| Klickitat Trail | |
|---|---|
| Length | 31.0 miles (49.9 km) |
| Location | Klickitat County,Washington |
| Began construction | 2003 |
| Use | Cycling, Hiking |
| Season | Swale Canyon section closed during fire season |
| Right of way | Public |
| Maintained by | USFS, WA State Parks, Klickitat Trail Conservancy |
TheKlickitat Trail is a 31-mile (50 km)rail trail along theKlickitat River in southernWashington in theColumbia River Gorge. Thecycling andhiking trail offers river and canyon views throughout its length. It follows an old railroad corridor that at one time linked the towns ofLyle andGoldendale.[1][2]
The trail consists of two sections; one along the Klickitat river, from Lyle to Swale Canyon, and the remainder which continues through Swale Canyon to Warwick. The Swale Canyon section is closed during fire season, approximately July 1 - October 1.[3]
The route includes a remote tributary canyon, a nationally designatedWild & Scenic River and aNational Scenic Area. The wildlife in the area includeswild turkey,rattlesnakes andcougars. Deer kills on the trail by cougars are common, and yearlysalmon runs attractbald eagles.[4]
The region was originally passed through by theLewis and Clark Expedition, with Lewis and Clark calling the Klickitat river the "Cataract river". In 1903, theSpokane, Portland and Seattle Railway built the original track linking Lyle and Goldendale. Passenger service existed for several years during the 1920s between Portland, Oregon, and Goldendale, Washington. Lumber was an important part of its transport until the 1980s. It was abandoned in 1992 following the decline of the lumber mill in the town of Klickitat and the mill in Goldendale.[5] The railroad right-of-way was purchased in 1993 by the nationalRails-to-Trails Conservancy. Ownership of the rail line was transferred toWashington State Parks in 1994, despite some local opposition. In 2003, local supporters of the Trail formed the Klickitat Trail Conservancy (KTC).[3]
The Klickitat Trail, a public right of way, is now managed cooperatively by Washington State, the U.S. Forest Service, and the KTC. In 2007–2008, the U.S. Forest Service completed its Trail management and development plan which includes a partnership with the Klicktitat Trail Conservancy (KTC) and Washington State Parks.
| King |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Klickitat | ||
| Pierce | ||
| Snohomish | ||
| Thurston | ||
| Whatcom | ||
| Multiple counties |
| |
45°44′55.3″N121°13′26.7″W / 45.748694°N 121.224083°W /45.748694; -121.224083