Lucia Falls Regional Park — Attraction in Battle Ground

My recent visit to this park left a lasting impression, albeit not a positive one. While the park's natural beauty and potential for an enjoyable experience were evident, the hazards at the entrance overshadowed the visit. The narrow entrance with poorly marked warnings led to a series of unfortunate events, resulting in flat tires and a prolonged wait for assistance. The entrance to the park presents a significant safety concern due to its narrow width and inadequate warning signs. The difference in width between the entrance and exit is confusing for unfamiliar visitors, and the unnoticeable separating post poses a serious risk to vehicles. The absence of prominent warning signs in a clearly visible location makes it easy for drivers to inadvertently choose the wrong path, leading to tire damage and significant inconvenience. In my case, the lack of proper warnings resulted in flat three tires. The wait for a towing truck to arrive and assist us lasted an agonizing four and a half hours, significantly dampening the overall experience and adding unnecessary stress to our day. Upon speaking with the towing truck driver, I was disheartened to learn that incidents like ours are not uncommon. It's concerning that the towing truck driver, who shared that he comes to assist stranded customers at the park frequently, highlighted an ongoing issue that needs immediate attention. I strongly urge the park management to take proactive measures to enhance safety at the entrance. Placing a warning sign in the middle of the entrance and incorporating a flat tire warning would greatly help prevent similar incidents in the future. Additionally, reevaluating and redesigning the entrance layout to minimize confusion and clearly demarcate the correct path for vehicles is essential to ensuring a safe and pleasant experience for all visitors. In conclusion, while the potential for an enjoyable visit to this park is evident, the safety hazards and lack of appropriate warnings at the entrance pose a significant risk to visitors. Urgent improvements are needed to address these issues and create a safer environment for all. I hope that the park management takes this feedback seriously and prioritizes the necessary changes to enhance the overall safety and experience...

Over a footbridge and into the woods. Lucia Falls has both park and wilderness features. A short walk down an easy path leads to a large maintained grass area with picnic tables and a bathroom.

Head down the slightly steeper natural trail, and the view opens up to the featured Falls. Adventure through some of the short loop trails, or down (and up) to the falls themselves. Sit in the mist, or hop the rocks for a beautiful view. There is something for everyone, and furry friends are welcome!

Parking is a paved, gated lot (closed at dusk). For safety, there is no roadside parking. If busy, I suggest driving a little further - practically across the street - and visiting Pomeroy Farms (weekends only). Using gps to be ready for the parking lot turn is appreciated by locals who regularly travel the river road; the drive is winding with marked speed limits between 40-50mph. Keep this in mind to safely enter and exit the parking lot.

The main path from the parking lot to the bathroom and picnic area is moderately standard wheel chair accessible with a limited view of the Falls. Other areas could become difficult for both standard and motorized chairs. No other motorized or electric vehicles are allowed at Lucia Falls.

As always, be a good steward of these nature areas. Rural parks generally have only one or two people to maintain their beauty, help them out by always removing your trash (including raw veg/fruit peels, dog waste, etc), and being flexible with your visit, when possible, to avoid...

It’s a small fish friendly neighborhood park. That said, it’s a beautiful peaceful area. It used to be a private tree farm decades ago. So there are many different species of native trees and foliage. Fish can be seen jumping the falls during their spring and fall runs. There is are short hiking loops, massive basalt rocks formation near the falls, and some picnic areas. This park provides spawning grounds for native steelhead and salmon. The general public is prohibited from all water contact by county ordinance. So swimming is not allowed. The south side of the river is not open to the public, much of which are private neighborhood residences. (If you want to get in the water, go to Louisville, Daybreak or Moulton Falls Parks where swimming is allowed). Also, you don’t want to bike or walk on this blind curvy section of Lucia Falls Road—way to dangerous with no pedestrian or bike lanes, but many speeding cars. If you’re looking to bike or hike east to Moulton Falls, it’s best to park at the trailhead near the intersection of Hantwick and Basket Flat Roads. And watch out for the tire spikes at the entrance of both parking areas. Hantwick Road is just East of the park. They’re a nice bridge to look over the river, but watch out for traffic. Cars go pretty fast through...