The Haul Road was once used for transporting logs, equipment, and supplies to and from the old mill. Columbia Land Trust conserved this site to restore the river’s floodplain after a flood washed out portions of the road, rendering it unusable for transportation. Now, the public can hike or bike the old Haul Road, enjoying views along the Klickitat River.
Recreational Activities: Hiking, fishing, road/mountain biking
Access: Open to walk-in access, day use only
Dogs: Allowed on leash only
Amenities: None
Trails: The Haul Road corridor varies from pavement, to gravel, to dirt. From the south end, starting from Twin Bridges going north, there is about 1.75 miles of pavement. Starting on the north end, there is about 0.8 miles of pavement going south. Beyond the pavement, the corridor has been re-wilded and becomes rugged and overgrown the further you travel. It offers passage to able-bodied people who enjoy bush whacking without a developed trail.
Acreage: 453 acres
County: Klickitat County
Nearest Town: Klickitat, WA
Directions: On the south end, Haul Road can be accessed from a gate near Twin Bridges on SR-142. Haul Road parallels SR-142 from Wahkiakus Heights Road up to Twin Bridges. Turn onto the Haul Road from SR-142 just before the guard rail begins at Twin Bridges and continue a short distance upstream on the Haul Road to a locked gate. About 5-8 cars can park here. Please park as close to the right shoulder as possible. Do not block the gate, which opens out toward the highway, and leave room in front of the gate for vehicles to turn around.
Tips for Visiting: Poison oak is abundant in this area. Keep dogs leashed to prevent them from getting into poison oak, to be respectful of other visitors, and to limit impacts on wildlife. Cell service here is unreliable. If fishing, be sure you are accessing the river from Columbia Land Trust’s land or public land and not trespassing on private property. Beyond the paved sections of old road, the rocky dirt trail is unmaintained and rugged. Please close all interior cattle gates and stay out of active restoration areas, marked by signs indicating spraying.
Year Conserved: 2007
About: The Haul Road was a privately owned railroad turned two-lane, paved road that traversed the floodplain of an otherwise undeveloped 12-mile section of the Klickitat River. Historically the road moved timber from the upper watershed to the mill at Klickitat before a half mile of the road washed out in the 1996 floods. In 2007, Columbia Land Trust purchased the road and began work to restore river processes to enhance fish habitat with partner Yakama Nation Fisheries Program. Read more or watch a 2015 video about this project.
In 2025, Columbia Land Trust acquired an adjacent 37-acre parcel, conserving a critical piece along this section of river. The newly conserved parcel sits almost entirely within the floodplain and includes naturally functioning riparian systems as well as an important side channel for salmonid spawning and juvenile rearing, with cold water, shade, and clean gravel.
Learn more about the importance of oak habitats and how you can help care for them with East Cascades Oak Partnership (ECOP), an oak conservation collaborative stewarded by Columbia Land Trust.
Project Partners: Salmon Recovery Funding Board, Yakama Nation Fisheries Program