Rooster Rock State Park — Attraction in Washougal

Already reviewed but folks, you really need to head to Rooster Rock this weekend 9/21/24. There aren't many sunny warm Saturdays left. Whether staying in the clothed Western section around a picnic table or heading over to the Eastern part, with the clothing optional lower river and lagoon access, stunning year-round, or for the clothed upper path that parallels I-84 (use mosquito block!), if you haven't been to Rooster Rock you should do your pumpkin patch visit after spending a couple of hours taking in the Columbia River and the Columbia River Gorge. It's a quick tip east out I-84 with its own exit. And it's only $5 to get in! The river level is down as it does by July each year, so if like me you like to head down the access path and stay nude for hours soaking in the last warm rays of Summer, you can wade into the river, but don't go too far even if you see others doing so. The shelf can surprise you, and don't let your kids wade out there at all. The current in the shallow part is negligible but if you drop off into the channel, you're in the commercial part. Stay near the shore, and the view will be amazing as you pan from the west around to the Columbia River Gorge, the distant roar of trains moving along the opposite shore, you're standing ankle deep in the river as the wake of a Knappton grain barge laps at your legs, holding hands with your special someone hiking east along the shore to the tip of Sand Island- sorry, experienced Rooster Rock fans, that beautiful sandy tip has now become overgrown, sigh. But the stroll is still worth your time. It becomes challenging in a month when the last surprise warm weekend of the year hits in October and a strong east wind sandblasts you from the east, as you lean into it charging through the choppy Columbia River spray. The lagoon shore will likely be popular this weekend as sun worshipping volleyballers and groups of friends gather for one last soul-nourishing warm weekend before The Shroud descends to put a chill into our bones, bringing colds and the flu in its arms. Sandals only, one and all, everything else in the bag for you, your family and friends out to Rooster Rock for the end of Summer 2024. My selfies would get me banned from Google, so you'll just have to head out there and make some memories of your own. Grab some NSFW pix to surprise your Favorite One by slipping wallet-sized prints on Page 237 of that book on their night stand to surprise them a few weeks from now, then whether from the eastern side or from the river's edge at the western end, put on your modest minimum for a stunning Gorge background shot you can have printed at 20 x 30 and hang in your living room for all your friends to envy you until July, 2025. The river will likely be too high for you to return to the river shore until then. This weekend will be ---...

Be aware the the East end of the park, about 200 feet East of the parkign area is clothing optional, and you are likely to encounter nude sunbathers and nude hikers. The clothing optional area is a nature preserve, and dogs are not allowed because they disturb the wildlife. The clothing optioonal area extends back about 2 miles and includes Sand Island.

Needless to say this park is popular with naturists/nudists. Unfortunately it also attracts a few swingers (persons looking for sex). Having sex in a public place, such as the park, is illegal. Park Rangers will issue tickets for it, and they do regularly patrol. Still I would nhto leve a child unattended in the clothing optional area. The crowd is mostly adults, but you do get the occasional family.

Most of the beach areas and trails are flooded during winter months, and trails may remain a bit muddy and/or swampy as late as thye end of July, or may be mostly dry as early as the end of April. usually by the end of July the river drops low enough that you can literally walk out to Sand island, when you may wade through water thigh deep or may just be able to walk across sand all the way.

The parking area and West end of the park is a picnic area with views of the Columbia River.

The actual rock of Rooster Rock, is on the far Wet end of the park, and is hard to see due to tree growth. It is what is left of the magma core of n old cinder cone whose sides have long since washed away, leaving a phallic protrusion. It was originally called Cock Rock for its phallic resemblance, but when the area became an Oregon State Park, they changed the name from Cock Rock to Rooster Rock, probably with the reasoning that a sooster was sometimes called a cock, and rooster was much more...

Chill well established little spot out of the way, but not too far from the beaten path making it accessible to most and secluded for the most part. Found it to be pretty busy in the heat of the afternoon, no real areas where I was able to avoid people completely though, so don't plan on absolute privacy (which you already should understand, as you're on a nude beach on public land so 🤔 yeah makes total sense on it's face). Very cool, chill vibe with most folks enjoying a clothing free romp in the sunshine and fresh air. I found all people who I interacted with to be pretty pleasant and non-judgmental, seemed to be genuinely friendly whenever an opportunity to have a social interaction came about and I quickly came to feel quite a bit more comfortable with myself being in public, around the public and minus anything I could hide behind with the exception of my hat and sunglasses (and I wasn't self conscious about my hair or eyes at all to be honest so those items were more practical than cosmetic). Will definitely be visiting again in the future, maybe bring along a few friends and family who would definitely enjoy such an environment as much as I did. Fabulous little place to forget about Covid-19 and Facemasks, Unemployment and Stimulus Packages for the day all while cooling down and enjoying the many benefits of direct sunlight on your skin, open air all around you to breath in and cool off with and a little low-impact physical exertion as you swim, play, run and walk about the shore, river and trails of this wonderful bastion of freedom and fairly accessible fun in...