Klickitat State Park Trail, Rail trail in Klickitat County, Washington.
The Klickitat Trail is a 31-mile rail trail along the Klickitat River in southern Washington, following the old Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway corridor that once linked Lyle and Goldendale. It runs in two sections: one from Lyle to Swale Canyon along the river, and the other through Swale Canyon to Warwick. The route passes a remote tributary canyon, a Wild & Scenic River and a National Scenic Area.
A railway line operated through the valley until the 1990s, serving as a vital transportation link for the region. When service ended, the tracks were repurposed into a public trail that preserves this transportation heritage.
Lewis and Clark passed through the region and called the Klickitat River the "Cataract river". Today the river is a nationally designated Wild & Scenic River, and yearly salmon runs attract bald eagles, while wild turkeys, rattlesnakes and cougars live along the route.
The trail runs 31 miles (50 km) from Lyle to Warwick, split into a riverside stretch from Lyle to Swale Canyon and a canyon stretch beyond. The Swale Canyon section closes during fire season, roughly July 1 to October 1, so plan a through-route outside that window.
The Swale Canyon section closes during fire season, roughly July 1 to October 1, so the through-route from Lyle to Warwick is cut for about three months each year. The rest of the 31-mile trail along the Klickitat River stays open.
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