Today, it’s a land of marshes populated by birds and amphibians amid the dried pumice hills.

Elevation change is about 300 feet, so it’s an easier family hike than the Boundary or Truman trails.

The trailhead is across the highway from Coldwater Lake.

41

harmony trailThe Harmony Trail is the only trail

that goes to the shore of Spirit Lake.The view across the lake includes

Harry’s Ridge and the foreboding peaks of Mount Margaret Ridge. There’s a view into the crater from here, too.

The Harmony Trail No. 224 starts near the end of Road 99. It descends gently but steadily for 1 mile to the lake.

5

Fort to Sea trail

discover Hiking Trails

lakes trailThe first few miles of the Lakes

Trail stays near the shore of Coldwa-ter Lake, sometimes a hundred feet above the lake, sometimes near the deep green water. Stumps are visible under the water, a reminder that the lake was created in 1980.

Peaks tower thousands of feet above the upper lake, giving it a fjord-like feeling.

The lake can be a bird watcher’s bonanza. Hundreds of swallows swoop through the air.

The trail starts from the Coldwater Lake boat launch.

It’s about 4 miles to the upper end of the lake, a good turning-around point for a day hike.


9 goat mountain trail

A steep but well-built path climbs to some top-notch alpine country in a relatively obscure part of Mount St. Hel-ens country, 12 miles north of the volcano.

Goat Mountain Trail No. 217 starts from Road 2612, near Ryan Lake in the upper Green River Valley. From elevation 3,200 feet, the trail gains 2,000 feet in fewer than two miles.

It traverses the ridge for about � miles, then dips to Deadmans Lake.

10 Trails to hitExplorers can head out every day for weeks in the Lower Columbia area and not hike all the trails. Here are some of the best ones to explore first.

6 norway passIf you’ve looked at many Mount

St. Helens picture books, you’ve seen a photo taken from Norway Pass. It’s become the classic volcano view over a deep bay of Spirit Lake to the steaming crater, 7 miles away.

Norway Pass is a relatively easy 2-mile hike, with an 800-foot elevation gain, on a portion of Boundary Trail No. 1.

The hike starts at the Norway Pass Trailhead on Road 26, which is 2 miles north of Road 99.

7fort to sea trailModern-day explorers can hike

a trail that’s close to the original route the Lewis and Clark Expedition followed from Fort Clatsop to the Pacific Ocean.

The Fort to Sea Trail winds (pictured above) for 6 miles through forest and pasture, ending up at a broad sandy beach that’s much like what Capt. William Clark and his men saw.

The trail includes a broad stretch ac-cessible to wheelchairs, several impres-sive bridges and even a tunnel under busy Highway 101.

For maps and information, visit forttosea.org

8

10gnat creek

Trails go both directions from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Gnat Creek Hatchery, which is 15 miles west of Clatskanie on Highway 30.

The lower trail goes for 1 ¼ miles along the peaceful creek to a campground and another trailhead.

From the hatchery, the upper trail climbs past waterfalls and passes through some old growth before dead-ending after about 2 miles.

Trail maps are available at the hatchery.

south coldwater trailThis route starts near the lower end of Coldwa-

ter Lake and climbs 3.1 miles up the ridge east of the lake, gaining 1,300 feet. Much of the route is on old logging roads.

The trail (230A) passes logging equipment that was blown off the hillside by the volcano’s force. A big shovel lies upside down, a sober-ing reminder of the 1980 eruption’s power.

cowlitz countyseaquest state park: Open year round for

camping featuring tent spaces, utility spaces, five yurts, a dump station, restrooms and shower. The north, south and mid-camp loops are in forest settings. Reservations are suggested in the sum-mer, call 888-226-7688 or go to parks.wa.gov. Only six miles east of Castle Rock, the park can be reached by taking exit 49 from I-5 and follow Highway 504 east.

county Line park: Located where Wahkiakum and Cowlitz counties meet on Ocean Beach Highway, 11 miles west of Longview. The 5.5-acre park, which sits on the banks of the Columbia River, has RV and tent camping. It operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Water, electricity and bathrooms are available.

cougar park and cougar camp: These at-tractions straddle little Cougar Creek, which is just east of the town of Cougar, 29 miles from the freeway. The park, open from the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, has a grassy sunning area, a fishing dock and picnic tables in the woods. There’s a separate entrance to the camp, which has tent-only sites. RVs and trailers aren’t allowed. Some sites are on the lake. The camp also has a boat launch, though the one at Yale Park is more popular. Reservations are required; camping fees are $20 a night. For reservations, call (503) 813-6666.

beaver bay campground: The sites at this campground at the upper end of Yale Reservoir aren’t as secluded as those at other nearby campgrounds. There’s a single boat launch. The area is open from the last Saturday of April through Sept. 30. It’s 31 miles from the freeway. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Camping fees are $20 a night.

cresap bay park: This gem is one of the nicest campgrounds on the Lewis River, at the east end of Merwin Reservoir. Campsites are nestled in good-sized trees, and there’s a group camping area. While there’s a dump station, there are no RV hook-ups at campsites. Bathrooms and showers are available. The view extending seven miles down the lake is the best of the parks on Merwin. There’s a double boat launch and mooring area, as well as a swimming beach. The grassy picnic area is popular with sunbathers, and there’s a two-mile nature trail winding around the park passing beaver ponds and a cedar swamp. The park is open from the Friday before Memorial Day through Sept. 30. Take Highway 503 for 23 miles east of Woodland, where the road makes a right turn, and drive three miles south to the campground. Reserva-tions are required; camping fees are $20 a night. For reservations, call (503) 813-6666.

clark countyparadise point state park: The park is open

year round for camping. The park has tent spaces, utility sites, two yurts, a dump station, restrooms and showers. Several miles of riverside hiking, too. Sites have no hook-ups. To reserve a campsite, call (888) 226-7688 or go to parks.wa.gov. The park is six miles south of Woodland. From I-5, take exit 16 and follow signs a mile to the park.

battleground Lake state park: This small state park is open year round for camping. It has standard campsites as well as six hook-up sites, four cabins and some primitive sites requiring campers to hike a quarter mile to a half mile from the parking lot. The campground has a dump station, restrooms and showers. To reserve a

campsite, call (888) 226-7688 or go to parks.wa.gov. From I-5, take exit 11 and drive east to Battle Ground. Follow the signs to the park, which is about three miles west of Battle Ground.

skamania countyLower falls recreation area campground:

Lower Falls Campground is deep in the Gifford Pin-chot National Forest, east Cougar off Forest Road 90. The wooded campground sits in a stand of towering Douglas fir and hemlock. RV and tent site are available. The recreation area features a hiking trail leading to the falls. No flush toilets or dump stations are available. The campground is closed during the winter. It operates on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call the Mount St. Helens Ranger District, (360) 449-7800.

swift forest camp: This big campground sits amid big trees. Sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. It also has the only public boat launch on Swift Reservoir, which is stocked with rainbow trout. The campground is open from the last Friday of April through end of hunting season in November. It’s 46 miles from the freeway. Camping fees are $17 a night.

wahkiakum countyskamokawa vista park: The 70-acre Skamo-

kawa Vista Park lies along the Columbia River on the western edge of this Wahkiakum County town. The campground has RV and tent camping. Some sites have full hook-up. There’s also a play-ground, playing field and basketball and tennis courts. A day-use area along the river has wind-breaks for the tables. A trail from the park goes about a half mile downstream to a rocky beach. For more information, call (360) 795-8605.

discover Campgrounds

time for anoutdoor getaWay

There are plenty of places to set up camp or park an RV throughout the Lower Columbia region. Choose your ideal home away from home.

cape disappointment

state park


pacific countycape disappointment state park: This

large state park is open year round for camping. The campground has more than 150 standard campsites as well as more than 80 utility sites, five primitive campsites, a dump station, restrooms and showers. The park also offers historic lighthouse keepers’ houses to rent and cabins and yurts for camping. Reservations are encouraged at this popular state campground. To reserve a campsite, call (888) 226-7688 or go to parks.wa.gov. The park is two miles southwest of Ilwaco.

lewis countyiron creek campground: Located near

Randle in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. This campground is popular with people visiting the east side of Mount St. Helens. Located along Iron Creek and the Cispus River, the campground is nestled among old-growth trees. RV and tent camping is available, as are bathrooms. There is no dump station and the campground is closed during the winter. Reservations can be made. For more information, call (360) 569-0519.

rainbow falls state park: The park is open year round for camping. The park has tent spac-es, a dump station, one restroom, two showers and eight hook-up sites. Three of the sites are for hikers and cyclists (no vehicles), and three are for horse campers. All campsites are first-come, first-served. The group camping site can be reserved. Located 17 miles west of Chehalis, the park can be reached by taking exit 77 from I-5.

Lewis and clark state park: The park is open year round for camping but some campsites are closed in the winter. The park has tent spaces, restrooms and showers. All campsites are first-come, first-served. Two group camps can be reserved by calling (360) 864-2643. The park is 12 miles south of Chehalis off the I-5 corridor. From I-5, take exit 68 and head east on Highway 12 about 2.5 miles. At Jackson Highway, turn right, heading south about two miles to the park entrance.

ike kinswa state park: The park is open year round for camping but some campsites are closed in the winter. The park has stan-dard sites as well as full hook-up sites. It also has five cabins, a dump station, restrooms and showers. Reservations are suggested in the summer. To reserve a campsite, call 888-226-7688 or go to parks.wa.gov. The park is four miles north of Mossyrock. From I-5, take exit 68 and follow the signs.

oregonclatskanie city park: This city-owned park

on the Clatskanie River has some RV and tent sites for camping. Restrooms and showers are available. Also in the park are a swimming pool, lighted tennis courts, picnic area, playground, horse arena and boat launch and fishing area. The city park is at 300 N.E. Park St. For more information, contact the Clatskanie Park and Recreation Department at (503) 728-2038.

Hudson-parcher park: Located one mile

northwest of Rainier on Larson Road, this nearby Columbia County park offers some forest and field campsites. The wooded park also has a cab-in that can be rented. For reservations, call (503) 366-3984, or go to co.columbia.or.us/parks

L.L. stub stewart state park: One of Oregon’s newest state parks, this campground has a variety of sites, from primitive campsites and tent sites to full hook-up sites and two-room cabins. Among the amenities are full hook-up sites with horse corrals. The campground has bathrooms and showers. For reservations, call 1-800-452-5687 or go to oregonstateparks.org

fort stevens state park: One of the nation’s largest public campgrounds, this popular state park on the mouth of the Columbia River has everything from standard tent sites to full hook-up RV sites. The campground also has some 15 yurts, bathrooms and showers, and an RV dump station. But don’t be fooled by the campground’s size - reservations are still recommended, espe-cially during the summer season. The state park is off U.S. Highway 101, 10 miles west of Astoria. For reservations, call 1-800-452-5687 or go to oregonstateparks.org

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MaP itFind a map of campgrounds in the region on Pages 66-67

�0 tdn.com/ColumbiaViews

discover Wildlife

mount st. helens wildlife areaIn summer, a few hundred elk live there, and walking or riding a

horse among them is allowed. January through April, when the elk population swells to more than 500, the area is closed to public access to prevent the elk from being disturbed.

The 2,773-acre area is in the upper North Fork Toutle valley, about 15 miles east of the town of Toutle. The refuge is in the broad valley bottoms; Spirit Lake Memorial Highway winds along the hillside hundreds of feet above.

You can see the elk with binoculars from the Weyerhaeuser visitor center at Milepost 33.5 on Spirit Lake Highway.

Walk-in access is via the 3100 logging road at Milepost 31, east of the big bridge over Hoffstadt Creek.

Web site: wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/mount_saint_helens

Jewell meadowsThe Jewell Meadows wildlife area managed by the Oregon

Department of Fish and Wildlife is a great place to admire elk, especially during winter. The ODFW takes care of more than 200 Roosevelt elk at the 2,940-acre wildlife area, about a one-hour from Longview.

The site has four viewing areas with parking and picnic tables off of Highway 202. To reach the refuge, take Highway 30 west from Rainier for 16 miles to Clatskanie. Head uphill on Highway 47 for 11 miles to Mist. Go west on Highway 202 for 17 miles to Jewell, then another mile on 202 to the refuge.

(503) 755-2264 Web site: www.dfw.state.or.us/resources/ visitors/jewell_meadows_wildlife_area.asp

Grab the camera and head out to these hot spots ...

2010 Columbia Views 2�

The forests and fields of the Lower Columbia region hold thousands of deer, elk and other wildlife. Grab your cam-era and binoculars and head out to some of these places that are especially designated for wildlife watching.

Call of the Wild

white-tailed deer refugeThe main purpose of the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for

the Columbian White-tailed Deer is to help the species recover.

You might get a glimpse of the small deer, though the refuge also holds elk and more than 60 species of birds.

The 6,400-acre national wildlife refuge is two miles west of Cathlamet on Highway 4.

(360) 795-3915. www.fws.gov/jbh

ridgefield national wildlife refugeThe 5,150-acre Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge is a bird-watcher’s para-

dise, with up to 200,000 waterfowl spending the winter there. Many other species, from sandhill cranes to sparrows, can be seen, too.

The refuge has two hiking trails and a designated driving route. There’s also an authentic reproduction of a Chinook Indian plank-house, much like the ones Lewis and Clark saw 200 years ago.

To reach the refuge, take Exit 14 from I-5 and head west 2.7 miles to the town of Ridgefield. Turn left on South Ninth Avenue, following the signs for the refuge’s River S Unit.

Admission is free. (360) 887-4106. Web site: www.fws.gov/ ridgefieldrefuges

Great Blue Heron near Kalama

Bull elk near Mount St. Helens

Ground squirrel at the Mount St. Helens Wildlife Area White-Tailed deer

�� tdn.com/ColumbiaViews

Sturgeon grow to monstrous propor-tions (the minimum size legal to keep is 38 inches to the fork).

