Beacon Rock is nestled against the Columbia River in the heart of Washington's Cascade Range.
The rock shoots an attention-begging 848 feet out of the otherwise flat riverbed; it was first documented by Lewis and Clark in 1805 on their way to the Pacific. Scientists claim the towering landmark is a basalt column that formed the core of an ancient volcano. Ice-age floods through the Columbia River Gorge wore away the softer surrounding materials, leaving today's Beacon Rock behind.
The rock stood simply as a unique landmark for many years. In 1904, an admirer named Charles Ladd purchased the monolith; his ownership countered attempts by the Army Corps of Engineers to blast it apart and use the pieces to craft a jetty in the adjoining Columbia River. In 1915, he sold the natural wonder for $1 under the single condition that it be preserved.
It was purchaser Henry Biddle and a friend who crafted a remarkable system of trails, ramps and stairs on the rock's steeply inclining surface. The exceptionally complex trail system was under construction from 1915 until 1918. What took two men only three years to build still stands today. Washington acquired the marvel as a state park in 1935 when Biddle's heirs offered it to the state.
Today, visitors of Beacon Rock State Park use the unique trail system to easily traverse the rock's steep ledges to its peak overlooking the Columbia River Gorge. The rock is also open for climbing year-round.