Lacamas Lake Regional Park in Camus, Washington is a short drive from Portland, and a popular after-work destination for Vancouver area locals looking to ride their mountain bikes. It’s been on our radar for some time as a spot to check out; however, the bulk of online write-ups focus on paved and graveled trails leading to scenic overlooks of the lake, waterfalls, and dam. What they don’t mention is that the park also contains sections of quality single track.
TLDR;
Lacama Lake Park features opportunities for walking, trail running, fishing, paddling, mountain biking, and gravel riding.
There are about 6 miles of multi-use trails threading throughout the park. Trail surfaces range from wide gravel to dirt single track with a fun optional route through a rocky area, pictured below.
Additional mileage could be added with an out and back on the Heritage gravel trail, which is 7.1 miles in length.
Getting there
Address: 3344 NE Everett Street, Camas, WA 98607
The lake is popular for swimming and paddling. In warm summer months, check for algae reports, as it can be dangerous for pets.
Some of the best Portland area mountain biking is in Washington: Lacamas Lake Regional Park. The only downside: it isn’t quite enough trail for a full day of riding. However, with a range of activities, Lacamus Lake makes for a nice change of pace. I’ve headed to the park to ride my bike, then changed to trail running shoes. After a few miles, I ate lunch and changed sports again, launching my paddleboard to enjoy a warm summer afternoon.
We first “discovered” Lacamus in the winter months. Finding trails not covered in a layer of snow that winter had become a challenge, making it time to investigate new options, and we’re glad we did. This local trail system features a wide variety of experiences, suitable for all levels of mountain biking.
Getting there is a relatively short 15-mile drive from our home base in the Gateway District. The drive by car took 24 minutes, making it the shortest commute to “real” mountain biking we’ve found to date from our home on the westside of the Portland area.
On my first visit to the park, I had low expectations. My frame of reference for urban mountain biking in the last year has been Powell Butte and Forest Park, which rate a “C-” in terms of the mountain bike user experience. Descriptions online describe river and lake trails, and based on Portland references, I debated which bike to bring. I considered my 29″ hardtail, and even my dirt jump bike. In the end, I brought my 5″ travel trail bike, which is the go-to machine for all-around trail riding. It was the right call as I had a blast.
Our ride began with some short but punchy climbs, before pedaling into a welcome thread of single track that bobbed and weaved throughout the woods. Happy place found. But then it got better — much better — encountering a section of rocks that provided fun technical challenge.
That was followed up by some flowy single-track descents that left me whooping all the way down. Mission accomplished.
Although the overall mileage is fairly low, as a close-in destination, it fits the bill. With traffic being as bad as it is these days, it’s unlikely to be a frequent after-work destination for those of us coming from PDX, but it is nice having another option that doesn’t require a full day’s commitment to ride bikes on single track.
Gravel biking at Lacamas Lake
For riders looking to explore the area by gravel bike, there are options as well. The Lacamus Lake Heritage Trail is about seven miles in length and offers views of the lake. Many of the green dirt trails in the park are easily traversed on a drop bar gravel bike as well.
Getting Around
Riding the spiderweb of unmarked trails can be confusing; thankfully, I had a local to show me the best sections of the park. Thanks to Chris Daniels (@chrizdan) for the tour, as well as being the trail model.
Searching for details of the park online is a bit misleading, as the best single-track mountain biking is actually found in the Round Lake area, adjacent to Lacamus Lake.
Highlights
- 9.5 miles of gravel trail/dirt trails
- Waterfalls
- Fishing
- Non-motorized boating – it’s a popular destination for kayaking and SUP
- The majority of single-track trails are multi-use
- Parking fees were eliminated in 2013
Getting there: the address is 3344 NE Everett Street, Camas, WA 98607
Camas Bike & Sport is the closest bike shop, should you need one.
Learn more at www.clark.wa.gov/public-works/lacamas-regional-park