Daroga State Park is a green oasis amid the dry, gently rolling hills of Central Washington, with two boat launches for motorized watercraft. This contrast gives the park a distinctive character. At Bridgeport State Park, by contrast, a long stretch of freshwater shoreline defines the landscape. Water, scenery and activity give Douglas County a variety of different highlights.
Water, Shorelines and Trails
Bridgeport State Park has 7,500 feet of freshwater shoreline on Rufus Woods Lake. This offers a different focus from the boat launches at Daroga State Park: here, the shoreline takes center stage, while there, the focus is on launching motorized watercraft. This is a practical difference between two ways of enjoying the water that can help you choose based on your interests.
The Apple Capital Recreation Loop Trail runs for more than 13 miles along the shores of the Columbia River. Its section in Douglas County is seven miles long, paved, and runs from the Odabashian Bridge to Rock Island Hydro Park. The more than 13 miles describe the trail along the riverbanks; the seven miles indicate the length of the Douglas County section. The trail’s connection system includes three bridges: two over the Columbia River and one over the Wenatchee River.
A section of the Rocky Reach Trail in Douglas County runs between the Odabashian Bridge and Lincoln Rock State Park. This route description offers another point of reference for a named trail without describing its entire course.
Scenery and Activities Around Bridgeport
The Bridgeport Wildlife Area Unit lies immediately south of the city of Bridgeport in Douglas County. Above Bridgeport, it features basalt cliffs overlooking the Columbia River and the Okanogan River. You can use the internal service roads for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. This area brings together a striking landscape feature and three ways to get active.
Bridgeport State Park also has a specific trail: an easy, three-mile paved bike path runs from the park to the dam. The park’s interpretive programs cover the operation of Chief Joseph Dam and the region’s wildlife. The route and the programs have different focuses—one centers on the bike path, the other on learning about dam operations and regional wildlife.
History and Collections
The Downtown Waterville Historic District reflects Waterville’s growth from a planned townsite into an agricultural trading center. The district includes most of the business district’s brick buildings, constructed during its formative period of development. These include general stores, clubhouses and fraternal lodges, and banks. The building types connect the history of commerce with the community institutions of the business district at the time.
The Douglas County Museum has a rock and mineral collection featuring gemstones, minerals, petrified wood, meteorites and thunder eggs, which resemble geodes. Its range makes a visit appealing to people with different interests in minerals and natural materials; the comparison with geodes helps visitors understand thunder eggs in particular.
Winter Sports and Regional Orientation
Badger Mountain Ski Hill was established in 1938 and is staffed entirely by volunteers. It is generally open each year from January through March. Check the current season’s details before your trip.
Recreational development in Douglas County generally focuses on the Columbia River corridor from Trinidad in the south to Bridgeport in the north, as well as the Badger Mountain area. This gives your trip planning a regional framework: the river corridor and the Badger Mountain area offer different focuses for your explorations.
Discover more destinations: East Wenatchee, Lincoln County, Cowlitz, Adams County, Kittitas County, Clallam County, Skagit County, Skamania
For the main travel overview: Washington.
