Revision as of 16:10, 26 November 2007

Gillette Lake (Jeff Statt)

Hamilton Mountain from the powerline road near Gillette Lake (Jeff Statt)

A broken fragment of basalt (Steve Hart)

Typical trail section (Jeff Statt)

Approximate gps track of Gillette Lake hike

• Start point: Bonneville Trailhead
• End point: Gillette Lake
• Trail Log: Trail Log
• Hike Type: Out and back
• Distance: 5.8 miles round trip
• Elevation gain: 648 feet
• Difficulty: Easy
• Seasons: Year round
• Family Friendly: Yes
• Backpackable: No
• Crowded: Yes

Hike Description

Honestly, this isn't the most scenic hike in the area. It does offer a pretty accessible, easy stroll, and a decent chance to see some wildlife. Most people taking these trails are climbing nearby Table Mountain or are thru-hikers just beginning (or ending!) the Washington State section of the Pacific Crest Trail.

The hike starts at the Bonneville Trailhead. You'll start up the Tamanous Trail. Ta-mah-no-ous is a Native American word translated roughly as "vision quest". Young men proved their readiness to be adults by going on a search for guardian spirits. From the parking lot, you start out on a gravel road, but quickly divert up a wooded path that starts straight uphill. (Incidentally, if you continue down the gravel road another 100 yards you'll see where the nearby train track enters a tunnel.)

It won't be long before you have a nice viewpoint to the south overlooking the river just east of the Bonneville Dam. There won't be much more in the way of views until you get to the lake. It is somewhere in this trail section where the trail crosses over the top of the aforementioned tunnel...but you'll be hard-pressed to see where!

After a little more than half a mile from the trailhead, you'll come to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail. Turn left and you'll be heading toward Canada (even if you are heading more west than north). There are two ponds near this junction, both unnamed - the first is seasonal and you may not be there during the warmer months, the other is farther up the trail just an 1/8 of a mile or so, watch downhill and you'll see between the trees. Follow the trail closely in this section and do not divert onto the overgrown forest roads that intertwine here.

In about a mile, you'll come to a clearcut as the trail turns sharply to the right. In fact, there are several clearcuts through the remainder of the hike, from different eras and in varying staging of regrowth. While they are an eyesore to many, they represent a long history of forestry in this area, and underscore the work of conservation groups that are responsible for the preservation of all the abundant forests that remain. Further they provide the only views of nearby Table Mountain and Greenleaf Peak until you get to the lake. The trail can be a bit faint through here, by Pacific Crest Trail standards, but it should be easy to follow as you wind your way through the remainder of the hike. It is also a strange mix of public and private land through here. Property owners have allowed access for through hikers, but it is not recommended you divert far from the trail.

As you approach the lake the forest gets thick again. Somewhere in this area, you might notice that the land is unusually bumpy. Instead of the common pattern of valleys eroded by winter streams, the land here is filled with random small hills and huge, mossy boulders. You're walking on a huge landslide deposit, layed down about 500 years ago when the south side of Table and Greenleaf mountains slumped into the Columbia Gorge. This landslide dammed the Columbia for many years. Today trees and ferns have covered the landscape, but the uneven landforms still provide evidence of the devastation.

After a bit, you head up the right hand side of a dried-up creek valley and begin to gain more elevation. The trail eventually empties out at a forest road. Actually, this is the access road for the powerlines that you'll notice buzzing nearby overhead. The lake is on the other side of the road downhill just out of view. Look for where the trail picks back up as it heads downhill quickly. You'll see the lake on your left. Gillette Lake is a natural lake. Continue down the hill and look for a small spur to the left. It takes you to a nice lakeside campsite.

The lake is stocked with golden trout and there are often ducks as well, particularly in the winter. There is recent evidence of beaver activity on the shore of the lake. Deer are common around dusk, feeding in the clearcuts. Putting aside the powerlines overhead, it is a nice, tranquil location. The lake often has a green coloration that gives it some nice character. The distinct profile of Hamilton Mountain is in evidence to the west.

Maps

• Maps: Hike Finder

Regulations or restrictions, etc

• None

Trip Reports

• Search Trip Reports for Gillette or Tamanous

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Related Discussions / Q&A

• Search Trail Q&A for Gillette or Tamanous
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Guidebooks that cover this hike

• Day Hike! Columbia Gorge, by Seabury Blair, Jr.
• 60 Hikes within 60 Miles of Portland, by Paul Gerald
• Afoot and Afield Portland/Vancouver, by Douglas Lorain
• 35 Hiking Trails, Columbia River Gorge, by Don & Roberta Lowe
• Columbia River Gorge, 42 Scenic Hikes, by Don & Roberta Lowe
• Hiking the Columbia River Gorge - 1st and 2nd Editions, by Russ Schneider
• 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon - 3rd Edition, by William L Sullivan

More Links

• See more information at Describe the link here

Contributors

• Stevefromdodge (creator)