Columbia Hills State Park Campground

Closed — Closed for the season. The Horsethief Lake campground area closes November through March and reopens in April. Park gates remain open 6:30 a.m. to dusk year-round for day use.

About

Columbia Hills Historical State Park Campground is located on Horsethief Lake, an impoundment of the Columbia River in the shrub-steppe high desert of the eastern Columbia River Gorge. The campground provides shaded grassy sites in contrast to the surrounding grasslands, with a total of 18 camping spots including eight partial hookup sites with electricity and water, four standard sites, four walk-in tent sites, and two primitive hiker/biker sites. The campground shares restroom and shower facilities with the day-use picnic area. The park encompasses 3,338 acres with 7,500 feet of Columbia River shoreline and is rich in cultural and natural features. Horsethief Lake is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the park protects significant Native American rock art including the famous Tsagaglalal pictograph accessible via guided tours from April through October. Self-guided viewing of relocated petroglyphs and pictographs is available at the Temani Pesh-Wa display. Horsethief Butte offers popular rock climbing for all abilities. North of Highway 14, the Crawford Oaks and Dalles Mountain Ranch areas provide miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails with sweeping views of Mount Hood, Mount Jefferson, and the Columbia River Gorge. During spring, the hills explode with colorful wildflowers including arrowleaf balsamroot and lupine. Horsethief Lake allows motorized boats with a 5 mph speed limit and offers boat ramp access. The park is known for extremely windy conditions year-round. Active train tracks run along the Columbia River adjacent to the campground, with trains passing throughout the day and night.

Directions

Located on State Route 14 approximately 6 miles east of Dallesport. The Horsethief Lake campground entrance is at 8514 Lewis and Clark Highway, Lyle, WA.

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