Unlike salmonids, sturgeon in the lower Columbia River are self-sustaining, with none planted from hatcheries. The sturgeon season is now broken into segments be-cause of concern that too many were being caught. For the latest regulations, check with a tackle shop or at wdfw.wa.gov

Anglers who have boats do the best. If you don’t have your own, guides and lower river charter boat operators will be happy to take you. Sturgeon are also caught by anglers casting from shore. Many try their luck from the side of Ocean Beach Highway west of Longview. The river near Megler, along High-way 401, is also popular with bank anglers.

discover Fishing

know your fish

2 trout

The Department of Fish and Wildlife, plants hundreds of thousands of rainbow and brown trout in area lakes in the spring and early summer.

Trout-stocked lakes are a good place to introduce small fry of the human variety to fishing. Some of the most popular spots are Lake Sacajawea in Longview, Kress Lake near Kalama and Horseshoe Lake in Woodland. Swift Reservoir near Cougar also gets planted heavily.

1 sturgeon

It’s what flows through the soul of the Lower Columbia region. Here’s a sampling of fish just dying to leap at your lure or bait ...

Fishing on the Kalama River


The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife issues one license for all kinds of sport fishing on fresh water and another one for salt water. There’s also a license for clams only.

Stores that sell bait and tackle are often the best source of information on fishing. Salespeople stay up on regulations and how good the fishing is. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s office for Southwest Washington is at 2108 Grand Boulevard, Vancouver, WA 98661.

For recent catch information, trout plants and current fishing regula-tions, call (360) 696-6211 ext. 1010. For commercial fishing seasons, call (360) 902-2500. The agency’s Web site is wdfw.wa.gov

5 salmon

Chinook salmon return to the Columbia River in three annual runs. Spring chinook, the most revered run, come primarily March through May, the summer run follows in June and July, and the fall chinook come mostly in August and September. Coho salmon return to the rivers primarily August through November.

Ocean salmon seasons usually start in July and continue until a quota is caught.

4 bass

Bass aren’t nearly as big a deal around here as they are farther east. But Cowlitz County’s Silver Lake is often called the best bass water in Western Washing-ton. It annually produces some of the biggest large-mouth caught anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. The best bass fishing there is in the spring, though the lake is open year-round.

Other warmwater fish that can be caught in Silver Lake are crappie, bluegill, catfish and perch.

3 smelt

Kelso used to be known as the Smelt Capital of the World but runs have been ex-tremely poor in recent years and federal fish authorities have listed smelt under the Endangered Species Act. Ex-pect little or no sport dipping for years to come.

who needs fishing gear? dig up some famous razor clams

Clam diggers flock to the Long Beach Peninsula and oth-er coast beaches during digs, which are held about eight weekends per year.

Every dig is contin-gent on acceptable levels of domoic acid, which causes illness to people who eat affected clams.

For updated infor-mation, call the Department of Fish and Wildlife hot line at 1-866-880-5431

It’s a good idea to get your license before you go to the beach, where lines at dealers can be long.

6 steelhead

Though similar to salmon, steelhead are actually rainbow trout that spend most of their lives in the ocean. They range from 4 to 15 pounds and are great fighters.

Local rivers, including the Cowlitz, Lewis, Kalama, Woodland and Elochoman are among those favored by steelhead anglers. The main-stem Columbia is also popular for summer steelhead.

Steelhead swim upstream in a winter run that starts in November and runs into April, and a summer run comes from May into August.

but don’t forget ...

For more, visit Washing-ton state Department of

Fish & Wildlife’s Web site: wdfw.wa.gov

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discover Rivers

oUtDoor fUnWater, water everywhere, and quite a few places to drink up the scenery. No less than six rivers flow through Cowlitz County, and several others that flow out of the hills in neighboring counties invite exploration, too.

Grays

Rive

r

Elochoman

R.

KalamaRive

r

Lewis River

Lewis

River

Cowl

itz R

iver

Coweeman

River

Toutle River

KelsoLongview

Vancouver

Cathlamet

Kalama

BonnevilleDam

grays riverThe Grays River in western Wahkiakum

County boasts the only covered bridge in Washington still in use.

Grays River is about 42 miles west of Longview on Ocean Beach Highway. Shortly after crossing the Grays on the highway bridge, turn left on Loop Road to reach the covered bridge and the lower section of the Grays. Back roads wind along the lower Grays to where it flows into the Columbia.

From the highway, Shannon Road heads north for a few miles along the river to a fish hatchery.

elochoman riverThe Elochoman in Wahkiakum

County is popular with salmon and steelhead anglers in season.

Some of the best public access is near state fish hatcheries. The Beaver Creek Hatchery is about six miles up Elochoman River Road, with the Elochoman Hatchery another four miles upstream.

The river flows into the Columbia at the Julia Butler Hansen Refuge for Co-lumbia White-tailed Deer, a few miles west of Cathlamet on Highway 4.

columbia riverThe mighty Columbia River forms

the boundary between Oregon and Washington in these parts and is a source of industry, recreation — and scenic beauty.

The waterfront in Longview is devoted to industry but plenty of public access is available nearby. Wil-low Grove County Park west of town has about a mile of sandy beach. The park just south of the Kalama marina is likewise a popular Columbia River beach. On the Oregon side of the river, try Rainier’s Riverfront Park, Prescott Beach and Dibblee Point for strolls — or fishing — along the beach. (for more on area rivers, see page �4.)

West of Longview, Ocean Beach Highway (SR4) hugs the Columbia River shoreline for several miles before heading inland. The road rejoins the river briefly at Skamokawa, where Vista Park has camping and picnic tables.

Playing on the Columbia River


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1stGrays

Rive

r

Elochoman

R.

KalamaRive

r

Lewis River

Lewis

River

Cowl

itz R

iver

Coweeman

River

Toutle River

KelsoLongview

Vancouver

Cathlamet

Kalama

BonnevilleDam

cowlitz riverThe Cowlitz River may cut through the

county of the same name but little of it can be easily seen from roads.

The best place to stroll along the Cowlitz is near Castle Rock, where trails follow both sides of the river.

Aptly-named Riverside Park in Lexington has some river footage as does the new Cook Ferry Trail near Castle Rock. In Kelso, the riverfront trail follows the Cowlitz for nearly two miles. (for Mountain biking trails, see pages 28-29.)

Longview’s Gerhart Gardens Park off Highway 432 has a short river beach.

toutle riverThe Toutle River flows off of Mount St.

Helens and is often muddy, though several places along it make for pleasant summer meandering.

The Toutle’s confluence with the Cowlitz can be popular with anglers. To reach it, park on Steelhead Drive, off Old Pacific Highway north of Castle Rock, and walk under the freeway and railroad bridges.

Starting about 15 miles east of Castle Rock, Spirit Lake Memorial Highway follows the Toutle for a sandy stretch. Stop at the Department of Fish and Wildlife Fish Collection Facility just east of Kid Valley for another look at the river

In summer, hikers, mountain bikers and horse riders can walk about two miles down Road 3100, just east of the Hoffstadt Creek Bridge, to a wildlife refuge with more river access. That area is closed in winter.

lewis riverThe Lewis River flows from Mount

Adams all the way to the Columbia near Woodland, and much of its shores are accessible to the public.

Driving up Lewis River Road (Highway 503) from Woodland, you’ll come to a boat launch in about 5 miles.

The lower Lewis has three dams which form huge reservoirs: Lake Merwin, Yale Reservoir and Swift Reservoir. All have picnic grounds and boat launches oper-ated by PacifiCorp, which also operates four campgrounds. For information, see lewisriver.com or www.pacificorp.com/about/or/washington.html

Above the reservoirs, the Lewis flows freely through the woods in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, over a series of gushing waterfalls. For information on the falls and trail that links them, see www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/waterfalls

kalama riverThe Kalama is arguably the region’s

prettiest river — and the one with the most public access.

A public trail follows the river’s lower mile or so in the Kalama industrial area, off Hendrickson Road.

To reach other scenic spots, just drive up Kalama River Road. A boat launch and two fish hatcheries offer access.

Farther upstream, the Weyerhaeuser road along the Kalama is often closed to the public.

Gifford Pinchot National Forest Trail No. 238 follows the upper few miles of the river, north of Cougar. It’s accessed on Forest Service Road 81. Explorers can walk into an abandoned campground and find the Kalama’s source as it gurgles out of a natural spring. www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/trails

coweeman riverA gravel trail parallels the gentle, lower

four miles of the Coweeman, which is a tributary of the Cowlitz. The trail can be accessed at several points in Kelso, with the nicest stretch near Tam O’Shanter Park. Farther upstream, Rose Valley Road skirts the pretty Coweeman in a few places, though most of it is private property.


along the lewis river, east of woodland, wash., at yale and merwin reservoirs

beaver bay at yale reservoir. Take I-5, to exit 21; east on State Route 503 for 33 miles; south on Sherman Road; go .25 mile to entrance of park.

cougar camp and park at yale reservoir. Take I-5 to exit 21; east on SR 503 for 31 miles; right just after crossing Panamaker Creek to enter campground; north 500 feet. to boat ramp.

cresap bay recreation area at Merwin reservoir. Take I-5 to exit 21; go east on SR 503 for 23 miles; At SR503/Spur SR 503 junction, go south; follow SR 503 another 3 miles; right on unmarked paved road to enter park; access 1 mile down hill.

Merwin ramp at Lewis river north fork. Take I-5 to exit 21; go east on SR 503 for nine miles; right at Merwin Village Road; go right at Merwin Hatchery Drive.

saddle dam recreation area at yale reservoir. Take I-5 to exit 21; go east on State Route 503 for 23 miles; go south at SR 503 3 miles; east on Frasier Road; go 1.5 miles to park entrance.

speelyai bay park at Merwin reservoir. Take I-5 to exit 21; go east on SR 503 for 21 miles; right at Speelyai Bay Recreation Area sign; go a half mile; turn right at hairpin turn.

yale park recreation area at yale reservoir. Take I-5 to exit 21; go east on SR 503 for 28

miles; right at entrance sign to Yale Park; boat ramp is 300 feet south of park entrance.

lewis county, washington

cowlitz salmon Hatchery at cowlitz river. From I-5, take Highway 12 east 12 miles; right at Fuller Road; at “T” intersection go left on Spencer Road; stay right at the “Y”; drive straight to get to boat launch and fishing area.

skamania county, washington

swift forest camp at swift reservoir. Take I-5 to exit 21; east on SR 503 to Cougar; SR 503 becomes Forest Road 90; continue on FR 90 for 13 miles to Swift Forest Camp. Right to camp; ramp.

clark county, washington

Morgan ramp at Lewis river north fork. Take I-5 to Exit 16; go west on NW 319th St, (becomes 41st Ave; n 324th St), about one mile; At “Y” keep left to Allen Canyon Road; keep to left at 51st Avenue; turn right on NW 304 Street; go about 1.75 miles to end of road; boat ramp is on east side of railroad trestle.

cedar creek-pigeon springs at Lewis river north fork. From I-5 take exit 21; go east on Hayes Road (County Road 16) 8 miles; left at N.E. Etna Road; go 1.1 miles and access site on left just before Cedar Creek Bridge.

Haapa road at the Lewis river. From I-5 take exit 21 and go east on Goerig Road one block; turn right across bridge; turn left on Hayes Road; go 6.2 miles (Hayes Road turns into N.E. Cedar Creek Road); turn left at Etna Road; go 0.1 mile; turn left at Haapa Road, go 0.5 miles to access.

c.d. Hale road ramp at Lewis river. Take I-5 to exit 16; go west on NW 319th Street (becomes NW 41st Avenue) for 0.75 mile; At 90-degree left turn, go straight on 41st Avenue for a half mile; Turn left on C.D. Hale Road; go two-tenths of a mile downhill on gravel road.

Shove off for a day on the water at area boat launches. Some launches are free to use, others require fees or permits.

Hit the Water

get a PerMita vehicle Use Permit is required on all recreation sites owned by washing-ton Department of fish and wildlife. Hunters, fishers and trappers get a vehicle Use Permit without addi-tional cost, as part of their first annual license pur-chase excluding the annual shellfish license. vehicle Use Permits may also be purchased separately.

Willow Grove Boat Launch

discover Boat Launches

CathlametAstoria

ChinookKnappton

Naselle

Rosburg

Skamokawa

Westport

RainierClatskanie

Kalama

Longview Kelso

DeerIsland

Woodland

St. Helens

101

30

Warrenton

Seaside

Cannon Beach

30

4

4

N

Scappoose

Ilwaco

2 miles

Long Beach

5

Castle Rock

Silver Lake

Cowlitz River

Columbia River

cowlitz, wahkiakum counties, washington

— elochoman slough Marina at cathlamet channel. West on State Route 4 about 20 miles to Cathlamet; turn south onto Main Street and go 200 feet; west on Chester for one block; south on Second Street to its end (about 3 blocks).

— abernathy creek access at abernathy creek. West on State Route 4 about 10 miles; turn north at Abernathy Creek Road; go 0.1 mile, turn left on first dirt road. Walk in only.

— Willow grove beach at columbia river. West SR 4; after mile marker 52, go left on SR 432 (Mount. Solo Road); go 0.8 mile; turn right on Wil-low Grove Road; go four miles; entrance at left.

— coal creek slough at coal creek slough. West on State Route 4 to milepost 55; left to access.

— gerhart gardens park at cowlitz river. Take I-5 to exit 36; west on State Route 432 for three-quarters of a mile; cross Cowlitz River Bridge; turn right on Dike Road; go east about 300 feet; left to Gerhart Gardens Park.

— Hog island at cowlitz river. Just west of Castle Rock at State Route 411 & Highway 10 intersection. Go north on West Side Highway for 5.7 miles; access site is on east side of road.

— olequa creek at cowlitz river. From I-5 take exit 57 and go west 0.1 miles; turn left on Barnes Drive, go 2 miles; turn right on Imboden Road, go 0.1 mile; turn left on Miekler Road; go 0.3 miles to access.

— silver Lake Motel & resort at silver Lake. Take I-5 to exit 49; go east on SR 504 for six miles; right to resort.

— silver Lake at silver Lake. Take I-5 to exit 49; go east on State Route 504 7.2 miles; right at Kerr Road; go 0.5 miles to access.

