Columbia Botanical Gardens

Jim Dillard

I wasn't there. I was at the Elks for the car show and I remember one time I was there and we were fighting a huge fire.

Amanda Radtke

This is one of my favorite walks/hikes in Columbia County and most people don't know about it. It's a great place for child led exploration and it can be a long or short hike with all of the different paths you can take. Each time we go, we see different wildlife and plants. Birds, deer, frogs, flowers, a small cave, and wild succulents to name a few. 🙂

Denis Dooley

I think the botanical gardens part was more wishful thinking back in 1975. There is a plaque indicating that it was donated (I'm guessing to escape the costs of restoration from it being a quarry). Perhaps somebody had grand ideas of replicating Butchart Gardens, I don't know. The place was basically left to go wild and in that regard it's not a bad spot for a hike, assuming the water level isn't up. Several borrow pits lap at the edge of the main trail and could use a bit of the ample rock and gravel that remain in various parts of the old quarry moved to them as riprap. There were lots of salmonberry in bloom (most likely thanks to birds) and a mix of invasive species and natives reclaiming to quarry. There appears to be some maintenance, probably a crew that goes through once or twice a year to keep the trail passable. If you live nearby, it's a nice municipal-level nature trail, but I wouldn't go too far out of your way to visit.

Katherine Raina (Kate)

This is an amazing little getaway with a lot of lovely trees and plants. The trail is fairly rugged and would post some difficulty for someone with mobility challenges. Very beautiful and peaceful.