Southwest Washington Walking and Biking Trails

The Pacific Northwest is usually a fairly rainy and cloudy place. However, from late June through early October, the weather turns warm and the skies clear up. It's definitely one of my favorite places to be during this time of the year and I wouldn't trade it with anyone. Having lived in the Southwest region of Washington, near the Portland metro area, I can truly say that this area has a lot of great outdoor activities, weather permitting. One of the most popular outdoor things to do in the region is to go walking or biking on the many trails in the area. SW Washington is blessed with many well-kept public trails of varying lengths, perfect for a day biking trip or a delightful summer evening stroll. Here are a few of my favorite trails in the area.

Salmon Creek Park

Salmon Creek Park, also called Klineline by some visitors (due to the large Klineline Pond that the park's main entrance is situated around) is a popular park in the northern part of Vancouver, Salmon Creek (accessible at t he i-205 and i-5 interchange). It features roughly 2-3 miles of a walking trail along the flowing Salmon Creek and is quite popular in the summer months. This trail can be biked or walked, with a main entrance at the Klineline portion and a small back entrance (with some, but limited parking) on the far end (Felida area, past Skyview highschool). Some people even take a small inner tube or float tube down the creek, starting at one end of the park and making their way to the other, but the creek is very shallow during the summer, making this a difficult task. The main entrance does have an entrance fee associated with it, but the back entrance does not.

Burnt Bridge Creek Trail

Burnt Bridge Creek is not as large as Salmon Creek, but it certainly has a very long walking and biking trail associated with it. From what I recall, the trail is about 10 miles long from end to end. The trail can be reached at one end near the entrance on Fruit Valley Road, parking is available on the shoulder and there are restrooms located there as well. It's a popular route for a long summer stroll and especially popular with bikers. Occasionally, I have even seen horses and their riders take this path as well. It is likely that there are other entrances to the path, but I am not as familiar with them.

Columbia River Waterfront

This is probably the shortest path of the three, but its still longer than one mile in length, from what I remember. This path starts near the Red Lion Inn on the Columbia River shore, accessible through downtown Vancouver. The path continues, sidewalk-style past several restaurants on the shore and into several different public parks on the Columbia River. It's a very pretty walk, with a lot to see (and do, if you to fish, collect seashells, etc). Definitely a must-see, as it provides very good views of the mighty Columbia River.