Unfold your camp chair and take in the views from Reed Island State Park. Located on the Columbia River east of Vancouver, the island faces the bird-rich Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge, from the north, separated by a shallow, narrow channel. To the southeast, the park looks out onto Oregon’s rising basalt cliffs and Vista House, a Columbia River Gorge icon.
Ringed by a sandy beach and clusters of deciduous and evergreen trees, the island’s interior is flat and meadow-like. The park is accessible only by water, so why not paddle over for the day or the night?
After the sun sets on Portland and Vancouver to the west, you’ll have the 2.5-mile-long island to yourself, as there are only two primitive campsites. There are no facilities or potable water so visitors must pack out what they pack in. Though campers can beach their boats near the campsites, this undeveloped park has no docks or buoys. In other words, despite its proximity to cities and landmarks, the Reed Island experience will be a rustic one, indeed.
Park features
Reed Island State Park is a 427-acre marine park located east of Vancouver. The park is part of the Columbia River Water Trail and features an active heron colony on the southwest side of the island.
