Battle Ground Lake State Park
Mostly a camping spot, this Washington State Park offers a lovely little trail around a lake, plus other family friendly amenities. But Crater Lake it ain't.
Open
Summer: 6:30 a.m. to dusk. Winter: 8 a.m. to dusk.
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Pros
- A very pretty, forested trail follows the lake’s circumference. It’s less than two miles all the way around, and with no elevation gain this makes it a great trail for little hikers.
- There’s a wading / swimming area near the main parking lot.
- There’s also a playground. And restrooms.
- People seemed to be catching fish.
Cons
- Washington State Park’s website states, “The lake itself is of volcanic origin and is considered to be a smaller version of Crater Lake in Oregon.” While this is no doubt geologically accurate, visitors expecting a smaller version of Crater Lake are going to be sorely disappointed. Visually, the only thing the lake has in common with Crater Lake is that it is a lake. It’s a little like describing my front yard thus, “The yard is man-made and is considered to be a smaller version of the hanging gardens of Bablylon”.
- You’ll need to purchase a Discover Pass ($10/day, $30/annual).
if you like this…
Lacamas Park also has a lake and boasts a broader variety of trails. The marshier Virginia Lake on Sauvie Island also has a perimeter trail and great wildlife spotting opportunities. Hagg Lake dwarfs all of them, but is too large to walk around.
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First posted: July 31, 2013; last updated: July 25, 2017.
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18002 N.E. 249th St. Battle Ground, WA 98604 [Google map].
