Lacamas Park – Round Lake, Pothole Falls, Lower Falls, and Woodburn Falls

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Region: Southwest Washington

Roundtrip Miles: 2.6 miles

Elevation Gain (feet): 200

Best Month(s): any

Hikeable: year-round

Trailhead Coordinates:  45.603624, -122.406893

Pass: none

Features: lake, waterfalls, wildlife

Water: no potable water

Time: Plan on spending about 1.5 hours hiking.

Summary: This park is such a gem! Even when other trails look more like mud wrestling pits than pathways, this trail is still in excellent shape. You’ll find a few muddy bits in winter, but not many. While the falls are most impressive at peak flow in winter/spring, this a fantastic hike year-round.

The trails are a mix of wide, packed gravel and smaller single-track trails winding throughout the park. Most of these trails are not marked. You can easily add miles to your adventure here and stay for hours. We visited all three waterfalls, walked the main Lake to Lake trail, the Lily trail, the loop around Round Lake, and the maze of unnamed and unmarked trails in the center of the main trail.

If you leave from Round Lake, you’ll likely see several birds in the area (we encountered Buffleheads and a Bald Eagle). Taking the Lake to Lake trail south from the lake, first you come to Pothole Falls. Just south of the falls is a rocky outcropping that offers a gorgeous view.

Stay on the Lake to Lake trail until you come to the bridge at Lower Falls. The bridge across the falls is a safe but exciting way to experience them.

Backtrack on the trail just a bit until you come to a trail that veers up and away from the river. This will take you to Woodburn Falls. In my opinion, this is the prettiest of the three waterfalls in the park. It’s easy to miss this waterfall as it is on a different trail from the other two falls, but definitely make time for it. Be warned though: this trail can get pretty muddy as you get closer to the falls. No need to slog through the mud if you don’t want to though. There is a nice view of the falls from the dry part of the trail.

The Lily trail isn’t worth it in my opinion. It runs along several backyards with a territorial view of a large housing development. The rest of the trails through the woods are so much nicer. This is the only trail where I was reminded that I was in the middle of a city.

The maze of trails makes it so you won’t run into hoards of people even when the parking lots are full. It’s easy to find yourself alone once you venture off the main trail to the side trails.

Overall, this is a fantastic hike for very little effort.

If you want some shorter options, you could always just go to one or two of the falls instead of all three:

  • Round Lake to Pothole Falls: 1.2 miles round-trip on the Lake to Lake Trail, 25 feet of elevation gain, 100 feet ascent
  • Round Lake to Lower Falls Bridge: 1.9 miles round-trip on the Lake to Lake Trail, 100 feet of elevation gain, 300 feet ascent
  • Round Lake to Woodburn Falls: 2.4 miles round-trip on the Lake to Lake Trail, 100 feet of elevation gain, 450 feet ascent

Post-hike Food Stop:

  1. Feral Public House – Heathen Brewing* (Vancouver): happy hour is all-day-long on Sundays w/ beverage purchase. The tacos here are pretty good. They also have a huge selection of both beer and ciders.
  2. NOT DOG FRIENDLY – Tommy O’s Pacific Rim Bistro (Vancouver): if you go on a weekend from 9-12 they serve brunch and the malasadas (Hawaiian beignets) are delightful! For sushi, the Oregon Roll was my favorite.
  3. NOT DOG FRIENDLY – Kitchen Table-Salmon Creek (Vancouver): pretty good breakfast foods including waffles with strawberries, omelets, and made from scratch biscuits
  4. NOT DOG FRIENDLY – Stardust Diner (Vancouver): this 50s style diner is fun and has good breakfast options

Other Vancouver Attractions:

  • Fort Vancouver National Historic Site
  • Vancouver Downtown Farmers Market
  • Waterfront Renaissance Trail
  • Ulysses S. Grant House

Note: The restaurants and breweries denoted with * are potentially dog-friendly for their outdoor seating. Their patio dining may only be open during summer, however. You should always check with each restaurant to see if outdoor space has a separate entrance and if they are willing to accommodate well-behaved dogs. I would never assume just because a place has allowed dogs in the past that this is still the case.



  • Pothole Falls
  • Lower Falls
  • Woodburn Falls