— streeter’s resort at silver Lake. Take I-5 to exit 49; go east on SR 504 for 8.5 miles; right on Hall Road and go one mile; right on Streeter Road; go 0.25 mile; veer left on Lake Road; go 0.25 mile, ramp on left.

— kress Lake at kress Lake. From I-5 take exit 32; travel east to Old Highway 99 and turn left; Kress Lake on right .3 miles. port of kalama at columbia river. Take I-5 to exit 30; go to west side of I-5; right on Marine Drive; follow to end, 500 feet past port office. camp kalama rv park and campground at kalama river. Take I-5 to exit 32; go east 0.1 mile; right on Meeker Drive; go 0.2 mile; left to Camp Kalama. Modrow bridge at kalama river. From I-5 take exit 32; turn east on Kalama River Road and go 1.2 miles; turn east across Modrow Bridge; just past bridge turn left down dirt road to access. pritchard’s at kalama river. Take I-5 to exit 32; Go east 5 miles; access across from Pritchard Store. upper kalama river/Hand at kalama river. Take I-5 to exit 32; east 3.5 miles. Turn right on dirt road to access area Mahaffey’s campground at kalama river. Take I-5 to exit 32; go east on Ka-lama River Road two miles; campground on right. Lower kalama river at kalama river. From I-5 take exit 32; turn west on Kalama River Road; go 0.5 miles; turn left on Fisherman’s Loop Road to access. sportmans Loop Lower kalama/sportsmans club at kalama and columbia rivers. Take I-5 to exit 32; turn west on Kalama River Road; go 0.75 miles, turn left on single-lane paved road to access Columbia River.

— dike road at columbia river. Take I-5 to exit 21; go south on South Pekin Road for half a mile; right on Whalen Road for 1.5 miles; turn left on Dike Road; go about half a mile; several access spur roads are to left.

— Horseshoe Lake park, cowlitz county. Take I-5 to exit 21; go west on Goerig road one-tenth of a mile; go south on Lake Shore Drive

and take a right just past Lakeside Motel; park on left after 0.2 miles.

— Woodland bottoms at columbia river. Take I-5 to exit 22 (Dike Access Road) west 2.5 miles. Turn right on gravel access road.

— island at Lewis river. From I-5 take exit 21; go east on State Route 503 for 4.9 miles; turn right to access. Lewis river Hatchery at Lewis river north fork. From I-5 take exit 21; go east on State Route 503; go south on Old Lewis River Road; go .8 mile to Lewis River Hatchery. Past rearing pens, turn right; follow rough gravel road 400 feet to boat ramp.

columbia county, oregon

— beaver Landing in clatskanie. At west end of Clatskanie on Highway 30. (503) 392-2353.

— rainier city Marina. 106 W. B St., Rainier. (503) 556-7301.

— scipio’s goble Landing. 70360 Columbia River Highway, at milepost 40.5 on Highway 30. (503) 556-6510.

— st. Helens Marina. 134 N. River Street, St. Helens. (503) 397-4162. courthouse docks, strand street, st. Helens. (503) 397-6272. scappoose bay Marina park, �7420 old port-land road, Warren, or. (503) 397-2888

map it

Find the best place to drop your boat in

Find detailed boat launch conditions for Washington launches at the state’s Recreation and Conservation Office’s Web site at www.rco.wa.gov/maps/boat.shtml

For a booklet with a list of boat launches in Oregon, call the Marine Board at (503) 378-8587.

More onLine


discover Mountain Biking

Ready foR adventuReMountain bike trails abound in scenic areas around South-west Washington, providing an array of rides for beginners to well-pedaled pros.

Ape Canyon Trail 234 opens with spectacular views of the Muddy River Lahar that rolled down the southeast side of St. Helens during the 1980 eruption, then climbs through old-growth forest. The ascent ends at Ape Canyon, which offers broad vistas of Mount Ad-ams and the Smith Creek Basin.

It’s 9.5 miles to a series of wooden steps, which are a turning around point. Another two miles on logging road will take you to the Windy Ridge viewpoint.

Directions: From Interstate 5, take the Lewis River Road (503) east from Woodland for 34 miles to Road 83. Go 11 miles on Road 83 to the Ape Canyon trailhead.

Between the railroad tracks and Cowlitz River in central Kelso is a 1.8-mile-long paved path.

The approved access points are a few blocks to the south at Mill and Yew streets. Neither has a designated parking spot, but you can park on Riverside Drive, west of the tracks at the Yew Street crossing.

At the north end of the path, the paving stops at a point across from Barnes Street in North Kelso. You can keep on going north for a few hundred yards on a gravel road and end up in the Cowlitz Gardens neighborhood.

cowlitz river bike pathDifficulty: Q

ape canyon trail 234Difficulty: QQQQ

For a simple ride with river views, beginners can try the Coweeman River trail. At 4 miles long, it winds along a dike west of the river. The longest uninterrupted part of the path starts at Talley Way, near the Tennant Way interchange. It’s about 1 ½ miles to where the path passes under the freeway.

The prettiest part of the path is at the opposite end, starting from Allen Street east of Kelso High School. Or try access points at Grade Street and Tam O’Shanter Park.

coweeman river trailDifficulty: Q This dike-top patch winds more than two

miles in west Longview. The path follows the south side of Drainage Ditch 6, which runs more or less parallel to Pacific Way.

A good place to enter the path is from the Longview United Methodist Church parking lot at 30th and Pacific Way.

The dike goes between the slough and back yards. Where the north end of 32nd Avenue intersects, there’s another access. West of here, the path takes on a more rus-tic flavor, with more water on one side and bigger fields on the other. March through July, waterfowl nest in this location. About one mile from the start, you come to 38th Avenue.

The path continues a few hundred yards and then hits the Mint Valley Golf Course, where a gate blocks the way.

By riding on Pacific Way, it’s possible to pick up the trail again west of 42nd Street.

pacific way trailDifficulty: QQ

Trails in Capitol Forest

2010 Columbia Views 29

castle rock trailsDifficulty: Q

Starting at the parking area at the termination of Mosier Road, a paved biking/hiking path goes a few hundred yards to the playing field complex behind Castle Rock High School, then continues unpaved for another half mile or so.

To lengthen the trip, head back to the parking area, ride down Mosier Road and take the paved river path that goes under the highway. The trail crosses Whittle Creek on a 55-foot-long metal bridge, which leads to a network of old dirt roads.

Lions Pride Park offers another trail. Take I-5 to Exit 48 and drive ¾ mile east on Huntington Avenue.

The trail skirts the inland side of The Rock that gives the town its name, passing the town’s sewer plant, piles of dredge spoils from the 1980 erup-tion of Mount St. Helens, and parks for skateboarders and BMX riders. There’s a fishing pier under the highway bridge.

discovery trailDifficulty: QQQ

The Discovery Trail, which was completed last fall, winds 8.5 miles through coastal forest and sand dunes at the Long Beach Peninsula. The 8-foot-wide trail is open for walkers and bicycle riders; nearly all of it is paved.

It follows the route William Clark and 10 members of his expedition likely followed in 1805. Plaques and sculptures along the route provide bits of Lewis and Clark history.

To ride the entire trail east-to-west, start at the Port of Ilwaco. One of the steepest parts comes soon, followed by a series of ups and downs. About 1 mile from Ilwaco, the trail intersects Highway 100, the route to Cape Disappointment State Park. The trail soon flattens out and crosses a 250-foot long wooden bridge over a wetland to reach the Beard’s Hollow parking lot in Cape Disap-pointment State Park.

For the next 4 miles, the trail meanders through grassy sand dunes. Every few miles, the trail crosses a beach access road with parking and toilets. The ocean is never more than a few hundred yards away from the trail. The trail ends at 26th Street North, by the Breakers resort.

For a map of the trail, visit: www.funbeach.com/attractions/discoverytrail/

The 2.5-mile Cook Ferry Trail meanders along the west side of the Cowlitz south of Castle Rock, never far from Cook Ferry Road.

The 8-foot-wide gravel trail is served by three parking lots, each named after a fish that populates the Cowlitz.

To reach the southernmost lot, named Chinook, drive one-third mile along Cook Ferry Road from West Side Highway. From the Chinook lot, the trail winds through dredge spoils dotted with clumps of Scotch broom. After half a mile, the trail reaches the river bank, then heads back inland to skirt a pri-vate residence before rejoining the river bank.

After another quarter-mile, you’ll come to the first “rest area,” with a picnic table, bench, barbecue grill and interpretive sign about Cowlitz River fishing.

The route then follows Cook Ferry Road, which at this point is unpaved, to the Steel-head parking lot, which has a composting toilet.

For the next half-mile, the trail parallels the road, though many tracks have been worn to the river bank by legions of fishermen.

The Cook Ferry Trail continues to the Smelt lot, which is 2.5 miles from the Chinook lot. The Smelt lot is accessible by Camelot Drive.

The Castle Rock and Cook Ferry trails are shown on the brochure “The Trails of Cowlitz County,” on the Pathways �0�0 Web site, Cowlitzonthemove.org

cook ferry trailDifficulty: QQ

One of the most popular trails in Southwest Washington, Lewis River Trail 31 is known as “the roller coaster” because of its end-to-end undulations. The trail parallels the river, traveling through luxuriant old-growth forest and offering eye-pop-ping canyon views.

For beginners, the best strategy is to leave one car at the lower trailhead off Road 9030 and take another to the Lower Falls Campground, located farther up Road 90.

But beware. There are a number of nasty spots, some on the upper portion near the falls where a missed corner will result in a long tumble and another where the trail runs along a cliff.

Directions: From Interstate 5, take Lewis River Road (503) east from Woodland (becomes Road 90 east of Cougar) 52.3 miles to Road 9039. Take a left on 9039 and drive 0.8 to the lower trailhead, located just before the river crossing.

lewis river trail 31Difficulty: QQQQ

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headquarters road-lexington Difficulty: QQA great workout, this 30-mile

loop travels up Spirit Lake Highway.Low traffic and rolling hills make

this ride enjoyable, and the scen-ery is beautiful, Cooper said.

The highway has good road shoulders, although Tower Road doesn’t have much.

The ride begins at the park and ride west of I-5 at Spirit Lake Highway. Ride east on Spirit Lake Highway to Tower Road, and turn left.

Tower Road loops around back to Spirit Lake Highway, at which point riders will travel right to go back to the park and ride.

This quick, rejuvenating 10-mile ride is great when you’re short on time, Cooper said. The ride

features moder-ate, rolling hills and low traffic on roads with good shoulders.

Start at River-side Park off of West Side High-way and travel south to Sparks Drive. Travel over

the I-5 overpass to Old Pacific Highway North. At Headquarters Road, turn right. Go left across I-5, left on Pleasant Hill Road and back to Old Pacific Highway North.

Then turn right on Old Pacific Highway North to Sparks Drive, turn right at Sparks over I-5 to Westside Highway and back to Riverside Park.

The Coal Creek-Delameter Loop also starts at Willow Grove Park. Cooper said this 26-mile loop as “not for the weak in heart.” This loop is challenging and offers several climbs and descents with some rolling hills.

A scenic ride, traffic is low to moderate and Cooper said it’s a great training ride for the Tour de Blast and Seattle-to-Portland races.

At Willow Grove Park, turn right out of the park to Dike Road. Ride left across Ocean Beach Highway to Coal Creek and take a slight right to Woodside Drive and on to Delameter Road, then to Garlock.

Turn right on Garlock to Hazel Dell Road, and turn left. Ride to Delameter Road, and take a left back on to Delameter Road to where you started.

A relatively flat ride suitable for all ride levels is the Castle Rock-Toledo trip. Bikers can choose the length, going as far as they choose, but Cooper ballparks this ride at 28 miles.

Nice road shoulders most of the way and low traffic add to the ride’s ease, and scenery will keep it enjoyable.

Begin at the park and ride at Spirit Lake Highway, on the west side of I-5. Ride right out of the parking lot to the second light and turn right onto Old Pacific Highway North.

Cross the Toutle River and over I-5 on to Barnes Road. Travel to the stop sign at Gee Cue’s Truck Stop, and travel right and continue over I-5.

When you come to Jackson High-way, turn left to Ray Park just south of Toledo. You turn around here, and go back the way you came.

tower road loop Difficulty: QQQ

castle rock-toledo Difficulty: QQQ

coal creek-delameter loop Difficulty: QQQQ

pedal poweR

discover Road Biking

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Cyclists gearing up for big rides or bik-ers out for a scenic trip will appreciate Cowlitz County’s routes. Bob’s Bike Shop manager Genece Cooper detailed a few of her favorites.

want More?seattle-to-PortlanD

Some of these recreational rides are great preparation for longer trips, such as the Se-attle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic or Tour de Blast.

This is the 31st year cycling enthusiasts have been riding the STP’s 200-mile span be-tween the cities. Up to 10,000 participants make the journey each year; this year’s race will be July 17 and 18. Visit www.cascade.org/EandR/stp/ for more information.

toUr De BlastThe newer and local Tour

de Blast climbs from Toutle Lake High School’s parking lot up Mount St. Helens as far as Johnston Ridge viewpoint — 82 miles. However, begin-ning or intermediate cyclists can choose shorter rides at 33 miles and 54 miles, respective-ly. This year’s race is June 19. Visit www.tourdeblast.com for more information.

insiDer infoTwo local bike shops are good

places to find out when group rides are planned. Bob’s Bike Shop is at 1111 Hudson St., or call 425-8520. Highlander Cy-cling is at1313 Commerce Ave. (360) 353-3760.

A great ride with minimal difficulty, scenic river views and rolling hills is the Kalama River Road trip.

“You will love this ride,” Cooper said of the 20-mile course, adding that weekends are the best time to ride this one. With this ride, bikers can choose to continue to the end, or turn around before then.

Start at the gravel park-and-ride just south of the intersection at Kalama River Road and Old Pacific Highway South. Travel east up Kalama River Road, and turn around where the pavement ends, at the Weyerhaeuser gate.

