Klickitat Trail
The Swale Canyon segment of the Klickitat Rail Trail is closed annually from ~ June 21 through October 8 for fire season. See Notes & Options tab for alternative rotue.
Highlights & Remarkable Spots
Wild & Scenic Klickitat River
The lowermost 10.8 miles of the Klickitat River, from Wheeler Creek to the confluence with Columbia River, are designated as a Wild & Scenic River. This stretch of river begins as a broad canyon with rolling hills that drops at a steady gradient of 26 feet per mile before cascading into a Class V gorge around river mile 2 with an unrunnable entrance feature.
The Yakama Nation have been dip-net fishing continuously in this area for generations to catch salmon and steelhead. Please share the river with respect. [US Forest Service]
The Railroad
In 1903 the Spokane, Portland, and Seattle Railroad built the original railroad linking Lyle and Goldendale to transport crops, lumber, and livestock. Passenger service existed for several years during the 1920s between Portland, Oregon and Goldendale, Washington. Lumber was king, and the railroad was an important part of its transport until the 1980s. It was discontinued in 1992 following the decline of the lumber mill in the town of Klickitat and the mill in Goldendale. The railroad right of way was purchased in 1993 by the national Rail-to-Trails Conservancy…. [Kiosk at the Wahkiacus trailhead]
Klickitat Mineral Springs
Several miles north of the town of Klickitat, carbonated mineral water bubbles to the earth’s surface through mysterious concrete pillars. You can identify the site by a strange, old stucco building on the east side of the river. The Klickitat Indians used the water from these springs for healing and sweat lodge ceremonies. In 1902 a summer bathhouse and resort was built here that soon failed. In 1908 a soda bottling plant was built with drinks like “Klickitat Mineral Water”, “Klickitat Pop” and “Mineral Ale”. But the business failed during the Great Depression. [Kiosk Wahkiacus trailhead.]
When We Like to Ride This
Mid-spring thru early summer when the flowers are in bloom, and the rivers and creeks are running full. The Swale Canyon section is usually closed mid-June through October due to fire danger.
Terrain & Riding
The first 28 miles of the route are along the Klickitat – Swale Trail, a non-motorized multiple-use trail that follows an old railroad corridor that once linked the towns of Lyle and Goldendale. The gently graded trail starts in the town of Lyle, Washington, at the confluence of the Klickitat and Columbia Rivers, follows the nationally designated Wild and Scenic Klickitat River 13 miles through oaks and pines(Micro-video) to the old mill town of Klickitat, and then after a few paved miles, turns up Swale Creek at the Wahkiacus trailhead into the remote and beautiful Swale Canyon,(Micro-video) ending in the high, open ranch country of the Goldendale Plateau.
The trail is unpaved, with a packed fine gravel surface for the first 2 miles from Lyle to the Fisher Hill Trestle.(Micro-video) The rest is primitive, with dirt and larger gravel.(Micro-video)
The next 15 miles are along the Centerville Highway, a quiet country road. The first 5 miles undulate and climb an additional 500 feet. At mile 33, the route turns downhill with some undulations at first, but by mile 38.3, it is straight downhill — a 5% average grade for 5 miles.(Micro-video)
At the sweeping s-curve at mile 42, there is a small pull-out that is worth the stop. If you look up the canyon, you may get a glimpse of slackliners tightrope walking high above the river on a fine thread of rope. And, looking to the south, there is a majestic view of the confluence of the Klickitat and Columbia Rivers is backdropped by Mt Hood.
The Start
Klickitat trailhead in Lyle, WA. Flush toilets, water.
Food & Water
- ~ Mile 13: The town of Klickitat
Route Notes
Recommend a red blinky light for the Centerville Highway section.
Personally, we recommend 50+ mm tires due to gnarly railroad grade gravel. But … we have heard of people doing it on 40 mm also.
Please note that most of the land adjacent to the trail is private, and it is important to respect private property by staying on the trail. Adjacent landowners have poultry and livestock, and there is open-range grazing of cattle and sheep, especially in the section from the Fisher Hill Trestle to Pitt and in the Harms Rd.
Route Options
Alternative – Klickitat Gravel
This alternate route avoids all sections of the Klickitat Trail, following gravel roads instead. It covers 47 miles with 4,900 feet of elevation gain (a lot more gain than the Klickitat Trail version) and is rideable throughout the summer and much of the rest of the year.
Map: Klickitat Gravel
GPX File: Download
Ridden and Reviewed by:
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