This is a great trail for somebody recovering from a foot injury like me. I took Eisa for a walk on a beautiful spring day. The cottonwoods haven’t leafed out yet and the understory is pushing all the chlorophyll it can muster so it is an intensely green experience.

I started the hike from the Vancouver Lake parking lot and made my way south, taking the paved trail towards Frenchman’s Bar Park. The weather was mostly clear. I had recently discovered an old point-and-shoot film camera and this hike was a great opportunity to test it out.

The trail was clean and well-maintained, and mostly flat the whole way. I recommend bringing binoculars to spot various birds. Other than birds and a googly-eyed willow, the trail didn’t offer many interesting features. Blurock Landing - roughly halfway between Vancouver Lake and Frenchman’s Bar - offered a nice sitting break with a view of the Columbia River.

I decided to try the North Trail at Vancouver Lake early on a Sunday morning (0845). Vancouver Lake is pretty easy to find by following Mill Plain east. There is ample parking, but there is a $3 (per car) parking fee. The meter I was going to pay at was broken and they recommended using the Flowbird app to pay. Luckily, I had an internet connection, so I downloaded the app and paid the parking fee (+.35 fee). 

When I started my hike, I was a little turned around and started heading South of the park, unwittingly. Something didn't look right, so I checked my compass and confirmed I was heading in the wrong direction. I turned around and headed North, passing the picnic benches and some geese.  The North Trail is north of the parking area. You follow a gravel trail and there is sign directing you to turn off to the North Trail. The sign was somewhat hidden behind some foliage, but still readable. 

Though I saw a number of people in the park (walkers, swimmers, kyakers, cyclists, etc.), I only saw 2 people on the North Trail. The trail is wide and well-managed. There was almost no elevation, so the trail was flat, sandy/dirt as it meandered through a wooded area. Foliage is dense, so it is a cool reprieve on a warm morning. You cannot see the lake from the trail, but I heard a number of birds while hiking the trail. The only other critters I saw were bunnies. 

Though I enjoyed the trail, the mosquitos were horrible and I wasn't prepared, so I found myself distracted by the bugs and cut my hike short. I'll be back, though, with mosquito repellant or at another time of the year.

I hiked the Vancouver Lake North Trail were terrible for me. I am a mosquito magnet and I killed 30 mosquitoes on me and still got several bites.

The trail is in good shape after several WTA work parties spreading gravel over the tree roots.

I discovered there is a connecting trail to the Vancouver Lake Trail and it goes out into the wildlife area across the road from the trail. I've included a photo of the route.

To access this connecting trail cross over the steel and concrete bridge at the northwest end of the trail, walk across the road and through the gate. Continue walking north along a raised road until you decide to turn around. We walked about 0.3 mile along the gravel road then turned around. There are really nice views of a lake and the wildlife area.

We walked back along the NW Erwin O Reiger Memorial Hwy which is the dead-end road along the northwest side of Vancouver Lake because the mosquitoes along the Vancouver Lake North Trail.

Joan and I hiked this shady trail. You need a $3 entrance fee or Clark County annual pass. There was plenty of parking when we arrived in the morning and first we walked by the lake but all the goose poop made us head away from the lake, beach, and grass.

To find this trail walk head north on the paved trail about 1,200 feet to the signed trailhead with a bench to sit on. The trail is nicely gravelled with a few cottonwood roots bursting through the underlying landscape fabric.

Wind through the cottonwood and oak trees. Right now the cottonwood seeds have created an eerie feeling which looks almost like a layer of spider webs along many parts of the trail. You should see this unique natural phenomenon before the next wind or rain storm.

There are several plants blooming with Jewelweed being the showiest. Jewelweed is one of the few plants where dry seed pods explode to the touch. Try to find some seed pods to poke when you go.

The trail reaches a "T" with the fork to the right turning into a user trail that leads to a gravel lakeshore in summer. In winter and spring this section is submerged. The branch to the left crosses on a sturdy bridge spanning a slough with thousands of Arrowroot plants growing in the muddy stream course. You can continue on and walk back on the road and hook back into the trail but we preferred to return on the shady gravel trail then the paved trail back to the parking lot.

This is a great trail for a hot day and is good for dogs. The restrooms have flush toilets. Thanks to WTA and Chinook Trail Association for building this trail.