West Sound Guide: State Parks: Columbia Hills State Park

Columbia Hills State Park (which includes the Horsethief Lake area and Dalles Mountain Ranch area) is a 3,338-acre camping park with 7,500 feet of freshwater shoreline on the Columbia River. Horsethief Butte dominates the skyline. It stands over the lake like an ancient castle. The lake itself is about 90 acres in size and is actually an impoundment of the Columbia River. The lake was flooded into existence by the reservoir created by The Dalles Dam.

Marine Park: No

Popular Destination

Park Hours

Summer: 6:30 a.m. to dusk.
Winter: Closed Oct. 31, reopens March 31.

Camping:
Check-in time, 2:30 p.m.
Check-out time, 1 p.m.
Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.

Please note: A new restroom with showers is currently under construction. Until the project is completed, portable toilets are available for use. Running water is still available at faucets throughout the park's day-use area.

Significant History

For centuries, the park was the site of a Native American village. The Lewis and Clark expedition camped at the village and described its wooden houses in one of their journals. The village was flooded by the waters of The Dalles Dam.

Oral history states that the park received its former name -- Horsethief Lake State Park -- from workers in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who developed the site. The workers thought the terrain was similar to that of horsethief hideouts in popular 1950s Hollywood westerns. The abundance of horses kept on the premises by local Indians apparently gave the workers their inspiration.

The commission combined the park with Dalles Mountain Ranch and renamed the area Columbia Hills State Park in 2003.

Major Landmarks

The Butte and the surrounding Columbia River channel were carved out of basalt rock by floods following the last ice age. For information on the floods, visit Sun Lakes State Park and the Dry Falls Interpretive Center.

The basalt rock resulted from a series of lava flows which emerged from cracks in the earth's crust and blanketed the entire eastern Washington/Oregon region long before the coming of ice-age floods.

When viewing the cliffs along the river, notice the stratigraphy highlighted by benches rising up the cliffs. Each of these benches, or layers, represents a different lava flow. Some lava flows were hundreds of feet thick in places.

Interpretive Oportunities

Horsethief Lake section of the Columbia Hills State Park is a National Historic Site. Guided tours of the pictographs and petroglyphs (Indian rock art) 10 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, April to October. Reservations are required. To make a reservation, call the park office at (509) 767-1159. If you reach the answering machine, leave a detailed message with your party size, the dates you have in mind, and your name and phone number. If a ranger does not return your call, call the office again. Do not come for a tour without verbally confirming with a ranger that your reservation has been made. It is advisable to reserve at least two or three weeks in advance, as tours are limited to 25 people and fill up fast. To ensure your desired dates, please call as far in advance as possible.

Directions provided by the state parks department are given below the map, or you can try to have google create the directions from the coordinates we have on file.

Directions

From Oregon:
Driving east or west on I-84, take exit #87 and drive north on U.S. 197 across the Columbia River bridge. Continue north about 2.5 miles to SR 14, and turn right, heading east. The park is located at milepost-85.

From Washington:
Drive east or west on SR 14 along the Columbia River. The park is located at milepost-85.

Mammals	Birds	Fish & Sea Life	Plantlife
Bobcats Coyotes Deer/Elk Foxes Marmots Raccoons Skunks	Chukar Crows/Ravens Dove/Pigeon Ducks Eagles Geese Gulls Hawks Herons Humming Birds Jays Osprey Owls Pheasant Quail Woodpeckers Wrens	Bass Catfish Crappie Perch Trout Walleye	Ponderosa Pine Maple Trees Oak Trees Poplars Lupines Moss or Lichens Thistle Poison Oak

