Dick Thomas Trailhead
From Portland Hikers Field Guide
- Latitude: 45.65604
- Longitude: -121.96093
- Maps: Portland Hikers Maps Google Earth
- Elevation: 73 feet
- Driving time from Portland: 1 hour
Contents |
Hikes starting here
- Aldrich Butte-Cedar Falls Loop Hike (TH | <-- --> | LOG)
Description
There is a small parking area back behind the Bonneville Hot Springs Resort near the town of North Bonneville, WA in the Columbia River Gorge. Many hikers park in the large west lot at Bonneville Hot Springs. Please be respectful of the resort: do not track muddy boots into the lobby or leave a mess in the bathroom facilities!
This trailhead is popular with people climbing Table Mountain because this short cuts the normal route by about 4 miles, and allowing hikers to skip the sometimes bland longer hike option that starts at the Bonneville Trailhead.
The trail from this location to Carpenter Lake is called the Dick Thomas Trail after the old Mazama who'd done most of the manual labor to build it.
In the mid 2000s the Forest Service held an open meeting to plan the building of a 'true' trailhead for Aldrich Butte, Table Mountain and the Greenleaf Creek basin. They talked about three possible sites, including this one (the others were on Skamania County Port property to the west and an area closer to Greenleaf Slough). To this day, no further plans have been made public.
Fees and Regulations
- No fees or regulations.
- This is a private parking lot constructed for resort customers. An agreement has been reported between the resort and the Mazamas granting access to the trail, but the resort has the legal right to deny access at any time. Please read any posted signs or notices that may appear. Property owners have been magnanimous with respect to hikers. Please do not take this for granted!
Driving Directions
Coming from Portland, take I-84 east to Cascade Locks and take the toll bridge (Bridge of the Gods) across to Washington. Take a left (West) on state Highway 14. After you've gone about a mile and a half you'll see the Bonneville Dam on your left. Go another 1/2 mile watching for the 2nd turn off (the first is to Bonneville Trailhead- you don't want that) which is Hot Springs Road. Go under the railroad trestle and take an immediate right onto Cascade Drive. Follow Cascade Drive as it sweeps around the the far end of Greenleaf Slough. Watch for the signs for Bonneville Hot springs and turn into the resort. Turn left at the resort building into the (currently) unpaved west parking lot. (Park here or) continue past the lot up a short steep section of dirt road as it winds up behind the resort. Park to the right on top of the pipeline easement.