We went on a camping trip to Ainsworth State Park in Cascade Locks, OR. Ainsworth is an Oregon State Park and located on the Columbia River Gorge. We stayed at site B13.
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The Campsite
Our campsite (#B13) was a pull-through site and it was no problem to park our 20 foot rig. The site was fairly small and next to neighbors, though it was positioned in a way that gave the illusion of seclusion.
The campground itself was beautiful. Lush green plants everywhere and tall cliff sides were in view whenever you looked up. It felt like a special place to camp.
The kids were pleasantly surprised when we walked through a few of the trails at camp to find a small playground area with tetherball and swings.
A downside about this campground is it is right near a train track. The train is fairly loud and definitely noticeable from the campsite. It didn’t bother us too much but I can definitely see it being a problem for people who are more sensitive to loud noises.
Another potential downside is the campground was filled with cottonwood trees. The cottonwood fluff was everywhere. It was not only all over the ground but it was on all of the screens for our trailer windows. It was easy enough to blow off when we left camp though.
The sites had full hook-ups, picnic tables, and fire rings. The site wasn’t too large, though it also was far from the smallest site we’ve stayed. And ultimately the beauty surrounding us made the visit an enjoyable one.
The Weather
We were there in June and had great weather. On the hot day it did get to almost 80 degrees. Though it felt a little warm it was still very comfortable to be outside.
The Activities
The campground did have a small playground area as I mentioned earlier. You can also get to the Gorge 400 trail from the campground which is a long hiking trail down the Columbia River Gorge. This seems like it would be a nice way to get to experience the waterfalls.
While we were there we went to Multnomah Falls. We did need to get a timed entrance permit when we visited. We chose the earliest time slot at 9am and when we got there about half of the parking lot was still empty. Multnomah Falls was absolutely beautiful! And the path to get up to the bridge is a very easy paved path.
Since seeing Multnomah Falls didn’t take too long we decided to go into town. We went to Troutdale and took the kids to a playground called Imagination Station. It was a large playground with plenty to do. The kids had a lot of fun there.
After that we headed to Pico Berry to get some frozen yogurt.
The Dog-Friendly Hiking
The Gorge 400 trail that is accessible right from camp is dog-friendly. This seems like a great trail to do and we had wanted to try it but it looked to be a little too advanced to take two young kids and a 12-year old dog.
We ended up driving to Multnomah Falls instead of hiking there but that was still a nice experience that we got to include the dog for.
The Beer
We didn’t end up going to a local brewery while we stayed at Ainsworth. Instead we had a selection of local beers from the grocery store. We had some from Rogue, Deschutes, and Ninkasi.
The Recap
Ainsworth State Park is beautiful. Everything in the Columbia River Gorge is beautiful. This is definitely an area worth seeing it and Ainsworth is a very convenient place to stay while you do.
Campground Details:
Ainsworth State Park
Ainsworth State Park, Cascade Locks, OR 97014
Can reserve online at stateparks.oregon.gov. Reservations open 6 months ahead at 6am PST.
