Cape Horn Loop Trail

Cape Horn Loop Trail is a roughly 6.5-mile circuit from Salmon Falls Park & Ride, climbing through maple forest to a ridge of overlooks, dropping to Cape Horn Falls and the river cliffs, then returning on Cape Horn Road. The loop gains about 1,300 feet, with its hardest climbing packed into the first mile. Allow four to five hours if you want time at the viewpoints; this is a substantial hike, not a quick waterfall stop. What makes it worthwhile is the change of scene: shaded uphill tread, open Gorge views, a rocky lower trail, and one long road walk all come in the same outing.

The complete lower section is open July 16 through January 31. From February 1 through July 15, it closes to protect nesting peregrine falcons, leaving year-round out-and-back options to the upper overlooks.

From the Park & Ride, cross Salmon Falls Road to the signed trail and take the upper fork. The path crosses a small creek on Twain Bridge, then climbs steeply under bigleaf maples, vine maples and sword ferns. The first overlook comes about 1.2 miles in, after roughly 800 feet of climbing, with east-facing views toward Hamilton Mountain, Beacon Rock and Multnomah Falls. A short spur reaches Pioneer Point and the Tipping Tree, where the view swings southwest toward Angel’s Rest and Devil’s Rest.

Return to the main path across a broad, wooded summit. It gradually descends to an abandoned forest road, then crosses Strunk Road and a gravel path to Nancy Russell Overlook. The handmade stone wall is a good place to pause and look east along the river. Russell helped protect this hillside from development, and the overlook was later named for her.

From Nancy Russell Overlook, switchbacks descend through bigleaf maple and Oregon white oak to a pedestrian underpass beneath Washington State Highway 14. Short spurs reach Cape Horn Falls Overlook and Oak View Overlook. Beyond Oak View, the full loop continues into the seasonal section, where intermittent river views lead to Cigar Rock, a basalt pillar at the water’s edge. The trail rises and drops through two moss-covered talus slopes before reaching Cape Horn Falls. Here the tread gets narrow, steep and rocky; take care near the cliff edges.

The return follows paved Cape Horn Road uphill through open pasture with views back to the cliffs, then uses another pedestrian underpass to reach the Park & Ride. That road stretch is the least trail-like part of the loop, but it completes the circuit without repeating the steep climb. For a shorter year-round outing, the out-and-back to Pioneer Point is about 2.5 miles; continuing to Nancy Russell Overlook makes it about five miles.

The Skamania County Park & Ride has restrooms and is the right place to park; the lot can fill on weekends, and roadside parking is prohibited. There is no fee or permit. No drinking water or food stop was found on the route, so don’t count on refilling or buying lunch along the way. The county-road return has blind corners; walk single-file and watch for vehicles. Dogs are permitted, but the Forest Service advises leaving them home because of the steep cliffs. If you bring one, keep it leashed; cliff falls have killed dogs here.