Also rated a 3.5 out of 5 on the dif-ficulty scale is this fun 28-mile loop filled with beautiful valley views and long, gradual climbs. Some rolling hills and a swift decent on Headquarters Road make this another great loop for TDB/STP training.

To take this ride, begin at Riverside Park in Lexington, off of the West Side Highway. Travel south on West Side Highway to Sparks Drive and turn left on Sparks, over the Interstate 5 overpass to Old Pacific Highway North. Turn left to Bond Road. Travel to Powell and turn left, then take an immediate right on Dorothy to Spirit Lake Memorial Highway.

Turn right onto Spirit Lake Highway until you get to South Silver Lake Road (about 3.5 miles). Turn right on South Silver Lake Road and travel until Davis Spur. Take Davis Spur to Headquarters Road and turn right.

Enjoy the ride down Headquarters, pass over I-5 and turn left at Pleasant Hill Road. This takes you back to Old Pacific Highway North, and backtrack your original route to Sparks Drive, over I-5 to Westside Highway and back to Riverside Park.

The mighty Columbia River, peaceful pastureland and boat moorage are the vistas offered by the Willow Grove Loop. A 6-mile ride, the flat, low-traffic loop begins at Willow Grove Park, west of Longview. As an hour-long social ride, take two laps around Willow Grove at 12 mph. For a cardio workout, travel for three laps in an hour at 18 mph. The ride can be windy, with river breezes coming in from any direction.

kalama river road Difficulty: QQ

willow grove loop Difficulty: QQ

lexington-spirit lake highway- headquarters loop Difficulty: QQQQ

pedal poweR


skaters have a new park to give a spin and two others to test their skill

After several years of planning, the kelso rotary skate park finally opened last year. The 10,000-square-foot concrete skate park is in a small park at the corner of Minor Road and Burcham Street in North Kelso. It cost roughly $364,000, much of it paid for with donations. From I-5 Exit 39 (Allen Street) take the east frontage road (Kelso Drive) north for one block.

Woodland’s skate park opened in 2007 in Horseshoe Lake Park. It has a variety of steps and ramps. From Exit 21 of I-5, head west a block to Lake-shore Drive and turn left.

Longview’s skate park is in Cloney Park on Washington Way, west of the intersection with Nichols Boulevard. The park includes a spine, a pyramid, 6-foot quarter pipe and snake run.

discover Skate Parks

Kelso skate park


420 Three rivers Dr., Kelso, WA 98626

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classic rockJuly 8: AM/FM, a group that plays classic rock and roll, from Foreigner to the Partridge Family, with one-hit-wonders thrown in for good measure. www.amfmrocks.com

coUntryJuly ��: Vince Mira, who sings coun-try/Americana featuring a Johnny Cash tribute. www.vincemira.com

‘swaMP rock’July 22: Etoufee, a group that does “swamp rock,” a blend of Southern rock, R&B, and Cajun music. www.etouffee.com

joHn DenverJuly 29: Ted Vigil, who looks and sings like John Denver, will do a tribute to that 70s folk/rock star. www.tedvigil.com

’50s eraaug. �: The Boomer Band, an eight-piece group with a horn section and chorus line that does 50’s rock and roll. www.boomerband.com

Honky-tonkaug. �2: The Buckles, classic honky-tonk country like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard. www.thebuckles.net

Polka & folkaug. �9: The Smilin’ Scandinavians, who promise toe-tappin’ Midwestern polka, Scandinavian folk, traditional country western, Dixieland and big band swing. www.smilinscandinavians.com

discover Summer Concerts

songs for summer

This year’s sum-mer concerts at Lake Sacajawea in Longview feature classic rock, a guy who looks and sings like John Denver and, just for good measure, a serving of Cajun music. Concerts run from � to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, at Martin Dock.

Admission is free.

People bring blankets, low-backed chairs and picnics, and service clubs sell food.


The 85-year-old Columbia Theatre reopened in February after being closed a year for an $11 million renovation. The rebuilding is the theater’s biggest milestone since it survived demolition plans in 1980.

The structure gained a much larger lobby and new restrooms in what used to be the small Pepper Studio Theatre. The 865 seats in the main hall are larger, the carpeting is new and major cleaning made the chandeliers gleam.

Much of the work isn’t visible, however. Dressing rooms are new, and numerous heating, plumbing and wiring and drainage improvements were made.

The renovated theater is as nice as any in Portland, theater insiders say.

About $6 million of the funding was raised through a state sales tax deferral, with the rest coming from other government grants, private foundations and individuals.

The theater produces about 10 shows a year, mostly family-oriented plays and concerts. Other presenters bring in country singers and local classi-cal concerts, among other acts.

For information, call 423-1011 or point your browser to www.columbiatheatre.com

discover Theaters

In the past two years, construction of a fine arts center at Lower Columbia College and a major renovation of the historic Columbia Theatre have brought a bounty of performing spaces to Longview.

columbia theatre for the performing arts

Columbia Theatre

Columbia Theatre

2010 Columbia Views ��386906

With two major performance spaces and an art gallery, the Rose Center for the Arts opened at Lower Columbia College in 2008.

The $24.6 million building features a 525-seat auditorium, a 125-seat thrust theater, a rehearsal hall, an art gallery and an audio technology recording lab, in addition to class-rooms, practice rooms and faculty offices.

The rose center is arguably the most elegant public building in cowlitz county, with sweeping ex-panses of wood paneling and a mural by nationally recognized painter Lucinda Parker in the lobby.

The Wollenberg Auditorium is con-sidered the best hall for music per-formance in Southwest Washington, with state-of-the-art acoustics that can be adjusted by moving overhead panels. The hall’s green-upholstered seats are backed in cherry wood, which is also used extensively on the walls. The college’s Bosendorfer grand piano is stored off-stage.

The smaller, 125-seat Center Stage auditorium for plays has a “thrust” configuration, with seats on three sides of the stage. The stage area’s size can be adjusted by moving the rear wall, which is on rollers. Like the larger hall, the drama space has hanging acoustic panels, though they can’t be adjusted.

Though the primary use of the Hanson Rehearsal Space is prac-tice for instrumental and choral groups, maple-paneled walls give the hall an elegant feeling. It’s as big as the thrust stage hall, and portable seating can be brought in for performances. Curtains on order will adjust the acoustics for voice or instruments.

The Rose Center’s art gallery has a main floor with walls that are 25 feet tall on two sides, and an L-shaped mezzanine that wraps around the other two sides.

lowercolumbia.edu/community/art-and-entertainment/rose-center-for-arts/

lcc rose center


art galleries broadway gallery: This cooperative

gallery shows the works of its 50 mem-bers. Each month, the works of one or more of them are featured. Hours: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. 1418 Com-merce Ave., Longview.

Longview public Library: The base-ment Koth Gallery features rotating exhibits of works by local artists fall through spring. Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays; 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. Fridays; noon-6 p.m. Saturdays. Closed Sundays. 1600 Louisiana St.

Lower columbia college art gal-lery: Exhibits by visiting artists are scheduled throughout the year. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays; 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays. In LCC’s Rose Center.

Museo at the Merk: Works by members of The Columbian Artists As-sociation are displayed in the windows of the Merk building at Commerce and Broadway, Longview.

teague’s interiors: The gallery at a Longview decorating business features regular exhibits. 1267 Commerce Ave., Longview.

totally crazed: Works by members of the artists group For the Love of Art are displayed. 708 Triangle Center.

discover Art Scene

lower colUMBia college

The lobby of the college’s Rose Center for the Arts harbors a 10 by 40 foot mural by Portland artist Lucinda Parker. The college’s hallways and open spaces show dozens of other artworks. The college has produced a bro-chure with information on many of them. See lowercolumbia.edu Click on Community/Arts and Entertainment/Art Gallery.

st. joHn MeDical center

A beautiful cast glass work called “Cross of the Millennium,” along with a stained glass win-dow and calligraphy pieces adorn the hospital lobby on Delaware Street.

enjoy afeast for tHe eyes

The area’s visual beauty isn’t just in the mountains and rivers.Statues and stained glass perk up the local landscape, and local artists dis-play their works in many galleries and businesses.

PUBlic artSeveral bronze statues spice up

the Longview-Kelso area:“HanDstanD Boy,” artist

unknown, outside the Longview Parks office at 2920 Douglas St., Longview.

“sacajawea,” by Jim De-metro, on Nichols Boulevard near the Hemlock Street foot bridge.

“fetcH,” a life-sized dog sculpture by Georgia Gerber, near the Hemlock Street foot bridge at Lake Sacajawea.

“twiligHt reverence” and “MotHer BatHing cHilD,” Native American figures by Jim Demetro, in front of the Hotel Monticello.

“story tiMe,” a figure of a young reader by Del’Esprie, outside the Longview Public Library.

“HelPing HanDs,” a figure of kids at a drinking fountain by Jim Demetro, outside the Colum-bia Theatre.

“tHank yoU, Mr. long,” a figure of city founder R.A. Long, at Broadway and Commerce.

*

for more information on Longview public artworks, see: www.mylongview.com and click on visiting/attractions.8

LCC art gallery


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& Fine thaiCuiSine

3171 Ocean Beach Hwy, Longview, WA

360-425-6292360-425-6293

Sun. - Thurs. 10am - 9pm; Fri. & Sat. 10am - 10pm

Family Owned for Over 38 Years1425 California Way, Longview 577-9966

The Pancake house“The Best Breakfast In Town”Breakfast/Lunch Served “EvEry” Day

20Varieties of Pancakes

and Counting…

3866

02

5:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Mon–Sat • 5:30 a.m.–2:00 p.m. Sun

discover Golf Courses

tee it UpSwing into one of the region’s top-notch courses

Co

urt

esy

ph

oto


We offer an extensive variety of steaks, seafood, pasta, and specialty salads. We are the home of the “Rockin’ extra large burger menu!” All soups and

desserts are made by Chef Parker

Savor a great meal in our casual and relaxed dining room or join us in a quaint formal

atmosphere on the mezzanine.

414-9180 • 3225 Ocean Beach Hwy.

Only in JOsie’slOunge.

Must be 21 years Or

Older.

Happy Hour Menu starting at $2.9950% off all Well drinks & domestic beers

open - Close it’s always Happy Hour

In JosIe’s Lounge parkerssteakhouse.com38

6858

Steak HouSe

thank you for voting us #1!

Come see what makes us one of the most popular restaurants in town!

three rivers golf course2222 S. River Rd.Kelso, WA 98626360-423-4653

established: 1983total length: 6,700 yardstype: Public (owned by Kelso-Longview Elks Lodge)par for men and women: 72/72daily rate: $28 for 18 holes; $23 for seniorsannual season pass: $1,250 adult, $1,100 Elks members, $1,750 couples, $975 seniors, $1,550 senior couples, $375 juniorsfeatures: Pro shop, golf lessons, club-house, liquor license, food serviceWeb: www.3rivers.us

mint valley golf course4002 Pennsylvania St.Longview, WA 98632360-442-5442

established: 1976total length: 6,432 yardstype: Public (owned by City of Longview)par for men and women: 71/71daily rate: Weekends $28, $22 for seniorsAnnual season pass: $1,260 adults, $1,820 couples, $989 seniors, $1,420 senior couples, $390 juniors, $237 summer juniorsfeatures: Pro shop, golf lessons, clubhouse, liquor license, food serviceWeb: www.mint-valley.com

longview country club41 Country Club DriveLongview, WA 98632360-425-3132

established: 1926total length: 6,220 yardstype: Privatepar for men and women: 70/71features: Pro shop, golf lessons, clubhouse, banquet facility, liquor license, food service

lewis river golf3209 Lewis River RoadWoodland, WA 98674360-225-5869

established: 1967total length: 6,363 yardstype: Publicpar for men and women: 72/73daily rate: $29 for 18 holes, $27 for juniors and seniors.features: Pro shop, golf lessons, clubhouse, banquet facility, liquor license, food serviceWeb: www.lewisrivergolf.com

st. helens golf course57246 Hazen RoadWarren, OR 97053503-397-0358

established: 1964total length: 2,977 yards (9 holes)type: Publicpar for men and women: 36/36features: Pro shop, golf lessons, clubhouse, liquor license, food service

skyline golf course20 Randall DriveCathlamet, WA 98612360-795-8785

established: 1971total length: 2,313 yards (9 holes)type: Publicpar for men and women: 35/35features: Pro shop, golf lessons, clubhouse, liquor license, food serviceWeb: www.skylinegolf.net

surfside golf course31508 J PlaceOcean Park, WA 98640360-665-4148

established: 1969total length: 2,960 yards (9 holes)type: Publicpar for men and women: 36/36features: Pro shop, golf lessons, clubhouse, liquor license, food service

Swing into one of the region’s top-notch courses

GU

AD

AL

AJA

RA Stop by to Discover

Longview’s HottestRestaurant & Cantina

GUADALAJARAFamily Mexican Grill & Cantina

4610 Ocean Beach Hwy • Longview

501-4848Open every Day

• new Bar • authentic Mexican Food • Great atmosphere • Large Groups Welcome

FREE LUNCHWhen you buy one of our delicious, authentic Mexican

Lunch entrees at regular price and Two Beverages.Up To $5 ValUe

Limit one coupon per party/table/group. Free Lunch of equal or lesser value. not valid with other offers or to-go orders

valid Sun-Thurs11am-3pm. expires 9/30/10

FREE DINNERWhen you buy one of our delicious, authentic Mexican

Dinner entrees at regular price and Two Beverages.Up To $8 ValUe

Limit one coupon per party/table/group. Free Dinner of equal or lesser value. not valid with other offers or to-go orders

valid Sun-Thurs11am-3pm. expires 9/30/10386895


mayMay �-2: 60th Annual Loyalty Day

Celebration in Ilwaco with parade, events and blessing of the fleet. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

May �4-��: Ryderwood Springfest with artists and crafters of Ryder-wood.

