Vancouver, WA

I first heard of Cottonwood Beach when a friend told me she took her horses there to ride. Not long after a different friend talked about taking her dog for a walk… at Cottonwood Beach. A quiet sandy beach along the Columbia River sounded idyllic; I decided this was a place I needed to check out.

I visited Cottonwood Beach for the first time on a balmy Sunday evening in April, with my dog Mischief in tow. The area was lively but not crowded – a pair of young boys ran through the edge of the water tracing ripples with their long sticks, several generations of a family had built a fire and were enjoying a picnic, young sweethearts cuddled against driftwood to enjoy the sunset, and friends met to enjoy a hike along the edge of the river. The park feels remote, but is less than a mile from State Highway 14 and the town of Washougal, and about 18 miles east of downtown Vancouver. The water’s edge is shallow and calm, belying the powerful river that flows just offshore.

Cottonwood Beach is a part of the Captain William Clark Park, which stretches from Steamboat Landing at the western end to Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge to the east. A dike connects the two and is topped by an easy 3.1 mile trail offering spectacular views of the river and Mt. Hood. I by-passed the access point at Steamboat Landing, off of 15th Street, and turned south off Highway 14 at 32nd Street. There is a generous parking area along Index Street, and a visitor’s entrance offering maps and interpretive exhibits, as well as restrooms. History buffs will love this place - the Park marks a site where Lewis and Clark camped for six days in March and April 1806, the longest period they stayed at any camp in Clark County. Reproduction dug-out canoes adorn the sides of the path approaching the beach.

I followed a short, well groomed path over the dike and through a floodplain forest of Western Cottonwood, Oregon Ash, and willows, and down to the sandy beach. The sun was low in the sky and it’s colorful reflection on the river was a stunning foreground to the distant view of the Glenn Jackson Bridge. I chose to walk along the sandy edge of the river, in some places picking my way over piles of driftwood. I was surprised to see how much my dog loves the water - she was deliriously happy running and splashing beside me.

The park encompasses 75 acres, and offers hiking, fishing, and horseback riding. I will definitely return to this park, soon and often, bringing my horse for a trail ride, my son with his fishing pole, or my husband with the makings of a romantic bonfire and a bag of marshmallows. It would be a terrific place to cool off on a hot summer day, or a quiet place to enjoy the river in the winter fog.