If you’re lucky enough to live in the Vancouver area, Whipple Creek Regional Park offers very nice riding -- year round!
Located just a mile west of the Clark County Expo Center, Whipple Creek Park features a delightful network of single-track trails through a forest of mature Douglas-firs, maples and cedars. The park boasts 4.3 miles of interconnected loops that explore 300 acres of land around Whipple Creek. All of these trails are open to horses, hikers, and bikes.
The park’s trails run beneath huge trees, through a small meadow, along Whipple Creek, and past the remains of the historic stone grist mill that once operated here.
Trail signs are color coded to correspond with the park map (www.clark.wa.gov/sites/all/files/public-works/Parks/WhippleCreekTrails.pdf) so you’ll always know where you are. As you ride, keep an eye out for wildlife, as herons, hawks, woodpeckers, deer, flying squirrels, and beavers all make their homes at Whipple Creek Park.
The trails at Whipple Creek Park used to be a muddy, slippery mess in the wet season. However, volunteers have spent countless hours and thousands of dollars to rebuild and gravel the trails to create a more sustainable tread. The result: the park’s trails now provide excellent footing year-round.
Give the trails at Whipple Creek Park a try. You’ll be glad you did!
More Information
The Whipple Creek Park trails are covered in the “Day Rides Around Vancouver” chapter of Riding Southwest Washington Horse Trails by Kim McCarrel, available at www.NWHorseTrails.com. Happy Trails!
