Hiking, Biking & Horseback Riding

Beacon Rock State Park has more than 26 miles of roads and trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding, from six trailheads. The best-known hikes are the 1.8-mile Beacon Rock Trail and the 6.4-mile climb of Hamilton Mountain. Quieter options include Hardy Ridge (a 7.31-mile loop), The Saddle and the short walk to Little Beacon Rock. Bikes and horses use 13 miles of trail reached only from the Equestrian Trailhead. Trails are open 8 a.m. to dusk.

The Popular Hikes, Shortest First

Round-trip distances and ratings from Washington State Parks' trailhead sheets:

• Little Beacon Rock: 0.5 miles, easy, 96 feet of gain. From the Hadley Trailhead in the campground.
• Hadley Trail: 1.18 miles, easy, 138 feet. Starts beside a plaque on a petrified stump marking Hadley Grove, named for Clyde Hadley, the park's first superintendent.
• Doetsch Walking Path: 1.2-mile paved loop, no elevation gain. See Doetsch Day Use Area.
• River to Rock Trail: 1.5 miles, easy to moderate, 272 feet. The newest trail, finished in 2014.
• Beacon Rock Trail: 1.8 miles, easy to moderate, 52 switchbacks. See Beacon Rock Trail.
• Rodney Falls, Hardy Falls and Pool of the Winds: 2.52 miles, moderate. See Pool of the Winds.
• West Hardy: 5.64 miles, moderate, 1,123 feet (multi-use).
• Hamilton Mountain summit: 6.4 miles, difficult. See Hamilton Mountain.
• The Saddle: 7.0 miles from the Equestrian Trailhead, moderate, 1,320 feet (multi-use).
• Bridge Trail Loop: 7.04 miles, moderate, 1,004 feet (multi-use).
• Hardy Ridge Loop: 7.31 miles, difficult, 1,800 feet (hikers only).

Hardy Ridge Loop

Start at the Equestrian Trailhead and climb the double-track Equestrian Trail 1.22 miles to the first junction. Go left on the West Hardy Trail; a little over a mile and a half later it meets the hikers-only Hardy Ridge Trail. Switchbacks climb two-thirds of a mile to the spine of the ridge at 2,580 feet, with panoramic views of the Gorge and wildflowers in spring and early summer. Descend east to the East Hardy Trail, pass the Bridge Trail junction, and return on the Equestrian Trail. Total: 7.31 miles, 1,800 feet of gain.

River to Rock Trail

This trail starts just north of the railroad overpass on Moorage Road, crosses Woodward Creek on a footbridge, climbs past Riddell Lake through a century-old filbert orchard, and ends at the west end of the Beacon Rock Trailhead lot. It is a handy way to reach the rock from the river side of the park.

Mountain Biking

The park has 13 miles of bike trails on the West Hardy Trail, the Bridge Trail Loop and the Equestrian Trail to The Saddle. Everything starts at the Equestrian Trailhead, the only access point for bikes and horses. Bikes turn around where West Hardy meets the hikers-only Hardy Ridge Trail, and The Saddle is the top of the multi-use Equestrian Trail. On the Bridge Trail, look for charred wood from the Yacolt Burn of 1902. Bikes are also allowed on the paved Doetsch Walking Path.

Horseback Riding

Horses use the same multi-use trails from the Equestrian Trailhead, where the park keeps a two-site equestrian camp, first-come all year. Trails marked hikers only (Hamilton Mountain, Hardy Ridge, Hardy Creek, Don's Cutoff, Beacon Rock) are closed to horses.

Trail Rules

• Open 8 a.m. to dusk. Backcountry camping is not allowed.
• Stay on the trail type marked for you: hiker only, or multi-use.
• Dogs on a leash no longer than eight feet.
• Parking at every trailhead needs a Discover Pass. See trail map for the agency maps.

Good For / Maybe Skip If

Good for: hikers who want a quieter day than Beacon Rock or Hamilton Mountain, riders and mountain bikers, and anyone combining two short trails. Maybe skip if you have only an hour: do the Beacon Rock Trail or the Doetsch loop.