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Sams Walker Day Use Site - Trail # 4402
Washington
NOTE:
The following two books are highly recommended for anyone
interested in hiking in the Columbia River Gorge:
Hiking the Columbia River Gorge
and
100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon
I personally own both and consider
them indispensible for hiking the Columbia River Gorge.
Length: 1.1 miles
Trail Uses: Hiking, Wheelchair Accessible
Facilities available: Parking, Restrooms, Picnicing
Season of Use: Year Round
Difficulty: Easy
Elevation: 60 feet
Visitor Use: Light
Northwest Forest Pass Required
Access: Highway 14 –
Turn south at milepost 32.83 onto the west entrance road to
Skamania Landing near the town of Skamania. Follow the road
over the railway track; the parking lot is 0.3 mile on the
right.
Description: As with the St. Cloud
site, the Sams-Walker Day Use Site was acquired by the USDA
Forest Service in 1990 and opened to the public in 1993. The
site holds an important place in the Skamania County history
and is dedicated to the Sams and Walker families who owned
the site from 1903 to 1969. Before them, the Watlala Tribe
laid claim to the shoreline because of its excellent sturgeon
fishing. The variety of habitats-ranging from seasonal wetlands
to forests of Oregon oak, ash, and black cottonwood-provide
for an abundance of wildlife. Blacktail deer, black bear,
coyote, ruffed grouse, re-tailed hawk, and woodpecker all
thrive in this environment.
Features: This wheelchair-accessible
site provides a grass meadow, river access, magnificent views
of the Oregon side of the gorge, and interpretive signs.
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