May 28-��: World’s Longest Ga-rage Sale in Long Beach. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

May 28: SummerFest with clowns, face painting, musicians, contests and vendors, held every weekend in Long Beach through September. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

JuneJune 4-6: 10th Annual Winlock

Pickers Fest at Winolequa Park in Winlock. (360-785-4932)

June 4-7: Goonies 25th Anniver-sary Event, marking anniversary of the filming of the movie in Astoria. (oldoregon.com)

June �: Kids Fish-In: An-nual children’s fishing event at Lake Sacajawea’s Martin’s Dock in Longview. (Register by May 27 at mylongview.com/reconline)

June �: Rods and Reels Clas-sic Car and Motorcycle Show and Sturgeon Fishing Derby and BBQ at the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds. (360-795-9996 or wahkiakumcham-ber.com)

June �: 20th Annual International Festival at Lower Columbia College in Longview. (360-751-4427 or ethnic-supportcouncil.org)

June �0: Thirteen Nights on the River in Columbia View Park in St. Helens. Every Thursday through Sept. 2. (sccchamber.org)

June �2: Waikiki Beach Concert Series at Cape Disappointment State Park. Free. (360-642-3029)

June �4: Lower Columbia Classic Car Club Astoria Regatta in down-town Astoria.

June �7-20: Woodland Planter’s Days with parade, rides, frog-jump-ing contest and classic car show. (lewisriver.com/plantersdays/)

June �8-20: Scandinavian Mid-summer Festival at Clatsop County Fairgrounds. (astoriascanfest.com)

June �8-27: Annual Astoria Festival of Music at historic Liberty Theater featuring operatic, symphonic and chamber music performances. (astoriamusicfestival.org)

June �9: “Spirit of the Northwest”

Kiwanis Parade in St. Helens. (scc-chamber.org)

June �9-20: Annual Northwest Garlic Festival in Ocean Park. (opwa.com)

June 2�-26: Fourth Annual Doggie Olympic Games in Long Beach. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

June 2�-27: Winlock Egg Days in Winlock. (winlockeggday.blogspot.com/)

June 2�-27: The Smoky Water Follies Show with music, entertain-ment and family fun, in Skamokawa. (360-795-8770)

June 26: Waikiki Beach Concert Series at Cape Disappointment State Park. Free. (360-642-3029)

June 27: Heritage Days Cruise Car Show and Pie in the Park at Clatskanie City Park. (clatskanie.com/chamber/)

JulyJuly �-4: Go 4th Celebration in

Longview with parade, street fair, kids activities and fireworks. (gofourthfestival.org)

July 2-4: Clatskanie Heritage Days Festival and 4th of July Parade. (503-728-4248)

July �: Second Annual Great Cardboard Boat Regatta at Lake Sacajawea in Longview. (tdn.com)

July �: Independence Day Fireworks at the Port of Ilwaco. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

July 4: Summerfest at Fort Borst Park in Centralia. (chamberway.com)

July 4: Vernonia parade and fireworks.

July 4: 4th of July celebration in St. Helens. (sccchamber.org)

July 4: Old Fashioned 4th of July Parade in Ocean Park. (opwa.com)

July 4: Independence Day Fire-works on the Beach in Long Beach. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

July 4: Fourth of July Parade in Warrenton and Astoria. (oldoregon.com)

July 8-��: Rainier Days in the Park. (503-556-7212)

July 9-��: Toledo Cheese Days.July �0: Waikiki Beach Concert

Series at Cape Disappointment State Park. Free. (360-642-3029)

July �4-�8: Columbia County Fair and Rodeo in St. Helens. (colum-biacountyfairandrodeo.com/home.html)

July ��-�7: Castle Rock Fair, with parade, vendors, youth activities,

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT

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JULY


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OCTOBER


2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30

SEPTEMBER


2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 1415 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31

AUGUST

1


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JULY


2 3 4 56 7 8 9 10 11 1213 14 15 16 17 18 1920 21 22 23 24 25 2627 28 29 30

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OCTOBER


2 3 45 6 7 8 9 10 1112 13 14 15 16 17 1819 20 21 22 23 24 2526 27 28 29 30

SEPTEMBER


2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 1415 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30 31

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1

Family Fun discover Festivals

Cowlitz County Fair

Go �th

Cardboard Boat races

Rainier Days

Tri-Mountain Rodeo


Come Join the Funat the annual

July 2 - 3 - 4lake Sacajawea, longview

ParadeSaturday, July 3

at 10:00am

Cardboardboat regatta

Saturday, July 3at 1:00pm

timberCarnival

Sunday, July 4 Preliminaries at 9:00am

Finals at 1:00pm

marketPlaCe

July 2, 3 & 4

22 non-ProFitFood vendors

July 2, 3 & 4

entertainmentJuly 2, 3 & 4

www.gofourthfestival.org 386721

kid’s FestJuly 2, 3 & 4

FireworksJuly 4 at 10:00pm

annualgolF tour

tournamentJuly 5

music and more, at Castle Rock Fairgrounds.

July �6-�7: Annual SandSta-tions in Long Beach. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

July �6-�8: Napavine Funtime Festival with parade and car show. (360-262-3887)

July �7-�8: Clamshell Rail Road Days at the Columbia Pa-cific Heritage Museum in Ilwaco. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

July �7-�8: Bald Eagle Days in Cathlamet with parade, old car show, street fair and fireworks. (360-795-9996 or wahkiakum-chamber.com)

July �7-2�: Lavender Festival in Toledo. (Contact John or Roberta Strom, 360-864-2485)

July �8: Wooden Boat Show and Salmon BBQ in Cathlamet. (360-795-3501)

July 22-24: Kalama Com-munity Fair and Parade, along with the Kalama River-to-River Run/Walk. (kalamachamber.com or 360-673-6299)

July 2�-2�: Finnish-American Folk Festival in Naselle. (360-484-3376)

July 24: Castle Rock Mountain Mania with logger dinner and street fair.

July 24: Waikiki Beach Concert Series at Cape Disap-pointment State Park. Free. (360-642-3029)

July 24-2�: Long Beach Rodeo, Peninsula Saddle Club in Long Beach.

July ��: Clatskanie Rhythm on the River Blues Fest at Clatskanie City Park (clatskanie.com/chamber/)

July ��: Jake the Alligator Man’s Annual 75th Birthday Party, with car show, music and performers. A children’s celebra-tion will be Aug. 7. (funbeach.com)

augustaug. �-7: Clatsop County Fair

at the fairgrounds in Astoria. (clatsopfairgrounds.com)

aug. �-8: Cowlitz County Fair and Rodeo at the fairgrounds in Longview. (cowlitzcountyfair.com)

aug. 6-8: Clatskanie Blue-grass Festival at Clatskanie City Park and Copes Park. (clats-kanie.com/chamber/)

aug. 6-8: Annual Vernonia Friendship Jamboree and Log-ging Show. (vernoniachamber.org)

aug. 6-��: Clark County Fair

at fairgrounds in Ridgefield. (clarkcofair.com/)

aug 7: Grays River Covered Bridge Celebration in Grays River. (welcometowahkiakum.com)

aug. ��-��: 115th Astoria Re-gatta Maritime Magic in Astoria. (astoriaregatta.org)

aug. �2-��: The 68th Annual Loggers Jubilee in Morton. (log-gersjubilee.com)

aug. ��-��: Mount St. Helens Bluegrass Festival in Toledo. (washingtonbluegrassassocia-tion.org/2010fest/index.php)

august ��-��: Annual Seaside beach volleyball tournament. (seasidebeachvolleyball.com)

aug. ��-��: Kalama All-City Yard Sale.

aug. �4: Waikiki Beach Concert Series at Cape Disap-pointment State Park. Free. (360-642-3029)

aug. �4: Blues & Seafood in Ilwaco. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

aug. �4-��: Western Days, Chehalis-Centralia steam train. (steamtrainride.com)

aug. ��: Untouchables Car show in Kalama. (kalamacham-ber.com or 360-673-6299)

aug. ��: Annual Jazz and Oys-ters celebration in Oysterville. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

aug �6-22: Washington State International Kite Festival in Long Beach. (1-800-451-2542)

aug. �7-22: Southwest Washington Fair in Chehalis. (southwestwashingtonfair.net)

aug. �9-2�: Wahkiakum County Fair at the Wahkiakum County Fairgrounds in Skamo-kawa. (360-795-3480)

aug. 28: Annual Unique Tin Car Show and Swap Meet with controlled cruise to follow in Longview.

aug. 2�-22: Coast Guard Open House and Port of Astoria Air Fair. (portofastoria.com/port-facilities/airport/airfairopen-house2008.html)

aug. 27-29: Threshing Bee, an old-time tractor pull in Toledo.

aug. 27-29: Chehalis Garlic Fest and Craft Show. (chehalis-garlicfest.com)

aug. 28: Hub City Car Show in Centralia. (chamberway.com)

aug 28-29: Kalama Days of Discovery, Hawaiian and Native Indian heritage cultural event at the Port of Kalama’s Marina Park. (360-673-3230)

septembersept. 4: Buzzard’s Breath

Chili Cook-off in Cathlamet. (360-795-9996 or wakiakum-chamber.com)

sept. 4-�: 6th Annual Chinook Art Festival. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

sept. 4-6: Civil War re-enact-ment at Fort Stevens State Park. (visitftstevens.com)

sept. �0: Slow Drag at the Port of Ilwaco. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

sept. ��: Kalama Art Walk. (kalamachamber.com or 360-673-4696)

sept. ��-�2: Rod Run to the End of the World car show in Ocean Park. (opwa.com)

sept. ��-�2: Wheels and Waves Car Show in Seaside.

sept. ��-�2: Highlander Festival in Kelso. (highlander.kelso.gov/)

sept. �6-�8: Blues by the Sea at Clatsop County Fairgrounds in Astoria. (bluesbythesea.com)

sept. �8: 21st Annual Scap-poose Sauerkraut Festival. (scappoosecommunity.org)

sept. 2�: Cowlitz Indian Pow Wow at St. Mary’s Center in Toledo. (Contact Suzanne Donaldson-Stephens 360-280-2321)

octoberoct. �-2: Columbia River

Country Days, at various locations around Wahkiakum County, to include a farmer’s market, farm tours, old-time auction and dinner. (360-795-3278)

oct. 8-nov. �4: Wild Mush-room Celebration on the Long Beach Peninsula. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

oct 9-�0: 89th Annual Cran-berrian Fair at the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum and the Cranberry Museum on the Long Beach Peninsula. (360-642-2400 or funbeach.com)

oct. 9-�0: One Sky, One World Kite Festival in Long Beach. (360-642-4020)

oct. ��-�7: Water Music Festival XXVI consists of five concerts, including a free concert Oct. 16. (watermusicfes-tival.com)

oct. 24: Graveyard of the Pacific Shipwreck Events at the Columbia River Maritime Mu-seum, Fort Stevens State Park, Cape Disappointment State Park and Fort Columbia State Park. (funbeach.com)

Family Fun


>>

the planned cityA cluster of historic buildings around Longview’s Civic Center and on nearby Commerce Avenue are among the city’s attrac-tions. Most shop-ping opportunities in the region are now in Longview, with big box stores and several strip malls. The city also holds the region’s most popular park at Lake Sacajawea.

The Longview Civic Circle makes its way around R.A. Long Park, passing the historic Longview Public Library, Monticello Hotel and post office. (As you’re approaching the library, don’t forget to look up or you’ll miss the nutty narrows bridge, quite possibly the only squirrel bridge in the world.) The circle was designed as part of R.A. Long’s planned city, pointing travelers to downtown, the industrial area and residential areas. You can reach the circle by taking 15th Avenue to Washington Way. Head west on Wash-ington Way and follow the circle around.

Longview was named to the national register of Historic places in 1985 because it’s one of the nation’s few planned industrial cities. Several downtown buildings were named to the register, including the Columbia Theatre for the Perform-ing Arts and the Big Four Furniture Building at 1329 Commerce Ave., built in 1924 and now a restaurant. The Columbia River Mercantile, at the corner of Commerce Avenue and Broadway, functioned as Longview’s first store and as the headquarters of the Long-Bell Lumber Co. when it was built in 1923. It’s been restored to resemble what it looked like in the city’s early days. Inside are gift shops and the Longview Reading Room, a repository of local history. And across the street is the old Long-Bell whistle, which regulated the workday of hundreds of local lumber mill workers for decades. For more infor-mation, a brochure available at the Chamber of Commerce offers a self-guided walking tour.

Lake Sacajawea is to Longview what Central Park is to New York City. This long, skinny body of water with its broad, green lawns is the place to be when the sun is shining. Its graveled path is the best route in town to walk or run; it’s four miles all the way around. Trout are stocked in the lake in spring and summer, making it attractive for young folks with fish-ing poles. the 60-acre park holds no less than ��9 species of trees. In the fall, the leaf colors shouldn’t be missed. Among the park’s features are the beautiful Japanese Gardens at the north end of the park and the Solar System Walk, created by the local astronomy club. Granite markers along the walk show the relative distances of the planets from the sun. Pick up a guide to the park’s trees and planet walk at the Chamber of Commerce or Parks Department at 2920 Douglas St.

history civic circlelake sacaJawea

there’s even more to cowlitz county’s

largest city ...

Longview destination

Go �th parade


Pet WorksThe

Open 7 Days a Week1257 Commerce • 636-0830

KoiFish

Buy 2FREE

Get One

• Experienced Knowledgeable Staff• Pet Food • Accessories & Supplies• Fish • Reptiles • Cats • Dogs

CountryFolks Deli

“Utterly Delicious” Lunch & Dinner

• Homemade Sandwiches • Fresh Salads• Fresh Baked Breads• Homemade Soups• Homemade Desserts

1329 Commerce 425-2837

Lunch 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.Monday - Friday

1203 14th Ave • Longview(360) 577.0717

$3 off Lunchwith minimum $15 purchase

FineDining

BestDinner

Expires 01/31/11

Take Out Available

TheTreasure House

1252 Commerce, Longview

360 423.3620

• Children’s Books & Bibles• Music • Greeting Cards• Candles• Collectibles • Gifts

Largest selection of yarn betweenPortland & Seattle

• Sock Yarns • Hat Yarns• Alpaca • Egyptian Cotton• Chunky Marble• Merino & Silk

1314 Commerce Ave, Longview • 360-577-0130

Classes in knitting & crochetingOpen Tuesday - Saturday

AlsoRed HAt too

& Red WAgon

1245 Commerce Longview

578-1733

• Clothes• Electronics• Household Goods• Toys 1303 Commerce, Longview • 636-1150

LongviewPawnbrokers

• Jewelry• Sporting Goods• Tools• Electronics• Cameras• CD’s, DVD’s• Firearms

Longview’s PremierSeafood

Restaurant

Open 7 Day a WeekDine in or Drive Up Window

1110 Commerce • 414-3288

• Fresh Seafood •• Award Winning Clam Chowder •

Burgers • Steaks

Downtown LongviewSmall town atmosphere that’s appealing to residents & visitors. Offering a safe, comfortable & inviting gathering place with shopping, restaurants, galleries & beautiful streetscapes.


