East of Vancouver, 250 Acres May Become State Park

WASHOUGAL, WA-Nearly 250 acres are for sale near this small town just east of Vancouver, Wash., and the State Parks and Recreation Commission is eyeing it for public ownership.

The acreage, divided unevenly in two privately owned parcels, is located across from Big Eddy County Park, five miles northeast of Washougal. They are listed as the Davis property and the Gosney property.

The Davis property consists of 218 acres with about 3,500 feet of river frontage. Portions of the property are described in a state parks and recreation staff report as suitable for camping. The Gosney property is a 28-acre parcel that adjoins the Davis property on the western side. Features include scenic views, river access, and a slough valuable for salmon habitat, according to the staff report.

Approximately 120 acres of Department of Natural Resource land adjoin the Davis property. The DNR land, according to staff reports, could eventually be transferred to the state parks department via the Trust Land Transfer program.

A State Parks and Recreation Commission meeting to discuss the lands’ designation as parkland is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 22, in Ilwaco.