Good rest stop for travelers. Can park for 15 minutes before you might get badgered for a Discovery pass. The petrographs are at the end of the road just above the river on right had side.
Been to Horsethief park several times. It's on the Wa side of the river about 10 minutes from The Dalles. Camping and day use areas with good restrooms. There is a minimal day use fee. Petroglyphs are visible without a guide but you will need a guide for some of them (see poster). The park goes right down to the water and while there's no awesome beach, there's a couple places to get in. Boat ramp is down by the petroglyphs (straight down the hill). We've used this for a company picnic and all went well. Abundant shade from many large trees.
The day I was going here, the website was down. So I didn't have the current information needed to do the pic tour. It was a brief stay to see the display. I would rather have hiked.
An oasis of green, clean, and the non-mean. Now Columbia Hills State Park, this gem has great water access, full service camping, tent camping, picnic area, clean facilities, and the best hosts around.Take a hike to Horsethief Butte for great trails, big cliffs, rock-climber watching, and scenery galore.
The park houses a collection of petroglyphs that were rescued from the flooding of the Columbia when dams built. Had been in storage for many years, but were recently pulled out and put on exhibit here at the request of local tribes. Admission to park is $10, but it is definitely worth it. Beautiful and sacred setting.
This is a hideaway that few know about. RV camp (reservations a must) and a day park. Nice beach and sandy lake. My daughter freaked when she saw a snake in the water. That was the only thing that was a negative. Distant train goes by every half hour but you get used to that.
After a bit of nudging to get out of bed at 4:30 AM by my sister, and finally compromising with "just wear your pajamas!" my nephew and I snuggled into the backseat for the drive to Horsethief park. I had no idea what I was in for...Arriving just as the sun was barely peaking over the mountains, my jaw dropped a few inches as I took in the ancient art. Stepping out of the car, I was immersed in the energy of the land and the many spirits that moved through me. I felt the distant drumbeat from the mountains and the presence of the Native American tribes .Mesmerized by the art, trying to decipher it's meaning in my mind, 'my take so to speak' I felt guided by spirit, and drawn into each plaque's message.As the sun rose around us, the images deepened and so to their energy's...
We enjoyed the beauty of the river from this spot. Watching peopele boating and cannoning and Kayaking.
The park was a gathering place for native American tribes coming from all parats of the country for the salmon run at Celilo Falls. All that has been changed by the dams on the Columbia River but the petrogliphs are amazing here. Even to the untrained eye it is obvious that some of the tribes came from thousands of miles away.
You have to pay $10 to park; we didn't -- just cruised in our our motorcycles -- Just to see the Native American art. Not a lot of shade and too expensive for 4 people on bikes for a quick look-see.