Longview destination

A DAY AT THE

360.425.02971338 Commerce Ave, Suite 101,

Longview

• Hair Cut/Color

• Waxing

• Massage

• Facials

• Manicure/Pedicure

• Men’s Services

• Extensions

• Microdermabrasion

• Permanent Makeup

• Electrolysis

www.simplicitysalonllc.com

The Columbia Theatre is one of the area’s foremost architectural gems, built in 1925. It recently reopened after an $11 million renovation. With its Italian Renaissance style, chandeliers and intricate ornamentation and grillwork, what is now the Columbia The-atre for the Performing Arts represents the elegance of an era long past. Visit columbiatheatre.com to view scheduled events, or call the theater at 360-575-8499.

The Triangle center, the busiest general-purpose shopping area in town, is in a three-sided area bordered by 15th Avenue, Washington Way and Ocean Beach Highway, each a commercial avenue. The largest ten-ant is Winco, a spartan, 92,000-square foot, low-priced grocery store. The Triangle also includes an Applebee’s restaurant, Ross Dress for Less, Michael’s, PetCo and Lane Bryant.

columbia theatre triangle center

Bring yoUr caMeraFor the best overview of the area, head over the Lewis and Clark Bridge, built in the 1920s and airy at 195 feet high. When you reach the Oregon side, head west, uphill on Highway 30. Pull off in one of the turnoffs to see the Longview-Kelso area, mills, ships at anchor and all. On clear days, you’ll see Mount St. Helens looming in the east and Mount Rainier in the distance.

See the longview cardboard Boat

Regatta on July 3


H I S T O R I C

Columbia River MercantileColumbia River Mercantile

By 1923, the Long-Bell Lumber Co. constructed The Columbia River Mercantile Building, and it has been restored to its original appearance. Nowadays the 70,000 square foot downtown building at the corner of Commerce and Broadway is home to several retail shops and its architecture still garners much attention.

The design of the building that is affectionately known as “The Merk” includes interior wall murals and historic photos that offer a peek into the 1920s process of constructing the planned city of Longview.

STYLEMASTERS

CONSTRUCTION

General Contractor• Residential• Commercial• Historic Restoration• Remodeling

#STYLEC*074R3

751-04981339 Commerce • Suite 110

LonGviEw

1339 Commerce • 423-4986in THE mERk

“The Little Shop With A Lot”

1339 Commerce Suite 106

In the Merk. 577-0979

Many more treasures guaranteed to capture your imagination!

• Victorian Accents• Picture Frames• Cups & Tea Pots• Candles & Scents

Offering a unique selection of uniforms for:

• Nurses • Doctors • Restaurant

• Veterinary • Dentists

1339 Commerce • Suite 208425-5460

Plus footwear includingnursemate & Birkenstock!

DOWNTOWNLONGVIEW

• Old Fashioned Shakes• Sundaes• Espresso• Parties ~ Plus ~• Chocolate • Jelly Bellies• Novelty Candies• Sandwiches • Soups

• Salt & Pepper Shakers• Stationary• Doilies

• Candy Bouquets• Gift Baskets• Balloons

• Chocolate Truffles• Candy• Gifts of All Kinds

1339 Commerce • Suite 112Longview • 414-0778

Gerhart Gardens Park is a 14-acre park on the Cowlitz River that’s popular on hot summer days, when the river level drops to expose broad sandy beaches. Families can enjoy using the picnic tables, horseshoe pits, basketball hoops, sand volleyball court and playground equip-ment. There’s also a boat ramp, but the area in front is often silted in, making launching tricky. Gerhart Gardens is the home of the city’s only off-leash dog park, a three-acre, fenced area at the entrance to the park. Remember to clean up after your dog and follow the doggie rules posted. The park is just north of the Longview Wye, off Tennant Way (SR 432) at the foot of the Harry Morgan Bridge.

With dozens of independently owned business-es, downtown Longview boasts a lot of charac-ter. It’s a changing shopping scene, with new businesses springing up from time to time. the principal downtown intersection is com-merce and broadway, which among other things has the columbia river Mercantile, with gift shops, offices and an ice cream parlor. Stroll through downtown and you’ll find a pet store, bead shop, a cooperative art gallery, furniture, banks and restaurants. A couple of blocks away at 11th Avenue and Hudson Street is the homegrown Bob’s Sporting Goods, which has the largest outdoors store in the region.

A favorite site for launching personal watercraft on the Columbia River, Willow Grove Park has developed into a year-round site used by swimmers, picnickers, walkers and boaters. On summer evenings, kiteboarders can often be seen, too. The 60-acre park has big parking lots and numerous picnic tables with fire rings. A small picnic shelter can be found near the cen-ter of the park. A barrier-free asphalt trail nearly a mile long runs along the shore. There’s a beach volleyball area at the west end of the park, and the winds off the river make this a favorite spot for flying a kite. Cargo ships draw near on their way to and from the ocean. They add to the scenery; however, their wakes make swimming very dangerous. The park is open 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. in summer. To reach it from Ocean Beach Highway, turn south onto Willow Grove Connec-tor Road and then right onto Willow Grove Road.

willow grove downtown gerhart gardens

Kelso destination

The Cowlitz County Historical Museum features permanent exhibits on the early days of this area, including an authentic pioneer cabin, and replicas of a general store and logging bunk-house. There’s even a 1913 International truck that used to cart mail from Kelso to Castle Rock. Special exhibits rotate through one hall — there’s one on the history of work in Cowlitz County through November. The museum, 405 Allen Street, is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free; donations are welcome. For more information, call 577-3119 or go to www.co.cowlitz.wa.us/museum/

“Tam O,” as the locals say, is a 41-acre park along the Coweeman River. The park has several ball fields and basketball courts, not to mention horseshoe pits, a playground and picnic tables. Many people enjoy a walk or bike ride along the graveled path atop the park’s dike, which runs along the river. The park is the site of the annual kelso Highlander festival, which is Sept. 11-12 this year. It’s also the site of Stan Rister Stadium, which seats 500 baseball enthusiasts.

Roots run deepA thriving town before Longview was even built, Kelso’s history figures into several attractions. Scottish land surveyor Peter Crawford arrived in the Cowlitz Valley area in 1847 and registered the first donation land claim on the Cowlitz River. He founded the city of Kelso in 1884.

cowlitz county historical museum tam o’shanter park

Kelso train depot



The Kelso-Longview area experiences a temperate climate, with mild, damp winters and relatively dry, warm summers. Summers are warm, sunny and rather dry, with July reach-ing an average high of 76° and a low of 52.5°. Located about 80 miles inland across a stretch of relatively flat ground, the skies can be overcast due to moisture from the marine layer.

WeatHer

May Jun Jul aug sep oct nov dec

avg. High 66.6 71.1 76.5 77.5 73.2 62.7 51.5 45.5

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avg. rainfall (in.) 2.8 2.25 1.04 1.25 2.32 3.76 7.44 7.2

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Kelso is home to Three Rivers Mall, the largest enclosed shop-ping mall in Cowlitz County. Next to I-5, the mall is anchored by Macy’s department store, J.C. Penney and Sears. Other stores at the mall range from gifts to outdoor decor. Learn more about the mall at www.threeriversmall.com. Kelso has a bowling alley again now that Splits has opened in the site of the former Hilander. The new owner spent $700,000 to renovate the building with new carpet, modern artwork above the lanes and leather couches. Also new is a coffee shop, new arcade games, a miniature golf course and a sports bar and grill, known as The Tailgate.

The Kelso train station has been a longstanding centerpiece to downtown Kelso. The station (pictured on opposite page) was built in 1911 and renovated in 1996. The station, on First Avenue, has several shops and offices, as well as a place to wait for Amtrak trains. Nearby is Kelso City Hall, which fea-tures a lofty lobby and historical artifacts from town, such as a giant wheel-lift from the old Allen Street Bridge and an antique stained-glass window from Peter’s Restaurant, which used to be across the street. Downtown businesses include Kelso Hardware & Marine, several taverns and a Mexican restaurant. a bright spot is the backstage cafe, a spiffy restau-rant/bar next to the kelso theatre pub. The theater shows movies that tend to get overlooked by the local cineplexes, and serves beer, wine and pizza.

downtown

entertainment


Castle Rock destination

Gateway to Mount

St. HelensAny trip to Castle Rock,

the gateway to Mount St. Helens, should

begin with a visit to the rock that gave this

small town its name. The city is named for a large volcanic rock formation along the

Cowlitz River that locals say resembles an old

castle. The Rock, as it is affectionately called,

rises 200 feet above the surrounding area. It

was once used as a geographical land-

mark for early travelers along the river.

Lions Pride Park, on Huntington Avenue South, serves as the trailhead for the east side of castle rock’s riverfront trail. The walking and biking trail takes visitors past The Rock and along the Cowlitz River. Trails are located on both sides of the river. The trail on the east side is a 1.7-mile lighted, paved path that extends just past the PH10 bridge. The trail includes viewing areas, benches, picnic tables and a small playground. The trail passes the town’s sewer plant, piles of dredge spoils from the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, and parks for skateboarders and BMX riders. There’s also a fishing pier under the highway bridge. On the west side of the Cowlitz River, the trail is constructed of compacted gravel, from the PH10 bridge to the mouth of Whittle Creek and a paved path from PH10 bridge to the Castle Rock Sports Complex.cowlitz river


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Castle Rock’s historic downtown features a wide variety of shops, antique stores, restaurants and other attractions, including the Castle Rock Exhibit Hall and Visitor’s Information Center. The exhibit hall, in a large white building at 147 Front Ave. N.W, includes displays explaining the mudflows and the volcano’s impact on the Castle Rock area. It’s also a historical museum for north Cowlitz County, with displays on logging and rivers. Exhibits include a working replica of a sawmill, a 1890s buggy and a bigfoot display. The exhibit hall also has pictures of Castle Rock High School gradu-ates since 1900. Admission is free. To get to the Castle Rock Exhibit Hall, take I-5 to Exit 49 and go west into town. Front Avenue is one block to the right of the main street. It is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday in summer. For more information, call 360-274-6603.

Today, The Rock has been preserved for the commu-nity and its visitors. Historical markers are at the base of The Rock, at the intersection of Huntington Avenue South and Front Avenue. visitors can hike the trail that winds its way to the top or take a break at The Rock Community Park. To get to The Rock, take I-5 to Exit 49 and go west into town on Huntington Avenue. Park at Lions Pride Park.

hike the rock

downtown

Downtown Castle Rock


Kalama destination

A distinctly Northwest town with a tropical name, Kalama is known for its abundance of antique shops, small-town am-biance and hollywood movie shoots. Straddling Interstate 5 at Exit 30, the town is named after John Kalama, a Hawaiian who hunted, fished and trapped in the area more than a century ago.

aloha, antiqueS & adventuReKalama Heritage Festival

Antique shops in Kalama

Kalama Heritage Festival


Godfrey’s Pharmacy270 N. 1st, Kalama, WA (360) 673-2600

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The Port of Kalama offers recreational facilities with a 222-slip marina, a five-acre day-use park and a two-mile walking path. A totem pole at the marina park stands 140 feet tall and is listed in the “guinness book of World records” as the tall-est one-piece totem in the world. The park and marina are ac-cessible by foot via a walking bridge over the railroad tracks at the south end of town. Another trail follows the lower stretch of the Kalama River north of town.

Open seven days a week, numerous antique dealers offer a large selection of antiques and collectibles. Free maps of the city are available at all of Kalama’s stores.

North of town, Camp Kalama offers year-round camping and bank fishing on the Kalama River. the kalama river supports runs of steelhead and salmon, with relatively good public bank access. Nearby Kress Lake on Old Pacific Highway off of Ka-lama River Road is stocked with trout and surplus steelhead. During salmon seasons, anglers fish on the Columbia River banks and crowd the marina at the Port of Kalama.

port of kalama

camp & fish

antiques

Kalama High School at 548 China Garden Road was used as the school in the vampire flick “Twilight.” Since then, the town’s functioning high school has become a popular destination for followers of the popular books and movie series.

