This insane hike scaffolding bare rock, with its teeth-chattering views down, leads to a glamorous panorama of the Columbia River Gorge at its peak.
Right on the Colombia River a massive standalone rock towers high into the clouds. If you look closely, you’ll see a winding staircase crisscrossing its face all the way to the top.
This remarkable rock is actually the core of an ancient volcano that erupted thousands of years ago. Ice age floods carved away the base of the cone, revealing one of the tallest monoliths in the United States.
In 1805 Lewis and Clark camped here and named it Beacon Rock. Fast-forward about 100 years, and in 1915, a man named Henry J. Biddle bought the rock and built a trail to the top. The result is a full mile of around 50 switchbacking stairs, concrete and wooden bridges, and limitless views straight down as you gain 850 feet of altitude.
The structure was considered an engineering marvel at the time, and I daresay it’s damn impressive today!
The views are breathtaking every step of the way, but the summit really gives you time to reflect on the grandeur of the landscape.
Back on the ground you can explore the rest of the park, including a dock leading into the Columbia River. After our hike, it was great to lay down on the dock, gaze up at the spectacular rock from below, and feel a sense of triumph for tackling its height.
Distance from Portland: 45 minutes / 40 miles
Length: 2 miles roundtrip (out and back)
Difficulty: Easy – Medium
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