Top of the rock

When you live mere minutes from the picturesque Columbia River Gorge, it’s sometimes easy to forget the gems located within this naturally beautiful area. Beacon Rock State Park is one of those gems. Located at milepost 35 on Highway 14 heading east, the 4,650 acre park includes camping opportunities and 20 miles of roads and trails for hiking. One of the most popular of those trails is the Beacon Rock Trail, which leads visitors to the top of the 848-foot basalt column that formed the cone of an ancient volcano. Panoramic views of the Gorge from the trail (above) are breathtaking.