River to Rock Loop Hike

Overview

Short trails lead around and from the southwest corner of Beacon Rock State Park, a part of the park often neglected by visitors. The area was homesteaded by the Doetsch family, originally from Kansas. The family raised cattle and grew hay here from 1920 to 1987, when they sold the property to Washington State Parks. The Doetsch Ranch Day Use Area was opened in 2005 and includes a shady picnic area, an RV camp area, and a walking loop. In 2014, after two years of trail work, Washington Trails Association crews completed the extension of the River to Rock Trail from the old Ridell Lake Trail. This allows visitors to hike from the Doetsch Ranch area to Beacon Rock. The Doetsch Walking Path is an ADA accessible interpretive loop, with signs detailing the history and natural history of this area. Note that the River to Rock Trail goes through a very brushy area south of Riddell Lake: both blackberries and nettles may be overhanging the trail. From the Doetsch Ranch Trailhead, walk through a shady grove of Douglas-firs to the restrooms and pick up the paved path leading east. The path, a loop around the big meadow meadow here, seems to have two names: the Doetsch Ranch Walking Path and the Che-che-op-tin Trail (che-che-op-tin was the native word for Beacon Rock). There are covered picnic areas in an open field, formerly a cattle pasture. The trail runs around the edge of the field with a thicket to your left and the railroad behind that. Come to Moorage Road, which leads to Beacon Rock State Park’s boat ramp. Go left under the Woodard Creek Railroad Trestle to the removable bridge over Woodard Creek near its confluence with Little Creek. The River to Rock Trail leads up some stone steps, and then switchbacks. Hike up under a hazel bower, and switchback twice to pass a roofless stone cabin (maybe a former storage shed) and an abandoned filbert orchard. There’s a walnut tree across from the stone shed. Ascend through a dense blackberry thicket: there are also tall, drooping nettles in this section. Switchback at a

Trail Stats

Photos

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