Category Archives: Trails

Weaver Creek and Hidden Glen Park

Battle Ground’s Weaver Creek flows through Hidden Glen Park.  There are only a few short trails, and unfortunately the bridge in Hidden Glen Park is no longer there.  Short walks can be accessed from SE 5th Circle west of Weaver Creek or SE 5th Circle east of Weaver Creek, and from SE Scotton Way or SE 2nd Place.

Bells Mountain Trail/Cold Creek Campground

The Bells Mountain Trail gives a 20 mile stretch of hiking, but also connects to numerous other trails for exploring.  One good location to start a hike is at the Day Use Area by Cold Creek Campground.  This has a short trail to a small waterfall that connects with the Bells Mountain Trail.  There is also a short trail to the campground from the day use area.

Ingle Road/Green Mountain Trail

As part of the new development along Ingle Road, a trail is being developed through the development and along the side of Green Mountain.  Eventually, as further developments are completed, more trails will connect and lead to the Clark County Legacy land on the top of Green Mountain.  As of now there is no public access to that land.  The trails within the development allow for a little under a mile of paths.

Esther Short Park and Downtown Vancouver

I walked from Officers Row at Fort Vancouver through downtown Vancouver, along the Vancouver Waterfront and around Pearson Airfield for a great loop of a little under 4 miles.  You could choose any size loop.  While this is an urban area, there are still some very nice parks and sights of interest along the way.

Fort Vancouver

The area around Fort Vancouver includes a lot of great attractions to see, and plenty of paths to wander.  A good way to do this is to park along Evergreen Blvd, then walk either direction.  You can take a short walk along Officers Row, a longer walk around Historic Fort Vancouver, or even longer walks to downtown Vancouver, to the waterfront, and around Pearson Field.

The Discovery Historic Loop Trail is a great way to get to know this part of Vancouver.

Fort Vancouver

Ellsworth Springs East

Surrounding the City of Vancouver water treatment facility is a natural wooded area with trails meandering through out it.  In total there is likely a mile of trails.  Most of the trails are wide, level and well used, making it easy to wander for some time.  This is a great place to stroll through a forest.

There are entrances to the natural area at the corner of SE 102nd Ave and SE 15th St, at the end of SE 98th Ave, and on SE 16th St.

St Cloud

St Cloud Ranch is a small park along the Columbia River that provides a short, less than half mile, loop walk, and an area for picnics.  The is a national forest service site, so a forest service day use fee is required.

In addition to the loop orchard trail, a trail has been cut through the brush to the east.  I followed the trail about 500ft to where it hits Archer Creek.  I could see that the trail continued on the other side of the creek, but I was not prepared to ford the creek to follow it.  During late summer and early fall you could explore a longer hike up the Columbia River to the boundary of the Franz Lake Wildlife Refuge.