Crawford Oaks Trailhead is a very large nature trail park in Lyle, Washington in the Columbia River Gorge very close to The Dalles, Oregon. It is a part of Columbia Hills Historical State Park.
This park is a trailhead that connects to a large network of trails that go around the Columbia Hills State Park area. This park features a semi-desert like environment mixed with beautiful rolling hills, and a small forested area flanking Eightmile Creek, a creek along part of the trail that ends in a waterfall that can be seen from the trailhead.
There is a parking lot at the entrance and a public restroom. A Columbia Hills State Park Pass is required to park here. Day passes can be purchased at the self-pay kiosk in the parking lot for $10, and not only cover Crawford Oaks, but also cover day use for many other places in the Columbia Hills State Park.
The trail starts at Entry Road Trail, which goes up into the hills next to a small waterfall at the end of Eightmile Creek. It starts in a rocky and desert-like environment that can often have wildflower blooms in the spring. Once you get up on the hill, it quickly turns into rolling green hills and a strip of forest along the creek that runs parallel to a part of the path.
Eventually, Entry Road Trail leads to a fork – if you go north, you will reach another fork – one direction that goes to Eightmile Alt Trail, and another that goes to Military Road Trail.
Going south from the Entry Road Trail fork leads to Vista Loop Trail, which will can eventually loop back to Military Road Trail, or continue further. There are many more trails within the park that are connected to these aforementioned trails.
There are many historically significant places within the Columbia Hills State Park, and Crawford Oaks is no exception. These trails were used for thousands of years by Native Americans and more recently by soldiers and settlers.
There are large power lines that run through part of the Vista Loop Trail, but besides that and some distant houses, there are mostly rolling green smooth and rocky hills.
The large expanse, big sky, and nearby vantage of the Columbia River are enough reasons to come and check this place out. If you need another reason, it is because it is a great place to check out wildflower blooms during the spring.
Crawford Oaks Trailhead is a gorgeous place to walk during the right time of year. It has a decent amount of incline to get from the parking lot into the hills, but after that, it is largely easy walking. Some of these trails go on for several miles, so you may need to plan your route accordingly. There is not a lot of shade, so make sure to bring some sun protection.
Due to the fact that there is no major city around, there are not usually a lot of people, although that may change at peak wildflower season. There is a small city nearby – The Dalles, Oregon, so it is not completely isolated.
There are many worthwhile places to visit within the Columbia River Gorge, and Crawford Oaks Trailhead is one of them.