Klickitat Trail: Fisher Hill Bridge to Pitt

The Fisher Hill Bridge–to–Pitt section of the Klickitat Trail is an 8.5-mile, one-way point-to-point walk on an old rail bed beside the Klickitat River. Walking back the same way makes it 17 miles; otherwise, arrange a car shuttle. Plan on roughly four hours for the one-way walk with stops. Its appeal is a long stretch of river, a historic trestle and a fish-counting site, rather than a summit or loop.

From Fisher Hill Bridge, the trail immediately crosses the old Fisher Hill Trestle. About half a mile in, it passes Lyle Falls Fishway, where Yakama Nation Fisheries operates a fish-counting facility and returns most sampled fish to the river. The river stays close for much of the walk, with rushing water and whitewater in places and State Route 142 on the opposite bank. The trail is mostly gentle, but the old rail bed mixes packed dirt, rock and plants with rough stretches of loose ballast. Near Pitt it bends closer to the river again, and homes appear on both banks; stay on the trail where private property borders the corridor.

For a photo, look for the river moving over pale rock shelves and keep the bend and both banks in frame; that shows the narrow channel as well as the whitewater. The fishway is a short, practical turnaround if you want only a taste of the route: it is about half a mile from Fisher Hill Bridge.

This is a true one-way route. The Fisher Hill access is about 1.6 miles north of Lyle beside State Route 142; at Pitt, the access parking is across the road from a row of houses. There is no restroom at Fisher Hill, while Pitt has a portable toilet. No pass or permit is required, and dogs are allowed on leash. Set up a shuttle, or be ready for a 17-mile return walk.