Beacon Rock

There are a lot of icons in the gorge. Some you only recognize once you look them up, some that resonate with you the instant you see them, and then there's Beacon Rock. Beacon Rock is one thing everyone sees. Probably the only thing in the gorge more recognizable than Wind Mountain. 

Here is a quiz: can you find Beacon Rock in these pictures?

Where is it?

Can you find it?

IT'S HIDING!

Beacon Rock is an easy hike but absolutely worth your time. It'll take about an hour unless you take it slow. Someone built a trail all the way up to the top in the early 20th century. The hike up is at a very mild grade and is a engineering feat of concrete and stairs.

Halfway up

Terrible old camera pictures

I've hiked Beacon a couple of times because it's a great place to take newbies for a quick bite of the gorge. You hike up a hill, then you end up right on the side of the rock for half the hike. This is actually the best part of the entire hike.

From a small arch on the path

The Beacon Rock trail

Facing west

Lens flare heading west

Foolin around

Once you crest the west side of the rock, things get less interesting. You head up to the top and the top/east side just doesn't have nearly the view that the West side did. There is no reason to linger unless you really want to look east. This picture is the best view east you get, but this isn't from the top but a corner on the trail most of the way up.

Munra Point in the middle there

It's a nice hike for kids and families and newbies, and a great way to kill some time close to PDX, but for a more seasoned Gorge hiker like myself, Beacon Rock looks better from other mountains. Knowing it's 800 feet high is a great way to scale how far you've hiked when you are on the tougher hikes, and it always makes a great picture when you include the rock.