Alternatives to White Salmon

You’ve read about parking problems at White Salmon. You drove up to ski out the White Salmon trail and couldn’t find a place to park. You don’t want to risk getting a ticket or towed by parking across the highway in the chain on/off area. What should you do?

Four suggestions (in no particular order):

  • Drive half a mile up the highway, turn in to the big downhill ski area (confusingly called the White Salmon Lodge), park in the back left corner of their parking lot (if there is room), very carefully go over the edge down to the Ridge Road Trail and use that to access White Salmon trails. See separate page and the White Salmon trail map.
  • Drive up to the end of the road and park in the big parking lot that you find there (if there is room), and explore Heather Meadows. Don’t worry about ‘getting to the end of a trail’ – just get out on the snow and admire the views! See separate page.
  • Drive back down to the Salmon Ridge SnoPark parking lot at mile 46.9 at the bottom of the mountain. Dream about what great skiing we sometimes have there when conditions are good. Go for a hike on one of the trails. With just a dusting of snow in the trees, they are beautiful. Enjoy the winter-wonderland. Each of these trails has a page with a map.

A) River Trail, come back by Mom’s – start in the parking lot, down to the river. About a mile to do the complete loop. (it seems like more…)
B) Jerry Bourn Trail – an out-and-back trail starting on the Hannegan Pass Road.
C) Huckleberry Trail – for the more adventurous. Hike out the Razor Hone trail, turn off on the Huckleberry. You can come back down the Cougar Loop when you first cross it, but if you keep going, you’ll end up at the bridge where it crosses a very pretty creek/(small) gorge.
D) Silver Fir Campground – Families with small children (and others) might enjoy walking through the campground. (Either park on that side of the road – or be very careful crossing the highway.) There are little stub trails that go out onto beaches along the river. Throw a rock in for me! Admire the giant log that we let the professionals cut out of the way for the groomer.

  • If you’ve read this far, you are careful and plan ahead. Attempt to schedule your trip on a weekday and leave early to get out to White Salmon in time to snag a parking spot. Then check out the Salamander Connector Trail page for a suggested destination. (which I’ll try to update by the end of today, 1/8)