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Woodland destination

The farm was founded nearly 30 years ago by Benno and Klazina Dobbe, who immigrated to the United States from the Netherlands. The bulb farm’s gift shop is open year-round and sells all manner of bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, irises, hyacinths, grape hyacinths, alliums, scilla and other specialty varieties. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 1066 South Pekin Road; (360) 225-6575; www.habf.net

Perched on a steep slope above the creek, the water-powered grinding

mill was built in �876 and used by families who brought grain to the

mill to be ground into flour or live-stock feed. Volunteers staff weekend activities, which feature events typical to the early 20th century. Take exit 21

and head east, turning right to cross the North Fork of Lewis River. Turn left onto Northwest Hayes Road toward Amboy,

which becomes Cedar Creek Road. About eight miles from Woodland, a sign

points left to the mill. Turn left on Grist Mill Road and the Mill is about ¾ of a

mile; www.cedarcreekgristmill.com

horseshoe lake park

On the north side of the horseshoe-shaped lake is Horseshoe Lake Park, 6.5 acres of open lawn for field games, a playground, a beach, restrooms, a parking lot, skateboard park and a boat launch. Horseshoe Lake is open for swimming (no lifeguard on duty), fishing, boating, and water skiing. The lake itself is 85 acres and has a maxi-mum depth of 16 feet. It was created in 1940, when a bend in the river was isolated by freeway construction.

holland america bulb farm

cedar creek grist mill


Smell the history — literally — at the Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens. Its annual Lilac Festival, which showcases the fragrant purple, pink and white blossoms, is over but the gardens are open year-round. The Hulda Klager Lilac Garden is an arboretum with many flowers, shrubs, and exotic trees in addition to the lilacs. klager’s victorian-era home is on the national register of Historic sites and is open to visitors during special events. 115 South Pekin Road. Open to the public 365 days a year from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily, with a $2 fee. www.lilacgardens.com

Rich in historical charm and natural beau-ty, the town of Woodland is more than a jumping-off point for adventures in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. For more information about Woodland, the city’s Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center at 900 Goerig St.; (360) 225-9552; woodlandwachamber.com

an enchanting escape

hulda klager lilac gardens


gnat creekDon’t let the name scare you off. This

hatchery is a family-friendly place that’s tucked away off Highway 30, 15 miles west of Clatskanie. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife raises winter steelhead and spring chinook there. The hatchery is open to visitors daily from 7:30 a.m. to dusk. It has a viewing pond with large rainbow trout and sturgeon that visitors can feed. An informa-tional kiosk and picnic areas are available for visitors, who can enjoy scenic loop trails around the hatchery. A trail climbs about two miles through woods above the hatchery, and an older section of the Gnat Creek trail crosses Highway 30 then descends for 1 1/4 miles through woods to a campground with six quiet walk-in sites.

zenClatskanie is the home of the largest Zen

facility in the northwest. Great Vow Bud-dhist Monastery, 79640 Quincy-Mayger Road, was built in a converted elementary school. It is a full-time residential training monastery. Guests are encouraged to attend the Sunday program, which begins at 10 a.m. To schedule a tour, call the monastery at 503-728-0654. www.greatvow.org

troJan site The area between Prescott Beach and the

former Trojan Nuclear Power Plant offers large marshes and good bird watching. The 74-acre park at Trojan includes a 29-acre lake, 200 acres of woods and wetlands, walk-ing trails, ball fields, sheltered picnic areas, a volleyball court and a Frisbee golf course. All facilities are open Memorial Day through Labor Day though people may walk through any time. For more information on the park, call 503-464-8515 or visit www.portlandgen-eral.com/parks.

delena yew tree If you’ve found yourself headed to Clats-

kanie, you gotta stop and take a peek at the delena yew tree. The largest such tree in Oregon, it’s more than 100 years old and stands on the site of an early post office and stagecoach stop between Rainier and Astoria. The tree is east of Clatskanie at the Delena entrance to old U.S. Highway 30 (turn right past Alston’s Corner at the Delena exit off of Highway 30). The site is currently a farm; easy viewing is possible from the old highway.

dibblee point A few miles downstream from Rainier, Dibblee

Point is an undeveloped but popular sandy beach along the Columbia River. People hike or ride horseback through the sandy trails. Dibblee Point is the closest place to Longview-Kelso with extensive bank fishing on the Columbia. To reach Dibblee Point, turn north from Highway 30 onto Rockcrest Road. Turn left onto Dike Road, go under the Lewis and Clark Bridge and right at the stop sign past the gypsum plant on Young Road. Take the gravel road across the railroad tracks to the river.

columbia river beachesEast of Rainier, Laurel Beach is a small but

scenic day-use park that attracts anglers and bird watchers. A small strip of sandy beach also is accessible from the parking area. Take Laurelwood Road about 1.5 miles south of town. You’ll have to walk up a rough path and over the railroad tracks.

Farther south on Highway 30, the site of Lewis and clark’s campsite on nov. �, �80�, has been developed into an attractive park. The 71-acre Prescott Beach day-use park charges a small fee. You’ll also find a picnic shelter, playground equipment, gazebo, horseshoe pit and volleyball courts.

rainier If you head into Rainier from the Lewis and

Clark Bridge, you can explore an early river town. A white-columned, two-story city hall built in 1920 marks the center of town. The city’s spacious riverfront park at the west edge of town is a favorite for families. It has basketball and tennis courts, a skateboard park and a first-rate play-ground. It offers a close view of maritime activity at the Port of Longview. Nearby is a boat launch with restrooms and a large parking lot.

clatskanieClatskanie was built on logging, and the heritage

can be felt around town. Turn-of-the-century lumberman T.J. Flippin built his home to look like a castle. The turreted white mansion at 620 Tichenor (turn left off Highway 30 onto Tichenor) now is a senior center and a museum. Tours of Flippin Castle, led by the senior citizens, can be arranged by calling 503-728-3608. There is a small fee.

Clatskanie City Park, 300 N.E. Park St., has a large swimming pool, a sports field, playground, horseshoe pits, picnic tables and barbecue pits, tent and rv camp sites, a horse arena, a boat ramp into the Clatskanie River and restrooms with showers. The Lewis and Clark Heritage Canoe Trail begins at the park, winds along the Clatskanie River and explores the islands of the Lower Columbia. A network of sloughs offers a variety of paddling experiences for all skill levels.

Something for everyone

Columbia County destination

Sandy riverfront beaches, quiet back roads and a huge yew tree are among attractions in Columbia County, Ore. Visitors can also check out a wind-surfing hot spot, a variety of trails, the largest Zen Buddhist monastery in the Northwest and what’s left of Oregon’s only nuclear power plant.

water accessWest of Clatskanie at the intersection of highways 30 and �7, the Beaver Boat Ramp offers easy Clatskanie River access. The day-use park has picnic tables, barbecue pits and restrooms. Jones Beach is six miles west of Clatskanie on Highway 30 off Woodson Road. The broad beach and gusty afternoon winds draw windsurfers to the Columbia River from hundreds of miles around. The beach is used for fishing and picnicking. Overnight camping is not permitted here.

A lake on

Dibblee Point near

Rainier


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At the Foot of the Rainier Bridge

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To RainieR, oRegon

Columbia CountyParks & recreation

1. Beaver Boatramp &parkHwy. 30 Clatskanie U.S. 30 and Hwy 47. Within the Clatskanie city limits. Paved parking, boat launch, restrooms, picnic tables and barbecue grills.

2. Bigeddypark6455 Nehalem Hwy, 47 N., Vernonia. Large fir trees, open play ground, fishing, canoeing, and a non-motorized boat launch. 35 camping sites, 14 with full RV hookups.

3. Camp Wilkerson65866 Aplary Road, Rainier280-acre secluded, forested site, 24 Adiron-dacks (3-sided camp shelters), numerous tent sites, rustic 2 room cabins and a rustic day lodge complete with cooking facilities to ac-commodate groups of up to 250 people. Bring your horses, ride the trails and camp in one of our horse corral tent sites.

4. diBBleeislandparkColumbia River Channel, RainierThis is among the areas visited by Lewis and Clark over 200 years ago!

5. gilBertriver Boatramp &doCks

Reeder Road, Sauvie Island. Located within the Sauvie Island Wildlife Area, this facility pro-vides easy access to the Multnomah Channel for a variety of boating activities and fishing.

6. Hudson-parCHerpark75503 Larson Road, Rainier. Popular with family groups, sports groups and others looking for peaceful forest and field camp sites. 18 RV spaces, tent camping, cabin/cooking facility for a party of up to 66 people, ball parks, soccer field, basketball court, 3 playgrounds, covered picnic areas and easy access to fishing, boating or windsurfing.

7. J.J. CollinsmemorialmarineparkRm 8.0 Multnomah Channel, Scappoose. This park is only accessible by boat for a wildlife island adventure. Primitive campsites and a covered picnic area.

8. laurel BeaCHLaurel Beach Road, Rainier. Rustic Day-use only park, featuring access to one of the Columbia River’s many fishing spots. In addition to offering outstanding bird viewing.

9. asBurryparkSaulser Rd,. St. Helens.Day-use only area, which includes picinic sites, childeren’s ball field and a nature trail.

10.presCott BeaCH73125 Prescott Beach Drive. Day-use only area. One of the Columbia River’s finest fishing and windsurfing sites. Features a covered picnic shelter, play-ground equipment, gazebo, a horse-shoe pit and volleyball courts.

11.sCaponiapark22870 Scappoose-Vernonia Hwy., Scappoose. Recreational area featuring a 7-acre nature park and 12 tent sites.

12.sCappooser.v.park34038 N Honeyman Road, Scappoose. A comfortable, shaded view of this growing rural airport makes the Scappoose R.V. Park a unique spot for picnicking or camping at one of the 6 RV sites.

Your Neighborhood Playground

Columbia County is conveniently located less than an hour away from the Portland Metro area, Vancouver, Kelso and Longview, Washington. For the day, weekend or longer - enjoy World-Class Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Canoeing, Kayaking, Cycling, Rural Aviation, Historic Tours and much more. View nature up close, multitudes of birds and animals in their natural

habitat, wildflowers and forests are daily recreational experiences at Columbia County’s full service parks system.

1054 Oregon Street, St. Helens, Oregon 97051 • Phone 503-397-2353 • Fax: 503-397-7215 • Reservations: 503-366-3984


The Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge is two miles west of Cathlamet.

The 6,400-acre refuge’s primarily purpose is to help the Columbian white-tailed deer recover. The refuge also is home to several dozen elk, though both species can be difficult to spot. With more than 60 species of birds, the refuge is popular with birders.

Pick up a map at refuge headquarters and drive the self-guided tour that travels the river.

Visitors may walk on a 3-mile-long gravel road through the heart of the refuge June through September. On the main highway, there’s a viewing blind on the refuge.

Tranquility &

AdventureA couple of charming towns line the road west from Longview to the beach. Cathlamet seems like a small town of 50 years ago, and Skamokawa focuses on the Columbia River. In between them sprawls a wildlife refuge with deer, elk and birds.

white-tailed deer refuge for information on the elochoman and Grays rivers, see page 24.

Wahkiakum County destination

Marina at Cathlamet


1391 West State Rte 4Skamokawa, WA

paddle center 360-795-3384

386546

ToursRentals

Instruction

Welcome to

Wahkiakum County

We have what you’re looking for - A good novel, a unique gift, a

lesson in history or a great adventure.

Cathlamet has got you covered.

We’re a little out of the way, but worth the adventure!

The town of Cathlamet still has an authen-tic ambiance, a place where people work with tools and fishing tackle. Here, visitors can savor the flavor of an America before strip malls and fast-food chains jammed the landscape.

Cathlamet, pronounced “cath-LA-met,” is 20 miles west of Longview on Ocean Beach Highway (SR4). The town has about 550 inhabitants.

Stop at the visitor information center at the corner of Broadway and River streets. Pick up the Historic Tour Guide and set out on foot or in your car. The guide will steer you to houses which date to the 1860s.

Nearby is the 1884 Pioneer Church, the steeple of which is a town landmark.

Stroll down Broadway to a viewing area of the Columbia River — tugboats may be docked nearby. Walk the waterfront trail from the museum to the marina, which can be jammed when salmon fishing or stur-geon fishing is good in the Columbia.

A block away, check out the Wahkiakum County Historical Museum, which holds a good display of Americana from the past century, with an emphasis on local liveli-hoods — fishing, logging and farming.

Skamokawa packs a lot of tourist destinations into its tiny size.Pronounced “Skah-MOCK-away,” the riverside village is a National

Historical District. The River Life Interpretive Center, an imposing structure built in

1894as a school, towers above the highway. On the ground floor of what’s also called Redmen Hall is a gift shop, which is open noon- 4 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.

The second floor houses exhibits showing the area’s history. Drive a couple of blocks down Steamboat Slough Road to look at

Lurline Hall, a nicely restored 1911 building on pilings that was once a steamboat landing. It isn’t open to the public.

For further information on Cathlamet and Skamokawa, call the Wahkiakum Chamber of Commerce at (360) 795-9996 or visit www.WahkiakumChamber.com.

skamaokawa

cathlamet

Longboard races


Astoria destination

The oldest town west of the Rock-ies, Astoria is a seaside portal to a simpler time. Historical Victorian

houses dot the treed hillsides, which allow breathtaking vistas of this northwest Ore-gon town situated on the broad Columbia River a few miles upstream of its mouth.

Rain or shine, sightseeing opportu-nities abound. A good place to start is the Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center at 111 W. Marine Drive, a few blocks east of the Astoria-Megler Bridge: www.oldoregon.com or (503) 325-6311. Visitor’s guides, a walking tour for shop-ping and dining, and a driving map of 55 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places are at the center.

Besides surf, sand and history, the Astoria-Warrenton area’s charm has at-tracted the eye of Hollywood, and the area has been the site of a number of movies, including “The Goonies,” “Come See the Paradise,” “Kindergarten Cop,” “Free Willy” and “Short Circuit,” to name a few. The visi-tor center sells lists of all the movies filmed in Astoria. This summer, Astoria will host the Goonies 25th Anniversary celebration. Attending the June 4-7 event will be several cast members, including actor Corey Feld-man, who played Mouth.

museums

oregon fiLM MuseuM: In conjunction with the June 4-7 celebration to mark the 25th anniversary of “The Goonies,” the Clatsop County Historical Society will open the new Oregon Film Museum. About 300 commercial movies have been filmed in Oregon, including at least 25 in Clatsop County. The new museum will be housed in the former county jail, at the corner of 7th and Duane streets. The jail was featured in the opening scenes of “The Goonies.” The museum is expected to be open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call the historical society, 503-325-2203, for more information.

coLuMbia river MaritiMe MuseuM: Exhibits include a retired Coast Guard rescue boat (pictured) and light ship and old fishing boats. It’s at 1792 Marine Drive, open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 adults, $8 seniors and $5 per child ages 6-17.

fLaveL House Mansion: George Flavel, a river bar pilot who became one of Astoria’s richest men, built the 11,600-square-foot mansion at 8th and Duane in 1885. Flavel House is open daily in summer from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $2 for children.