General	Trails	Freshwater Activities	Saltwater Activities
Swimming Bird Watching Wildlife Viewing Rock Climbing Interpretive Sailboarding 1 Horseshoe Pit	12.4 mi. of Hiking Trails	Boating - Nonmotorized Fishing 2 Boat Ramps
Large shady, grassy lawns are suitable for croquet, soccer, etc. Visitors must bring their own equipment. No horseshoes are provided for the horseshoe pits. This is a fair location for beginning windsurfers who can get high-wind experience without the risks associated with river currents and barge traffic. The lake is usually open for fishing the last Saturday in April through October 31. Fishermen should consult regulations to be sure of the dates. Horsethief Butte is a very popular rock-climbing location. Two areas are signed "no climbing" for cultural resource protection. NOTE: Climbers are directed to limit their use of chalk when climbing at the butte. Be aware that park conditions are often extremely windy. Some rattlesnakes live in the area, but they are fairly rare. The bullsnake is more common. Its color and markings are similar to a rattlesnake's, but they don't have rattles and they are not venomous. Watch out for poison oak in the rock climbing areas of the butte. They appear as woody shrubs along the base of some rockwalls. When foliated they have glossy leaves in groups of three and little round white berries. Spring is tick season. Ticks vary in color from brown to green. Be sure to check for ticks when hiking the guided tour or visiting undeveloped areas. Archeological sites and artifacts are protected by both federal and state laws, and their disturbance and/or removal is illegal and carries severe penalties. Picnic Notes There are 35 unsheltered picnic tables located around the day-use area. Nine braziers are available. Facilities are first-come, first-served. Boating/Water Notes Watercraft launch reopens April 1. The park has two boat ramps. Motorized boats are permitted on the lake, but the county has posted a speed limit of 5 m.p.h. for the entire lake. A daily permit is available for watercraft launching and trailer dumping at the park for $5. Annual permits also may be purchased at State Parks Headquarters in Olympia, at region offices, online, and at parks when staff is available.

General

Trails

Freshwater Activities

Saltwater Activities

Swimming

Bird Watching

Wildlife Viewing

Rock Climbing

Interpretive

Sailboarding

1 Horseshoe Pit

12.4 mi. of Hiking Trails

Boating - Nonmotorized

Fishing

2 Boat Ramps

Large shady, grassy lawns are suitable for croquet, soccer, etc. Visitors must bring their own equipment. No horseshoes are provided for the horseshoe pits.

This is a fair location for beginning windsurfers who can get high-wind experience without the risks associated with river currents and barge traffic.

The lake is usually open for fishing the last Saturday in April through October 31. Fishermen should consult regulations to be sure of the dates.

Horsethief Butte is a very popular rock-climbing location. Two areas are signed "no climbing" for cultural resource protection. NOTE: Climbers are directed to limit their use of chalk when climbing at the butte.

Be aware that park conditions are often extremely windy.

Some rattlesnakes live in the area, but they are fairly rare. The bullsnake is more common. Its color and markings are similar to a rattlesnake's, but they don't have rattles and they are not venomous.

Watch out for poison oak in the rock climbing areas of the butte. They appear as woody shrubs along the base of some rockwalls. When foliated they have glossy leaves in groups of three and little round white berries.

Spring is tick season. Ticks vary in color from brown to green. Be sure to check for ticks when hiking the guided tour or visiting undeveloped areas.
Archeological sites and artifacts are protected by both federal and state laws, and their disturbance and/or removal is illegal and carries severe penalties.

Picnic Notes

There are 35 unsheltered picnic tables located around the day-use area. Nine braziers are available. Facilities are first-come, first-served.

Boating/Water Notes

Watercraft launch reopens April 1.

The park has two boat ramps. Motorized boats are permitted on the lake, but the county has posted a speed limit of 5 m.p.h. for the entire lake.

A daily permit is available for watercraft launching and trailer dumping at the park for $5.
Annual permits also may be purchased at State Parks Headquarters in Olympia, at region offices, online, and at parks when staff is available.

Park Services	Area Services
Camping Pay Phone	Auto Repair Airport Boating Camping Area Diesel Fishing and Hunting Supplies Gasolene Gifts Golfing Groceries Hardware Hospital Overnight Accomodations Pay Phones US Mail Propane Recreational Equipment White Gas Wood
Most services are available within 20 miles of the park.