The Eagle Outdoors

Recently, a young lady asked me a very good question, one I don’t think about often, due mainly to our rural location here in eastern Wahkiakum County. She wrote, “Where can a person still drive in the county and walk or hike for free?”

As a hunter, I walk all over this county and into Pacific and Cowlitz counties as well. A wanderer, if you will. The ground I wander? Some of it’s private - whether in the traditional, Mr. Jones landowner sense - or the much larger timber-company-holding type of place. Some of it is public, with the owner being the state of Washington or the federal government. Perhaps it is land owned by a conservation organization such as Columbia Land Trust (CLT), the Nature Conservancy, or the Sierra Club. I wander, not without caring nor knowing on whose property I walk, but confident in the knowledge I have plenty of places upon which to … well … wander.

But what about those folks who don’t hunt? Or those who want to wander, but aren’t sure where or even if there is a ‘where?’ There are, fortunately, plenty of acres right here in Wahkiakum County upon which to recreate. But first, a couple of tips on what I’ll call ‘walking in the wild’ or the not-so-wild:

If you’re going to walk alone, take your phone. True, you might not have service, but you might, and as much as I hate my iPhone, it can be a nice thing to have should an emergency arise.

If you’re going to walk alone, file a trip plan. That is, let someone you trust know where you’re going, when you’re leaving home, and when you expect to be back. Yes, it sounds, perhaps, like overkill - too much for a simple walk on the wild side - but one never knows. If nothing else, write that information down and leave it where someone will find it.

Don’t get lost. If you plan to get off the proverbial beaten path, which I highly suggest, know how not to get lost. Know how a compass works. Use the backtrack feature on your smartphone or GPS, trail of breadcrumbs, something. Wahkiakum County supports a tremendous Search and Rescue (SAR) unit; however, they’d be just as happy not looking for you as they would having to look all over Hell’s half-acre for a ‘wandering soul.’

I’m not trying to raise hackles here, but if you’re going to walk ‘round these parts, especially alone, and if you’re comfortable with doing so, carry a firearm. Why do I say this? Bad people concern me much more than do lions and tigers and bears. My point is that walking here can be like swimming in the ocean. That’s where the sharks live. Here, it’s mountain lions, mama black bears with little ones, coyotes with a grudge. Who knows? And while I’m not saying be afraid, I am saying be safe and take precautions. For me, those precautions include a .45 ACP. Your call.

Buy a Discover Pass (discoverpass.wa.gov). True, she was asking about ‘free access,’ but that’s a tough one. Not impossible, but if you were to spend $30 annually – or skip buying that 18-pack of eggs – you would have carte blanche access to a whole lot of ground upon which to wander. I’d suggest checking it out and giving a Discover Pass some serious thought.

Finally, though there may very well be other considerations I’ve forgotten, take what you’re going to need for your trip / walk. Fanny pack, backpack, small child who doesn’t mind carrying your stuff. Here, I’m talking water, snacks, toilet paper, and your camera. A lot of incredible things are out there to see and take photographs of, so trust me.

The Washington DNR (WADNR) holds title to thousands of acres here in Wahkiakum County. From the Elochoman, drive up Beaver Creek Road to the two-mile marker, turn right, and essentially everything from there to State Route (SR) 4 at Abe Creek is WADNR land, which means it’s yours to use, including all sorts of roads and road systems. Some private acres are towards the bottom, so be aware. Occasionally, there will be active logging operations up that way, so be careful where the folks are working. Discover Pass is required.

Farther up Beaver Creek, you’ll find the Bradley Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) area. Again, there are hundreds upon hundreds of WADNR acres that are yours to use. Bradley, also known as the Bradley ORV Park or, locally, as Bradley Trails, is a popular place, especially on the weekends; however, there’s plenty of space, and it is possible to get away from the maddening crowd if you try hard enough. Discover Pass is required.

Julia Butler Hansen Refuge

If you’re not familiar with it already, the Julia Butler Hansen National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located just west of Cathlamet and between SR 4 and the Columbia River. If you’re looking for wildlife, this is the place for you. Birds of all species, otters, nutria, Columbia whitetail deer, coyotes, Roosevelt elk, and tundra swans reside there, almost like a three-dimensional Audubon field guide. The JBH NWR features two established walking trails, the mile-long White-tail Trail, and the 2.5-mile-long Center Road Trail. However, quite a few folks will walk the road, including Steamboat Slough Road to the east and Brooks Slough Road on the west end. The refuge website (fws.gov/refuge/Julia-butler-hansen) has a ton of information.

Brookfield / West Valley

Turn west on West Valley Road beyond Skamokawa and you’re going to find a mix of private timber company and WADNR ground totalling thousands of acres of standing timber, clearcuts, blackberry bushes, Devil’s Club, you name it. If you drive up and over (you’ll know when you’ve done it) and head to the south and west, you’ll eventually come to a place known as Brookfield. The roads beyond this are gated, so you’re going to have to stop here, which is a good thing because Brookfield is an amazing place with an amazing amount of history. John Megler (think Megler-Astoria Bridge) built a salmon cannery there in the late 1800s, with some 400 families as Brookfield residents at one time. Megler died in 1915, the cannery burned in 1931 and was never rebuilt. The way I understand it, the last residents left in the late 1950s. Still, there’s a lot of ground to wander there.

Vista Park

On your way back to Cathlamet from West Valley, you can stop at Vista Park and wander free of charge. The beach along the Columbia allows for finding treasures at low tide. The park features a maintained, relatively easy to navigate trail at the northwest end that takes you from the camping area to a small cove known as Pebble Beach. There and back, it’s a short mile or so and well worth it.

Those are some, but certainly not all, of the possibilities if what you want to do is wander throughout Wahkiakum County. Need more? Perhaps invest in a subscription to onXmaps (onxmaps.com), a mapping software app that gives you a ridiculous amount of land-based information, including and most importantly, ownership. Also, no insignificant detail, it might just help you to not get lost. Until next time, get out and enjoy Mother Nature. She’s got a lot to offer.