Wygant State Natural Area, State natural area in Columbia River Gorge, Oregon, US
Wygant State Natural Area is a natural preserve in the Columbia River Gorge featuring hiking trails through thick forest with elevation gains alongside the river. The terrain includes multiple routes that accommodate different skill levels while offering views of the canyon.
The trail's first mile follows a paved road abandoned around 1960, when Interstate 84 opened and traffic left the old route. The park lies beside an abandoned section of the Historic Columbia River Highway and forms a trio with Seneca Fouts Memorial and Vinzenz Lausmann Memorial state natural areas around Mitchell Point.
The name Wygant is not explained in the sources, which record only that the natural area sits just west of Hood River, in Hood River County. The park is one of three around Mitchell Point, with Seneca Fouts Memorial and Vinzenz Lausmann Memorial state natural areas. The trail passes an abandoned stretch of the Historic Columbia River Highway.
There are no facilities in the park. The route begins on a paved road abandoned around 1960, when I-84 opened, and continues as a trail through dense forest; the park website notes prairie and desert portions. The park borders an abandoned section of the Historic Columbia River Highway.
A short section of the original highway used by hikers still displays its faded yellow center line from decades past. This unexpected feature is a reminder of when this route served mainly car traffic rather than foot trails.
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