Join us at our next volunteer opportunity

REGISTER for 2026 Rake A Thon

In keeping with our mission…

To preserve, enhance, promote and maintain the Cape Horn Trail and related public lands within the Washougal to Stevenson corridor as a natural, educational, recreational, and economic asset to Skamania County and the surrounding community. Learn More

If you love the Cape Horn Trail and would like to support our cause, please consider making a donation.

DONATE
People wearing safety helmets and gloves working on the Cape Horn Trail in a forest, spreading gravel with a machine.
Map of Cape Horn Trail Network showing hiking trails, other horse-friendly routes, gates, overlooks, and closures, with points of interest like Cape Horn Falls, Pioneer Point, and Nancy Russell Overlook, along Columbia River in U.S. National Forest.

By volunteering you help ensure the trail has ongoing maintenance and care so that everyone can enjoy its beauty at all times of the year. 

VOLUNTEER

The full trail is a 7.2 mile loop with 1,300 feet of elevation change.

EXPLORE THE TRAIL

Group of volunteers for the annual Rake a thon in rain gear holding rakes outdoors on a cloudy day, near parked cars and trees.

We have one or two trail maintenance events (aka "work parties") a month to keep the trail clear and safe and protect the surrounding environment.

EVENTS

Register for our next event
A dirt path through a lush green forest lined with vibrant blue flowers on either side, with large trees overhead and a person walking in the distance.
A stone footbridge over a dirt trail in a wooded area.
Workers laying fresh asphalt on a forest trail, wearing helmets and using tools to spread the asphalt evenly.
Smiling woman wearing an orange helmet with a headset, glasses, and outdoor gear, standing in a forested area with light filtering through the trees.
Two women working on trimming a large tree in a forested area, wearing helmets and outdoor gear, with one using a pole saw and the other holding a branch.
Group of seven people wearing rain gear and hard hats, holding rakes, in a forested area, likely doing trail maintenance.

Cape HornTrail

Southwest Washington >
Columbia River Gorge - WA

LENGTH–––––––––7.2 mile loop
(from July16 to January 31*
ELEVATION GAIN–– 1,300 feet
HIGHEST POINT––– 1,350 feet
DIFFICULTY–––––– MODERATE

*Due to seasonal falcon nesting, trail closed February 1 to July 15 at 4 miles.

Map of Cape Horn Trail Network showing hiking and horse routes, trail openings, notable landmarks like Nancy Russell Overlook and Cape Horn Falls, and the Falcon Closure from February 1 to July 15.

  • This rugged hike is bound to become a classic, if it isn’t already. The full trail loop provides fantastic views of the Columbia River Gorge, an intimate look at the Cape Horn Falls and a challenging workout as it climbs and descends the rocky slopes of Cape Horn.

    -MORE INFORMATION-

  • The Cape Horn trailhead is located at the Skamania County Transit Park & Ride lot near milepost 26 along State Highway 14 at Salmon Falls Road.

    From the west:

    • The trailhead is about 25 miles (30 minutes) from the PDX airport.

    • Take State Highway 14 east past Camas (milepost 12) and Washougal (milepost 16).

    • Two miles east of Washougal you enter the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic area.

    • Continue east into the Gorge.

    • Six miles east of the Gorge entrance pass the Cape Horn Viewpoint, where motorists get a glimpse of one of the views hikers enjoy on the trail.

    • A little more than a mile beyond the Cape Horn Viewpoint turn left onto Salmon Falls Road (just beyond milepost 26, about 20 miles from I-205) and then immediately turn right.

    • You’ll see the trailhead parking on your right.

    From the east:

    • Take State Highway 14 west about eight miles past Beacon Rock State Park to the intersection with Salmon Falls Road.

    • Turn right onto Salmon Falls Road, immediately turn right again and you’ll see trailhead parking on your right.

    NO PARKING PASS or ENTRY FEE needed.

Satellite map showing a hiking trail route around Cape Horn, Oregon, with points of interest such as Cape Horn Lookout, Cape Horn Falls, Lower Cape Horn Trailhead, and Salmon Falls Park & Ride. The trail is marked in red, the area surrounded by forests and farmland, along the Columbia River bordering Washington and Oregon.
Current Weather Conditions
Simple graphic of a slope of land.
Weather Forecast
WSDOT Cape Horn Webcam