Heritage MuseuM at �6tH and ex-cHange: Operated by the Clatsop County Historical Society. Exhibits focus on the Germans, Swedes, Finns, Norwegians, Danes, Chinese, Serbs, Croats and others who contributed to Astoria’s history. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in summer. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for seniors and $1 for children.

attractions

Movies: The Goonies house is at 368 38th Street at Duane. Fans are asked to walk, not drive, up the gravel driveway.

forts: Fort Astoria at the intersection of 15th and Exchange streets. It includes a small park with a partial replica of where John Jacob Astor’s fur traders originally constructed their fort. Fort Clatsop National Memorial, 92343 Fort Clatsop Road. Site where the 33-member Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered from Dec. 7, 1805, to March 23, 1806. The facility includes the reconstructed fort, a visitor center/museum, historical exhibits, canoe landing, spring and picnic area joined by trails through the wetlands and rainforests. Open daily. Summer hours 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; winter hours 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost is $3 for adults and free to children 15 and younger.

troLLey: Anywhere between Basin and 36th streets, catch a riverfront trolley ride for $1.

sWiM: Escape the rain and take a dip at the Astoria Aquatic Center at 1997 Marine Drive, (503) 325-7027. Features the main pool, recreation pool, spa pool and kiddies’ pool, as well as a water slide and lazy river. A family day pass is $12. Visit www.astori-aparks.com/aac.html for more information.

birding: Shorebirds and land birds make migra-tory stops in Astoria. Each season offers a slice of the 356 recorded species. A complete list of species (plus more info) at http://birdnotes.net.

LocaL LandMark: The 125-foot tall Astoria Col-umn, sitting atop Coxcomb Hill, offers a spectacular view of the city, as well as the Columbia River, Pacific Ocean and surrounding mountains and forests. Climb the column’s 164 steps to get to the top of this landmark, built in 1926 to commemorate Astoria’s explorers and early settlers. Follow signs up 16th or 14th streets. The column is open dawn to dusk. A $1 per car donation is requested.

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Washington Coast destination

perfect Beach

GetawayWhether it’s for a day or longer,

visitors can soak up the rays on acres of sandy beaches, hike to spectacular vistas, dig for

clams, venture out to sea to fish or relax in quaint

seaside towns. But, wherever

adventure leads, don’t forget the

camera.

the beach The Long Beach Peninsula’s beach, 28

miles long, is one of the longest continu-ous sandy beaches in North America, and there’s public access every few miles. The Long Beach Boardwalk is a short walk from most places in downtown. The elevated boardwalk is nearly a half-mile long and features interpretive displays, sitting areas and great views. Most of the beach is open to motorized vehicles. Exceptions are the far northern tip, which is closed year-round, except during clam-digging seasons. During summer months, 1.4 miles of the beach is closed to vehicles, between Seaview and the Bolstad access in Long Beach.

world kite museum The only such institution in North

America, the World Kite Museum features fantastic kites from around the world and throughout history. The museum boasts a collection of more than 1,500 kites, includ-ing the most complete collection of Japa-nese kites outside Japan. The museum is at 303 Sid Snyder Drive in Long Beach. It’s open daily May through September, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors and $3 for children. Call 360-642-4020 for more information, or go to www.worldkitemuseum.com.

seaviewHeading south from Long Beach, you

might stop at Black Lake in Seaview, where you can follow a gentle path along the shoreline or spot a winter population of trumpeter swans. Seaview, considered one the best examples of early coastal communities in the Northwest, was founded in 1881 and quickly became the playground for wealthy vacationers from Portland. The fine houses and cottages lining its lanes provide a nice place to walk or bike. There’s a pocket of antique shops and malls, plus fine cuisine at the Shoalwater Restaurant.


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long beachLong Beach is the commercial hub of the

Peninsula. That’s where you’ll find arcades and go-carts, along with restaurants, galleries, kite shops, upscale gift shops, bakeries and bookstores and great, as well as long, beaches. One of the better-known attractions is Jake the Alligator Man, who resides in a glass case at Marsh’s Free Museum, actually an offbeat store. Jake appears to be a small mummified human from the waist up and a gator in his lower extremities. We’ll let you be the judge.

ocean park Heading north from Long Beach, you’ll

want to stop in Ocean Park, home of the annual Northwest Garlic Festival each June. Originally founded as a Christian revival center, Ocean Park has grown into a quaint but full-service seaside commu-nity that welcomes some 10,000 seasonal residents each summer. Before your visit, make sure you go to www.opwa.com and print out the Ocean Park Area Walk-ing Tour, which takes visitors past local landmarks and historical buildings. Among the highlights of the tour is The Wreckage, a home built in 1912 largely from materi-als salvaged from the beach. The home is now on the National Register of Historic Places.

nahcotta On the Willapa Bay side of the Peninsula,

Nahcotta is a small fishing town. For a beautiful view of the bay and Long Island, explore the Nahcotta Tidelands Interpre-tive Site. More history and information about the shellfish, wildlife and plants of the Willapa Bay ecosystem can be found at the nearby Willapa Bay Interpretive Center in Ocean Park. The center, a replica of an oyster station house, celebrates the history of oyster growing in Willapa Bay. Call 360-665-4547 for more information.

oystervilleNorth of Nahcotta is Oysterville, placed

on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. Homes here date to 1863 and grace tree-lined streets. The 1892 church is open to the public. Oysterville boasts the state’s oldest operating post office — and likely the smallest. It’s at the Oysterville Store, a combination grocery/souvenir/bookstore.

>>there’s even more to know about your

beach getaway ...

ilwacoThe vintage fishing village of Ilwaco,

with its busy marina for commercial and pleasure boats, dates back to the 1880s. Its port is nestled just inside the Columbia River bar. The Port of Ilwaco is a real working fishing village. Guest moorage is available year round. The marina waterfront draws visitors for its restaurants, gift shops, galleries, retail seafood outlets, baris-tas and bookstore.

Clam digging at Long Beach


heritage museum The Columbia Pacific Heritage

Museum, 115 S.E. Lake St. in Ilwaco, celebrates the history and culture of Southwest Pacific County and the mouth of the Columbia River. The mu-seum has a room of exhibits about the Chinook Indian tribe, including a tradi-tional dugout canoe. Explore a pioneer village and learn about fishing, logging and cranberry farming. And there’s a replica of a town street, circa 1915, with barbershop, bar and church, as well as a fun video that tells the story of a Frenchman who rowed his 26-foot boat across the Pacific Ocean in 1991, landing in Ilwaco. Call the museum at 360-642-3446 for more information.

lewis & clark interpretive center

The best place to learn about the Lewis and Clark Expedition in these parts is the interpretive center that bears the explorers’ names. Perched upon a cliff, on top of two gun emplace-ments that once guarded the Columbia River’s mouth, is the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disap-pointment. The center allows visitors to relive the 1804-1806 journey of The Corps of Discovery on a self-guided walk through displays, paintings, artifacts, photographs and entries from the original journals. The center is open daily year round, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost is $5 for adults and seniors, and $2.50 for children ages 7-17. For more information, call 360-642-3029 or go to www.capedisappointment.org.

cape disappointment

One of Washington’s most popular state parks, Cape Disappointment covers nearly 2,000 acres with a variety of campsites and picnic areas that provide dramatic views of the ocean and the Columbia River Estuary. Visitors also can explore bunkers of an old military fort, hike to the Cape Disappointment and North Head lighthouses, wander through coastal forests, view wildlife from the North Jetty, explore Beard’s Hollow or Waikiki Beach, or visit the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. The park is 2 miles southwest of Ilwaco on Loop 101. www.parks.wa.gov.

Washington Coast destination

Ilwaco marina Discovery trail

Kite festival at Long Beach

Sand castle competition


CoHo ChartersCoHo Chartersand motel

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Historic Seaview, WA1208 38th Place, 360.642.7880

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cranberriesThe Cranberry Museum spotlights the

history and methods of cranberry farming, which has been around for more than 100 years in Southwest Washington. Take a self-guided tour through the museum’s 10-acre demonstration cranberry farm, or shop for cranberry treats in the quaint gift shop. Peak growing season is mid-Septem-ber through harvest in early to mid-Octo-ber. You’ll want to see the crimson bogs during harvest time. The walking tour around the demonstration farm is open each day until dusk. Hours vary with the season. The museum is at 2907 Pioneer Road, Long Beach. Call the museum at 360-642-5553 for more information, or go to www.cranberrymuseum.com

fort columbiaBuilt to defend the Columbia River from

1896 to 1947, Fort Columbia near Chinook was fully manned and operational through three wars. Today, visitors will find picnic areas, hiking trails and historical buildings at the state park. You can even stay over-night in one of the heritage houses. Hours vary in the summer and winter.

leadbetter point state park

Located on the tip of the Long Beach Peninsula is Leadbetter Point State Park, which separates Willapa Bay from the Pa-cific Ocean. Leadbetter Point borders the Willapa National Wildlife Refuge. Tens of thousands of shorebirds feed and rest here during spring and fall migration peaks. Here, visitors can enjoy hiking, fishing, bird watching and clamming. State Route 103 ends at Leadbetter Point State Park.

discovery trailThe Lewis and Clark Discovery Trail,

which stretches 8.5 miles, re-creates Capt. William Clark’s journey from present-day Ilwaco along the shore to present-day Long Beach. In Ilwaco, join the trail at Beard’s Hollow day-use area or at the Port of Ilwaco. As the trail continues into Long Beach, it includes monuments depicting the experiences of corps members as they explored the coast. Watch for a 9-foot, etched basalt monolith north of Bolstad Avenue and a gray whale skeleton at the south end of the Long Beach Boardwalk. There’s also Clark’s Tree, a 19-foot bronze sculpture noting the most northwest point the corps reached. For a map of the trail, go to www.funbeach.com.

Discovery trail

Lewis and Clark Expedition re-enactors at Waikiki Beach at Cape Disappointment State Park


Oregon Coast destination

The Scenic RouteHighway 101 meanders along the rugged coastline through bustling coastal towns between sea cliffs, beaches and sea stacks. From Astoria, 101 stretches south past Seaside, Cannon Beach, Tillamook to Lincoln City and beyond. Don’t miss hiking a network of trails, exploring hidden tide pools, visiting iconic lighthouses and photographing ancient shipwrecks.

Tide pools around Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach

High-end art galleries, cozy bookstores and refined shops make Cannon Beach one of the more sophisticated stops along the Oregon Coast.

Nestled between the mountains and the Pacific, Cannon Beach is on the cusp of Tolovana State Park to the south and about 10 minutes from the town of Seaside to the north.

Cannon Beach’s best-known natural feature is Haystack Rock, a mono-lithic mound of basalt, and the lesser known “Needles” formation that surrounds it.

Tufted puffins breed during summer months at the 235-foot-tall sea stack. During the puffins’ breeding season, state fish and wildlife department workers are on hand with binoculars and telescopes so beachgoers can catch a glimpse of the unusual birds.

Jewel-colored starfish, delicate

anemone and various crustaceans and bivalves can be seen at the base of Haystack Rock and The Needles during low tide.

To see the shore in a different way, some businesses rent “funcycle” beach-capable tricycles as well as surf boards and wetsuits. You can even charter a helicopter.

Back in town, the streets are lined with businesses ranging from pricey art galleries to candy stores and kite shops. The town is small, so walking from one end to the other isn’t even a 10-block affair. But the businesses are dense, so it can take some time to get a good look at the interesting shops.

Food fare ranges from family-friend-ly seafood joints to fancier bistros.

For more information, try the Can-non Beach Information Center at Second and Spruce, or at (503) 436-2623; www.cannonbeach.org.

With 7,500 permanent residents, Lincoln City is one of the larger towns on the Oregon Coast.

Along with plenty of beach access and shopping, Lincoln City also offers the Chinook Winds Casino and the upscale Salishan Resort.

There’s also a glass art studio.Lincoln City is 95 miles south of

Cannon Beach. From Southwest Washington, the quickest way to get there is head south on I-5 to Port-land, then southwest on Highway 18.

www.oregoncoast.org

If a little more action is what you and your clan desire, just head north to Seaside. Nine miles separate quiet Cannon Beach from carnival-like Seaside.

A four-block area along the west end of Broadway bustles with Pronto Pups, caramel corn, bumper cars, a Tilt-a-Whirl, carousel and arcade.

The Prom, a broad sidewalk which parallels the beach for 1.5 miles and forms a T at the end of Broadway, is a great place to take a stroll without getting your feet wet.

Businesses offer beach activities, including rentals of surreys, fun-cycles, motor scooters, bicycles,

skates, boogie boards and kayaks.Shoppers like to hit up the Seaside

Factory Outlet Center, just east of Highway 101. It features 30 nation-ally known manufacturers and the largest wine shop on the north Oregon coast. An antique mall at the corner of Broadway and Holladay is home to nearly 100 year-round vendors.

For more information, contact the Seaside Visitors Bureau, 989 Broad-way, Seaside, OR 97138-6825; by phone at (866) 306-2326; or online at www.seasideor.com. The center is located at 7 North Roosevelt, just off Highway 101.

seaside

cannon beach

lincoln city

Fort to Sea trail

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CathlametAstoria

ChinookKnappton

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From the coast to Mount St. Helens, you’ll discover adventure around every corner

find your columbia view


CathlametAstoria

ChinookKnappton

Naselle

Rosburg

Knappa

Skamokawa

Westport

PugetIsland

RainierClatskanie

Kalama

Kelso

CastleRock

Vader

Toledo

DeerIsland

Woodland

La Center

Ridgefield

Battle Ground

St. Helens

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Cannon Beach To Portland

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Toutle River

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CapeDisapointmentStatePark

FortStevensStatePark

LeadbetterPointStatePark

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CLARK COUNTY SKAMANIA COUNTY

CLATSOP COUNTY

LEWIS COUNTY

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find your columbia view Denotes campgrounds featured on Page 18-19

Denotes airports

Denotes hospitals

Denotes golf courses featured on Page 38-39

key

12-4-1-58614 (NOM,RGB,MCB,SPO,CNG)

Open 7AM to 11PM daily.3184 Ocean Beach Highway, Longview, WA 98632

If you need anything while you’re visiting, Fred Meyer has it – all in one easy stop!

Welcome to Longview–enjoy your stay!

Longview

➪

386905

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