Beacon Rock State Park Day Use Area
Generally, when I think of Beacon Rock State Park, I think of the main campground area that is located on the north side of SR 14, across from Beacon Rock itself. But I found that there is a nice picnic area to the west of the park with a path just right for family hiking.
Beacon Rock State Park Picnic Area
Turn here from Hwy 14
to enter the park
To get there, travel east on Washington SR 14. Just past milepost 34, turn right on Doetsch Ranch Rd. Cross the bridge and follow the road to a day use area. This is a nice place for a family picnic, with a short walk that is easy and level and plenty of things to see.
Beacon Rock State Park Picnic Area
I have yet to visit this area during a warm summer day. So far, however, it has proven to be a peaceful spot. My wife and I are planning to do a family BBQ here when the weather warms up. A paved pathway circles the area and is easy to walk on. There are interpretive signs along the way. There are no hills to provide any type of elevation gain. You could easily take a stroller on this path. When we walked to the easterly part, we continued on the roadway to the moorage area. Here we enjoyed a view of Beacon Rock, the Columbia River and a creek running down to the river.
This is a short walk, but a nice place for the family to spend time together.
To enjoy a more moderate hike, try hiking up Beacon Rock itself. For a more difficult challenge, go to the parking area of the campground and hike up Hamilton Mountain.
