Lewis and Clark's Columbia River
Lewis & Clark's Columbia River - "200 Years Later"
"Catherine Creek, Washington"
Includes ... Catherine Creek ...
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Catherine Creek, Washington. Image taken June 13, 2017.


Catherine Creek ...
Catherine Creek is a small drainage on the Washington side of the Columbia River at River Mile (RM) 177. Half a mile upstream is Major Creek and half a mile downstream is Rowland Lake. Three miles downstream is the Washington community of Bingen and four miles upstream is the community of Lyle. Across the Columbia from Catherine Creek is Rowena Crest and the Tom McCall Nature Preserve. Memaloose Island is in the Columbia.

Catherine Creek Drainage ...
According to the U.S. Forest Service website (2006):

"... Major Creek, Catherine Creek, and a host of smaller, unnamed drainages flow primarily from northwest to southeast. Between each of the drainages is an even, sloping ridge with a southeastern aspect. Major Creek, the largest drainage, has cut a deep, rugged canyon. Catherine Creek is a much smaller drainage. Tracy Hill separates these two drainages. Following the same northwest-southeast trend is a series of sheer cliffs. The largest of these cliffs is Coyote Wall. The second large cliff overlooks the eastern edge of Rowland Lake, called the Rowland Wall. ..."

Catherine Creek Falls ...

Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Catherine Creek Falls Overlook, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Catherine Creek and Falls, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Catherine Creek Falls, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.


Wildflowers ...
Catherine Creek is noted for its wildflowers. According to the "OregonLive.com" website (2015):

"Other places have better flowers, but nowhere is more beautiful in spring, near Lyle, Wash., the lower Catherine Creek area also has a fully accessible trail."

Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Forktooth Ookow, Catherine Creek, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.


Early Catherine Creek ...
Catherine Creek appears but is not named on the 1874 U.S. Bureau of Land Management's cadastral survey (tax survey) map for T3N R11E.

"Catherine Creek" is mentioned in 1905. From the July 27, 1905 edition of the "The Hood River Glacier", (Hood River, Or.):

"O.P. Dunbar, five miles from White Salmon, in the Pine Flat country, has 160 acres. He has a fine young orchard and over ten acres are cleared. The farm is splendidly watered by the famous Catherine creek." ["The Hood River Glacier", July 27, 1905, courtesy Historic Oregon Newspapers Archives, University of Oregon Libraries, 2017]

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office (GLO) Records database shows Oliver P. Dunbar being granted title to 160 acres of T3N R11E, Section 14, on September 5, 1906 (1862 Homestead Entry Original).

The name "Cathrine Cr." appears on the 1913 Klickitat County map for T3N R11E (Geo. A. Ogle & Co., courtesy "HistoricMapWorks.com" website, 2017).


Catherine Creek Trail ...

Catherine Creek Trail #4400:
"Catherine Creek Universal Access Trail is located in the east end of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Catherine Creek is an area of unique natural beauty and is of great botanical significance, which is why it is included in the Washington Audubon's Great Birdwatching Trail. Weather on this south facing drainage is much sunnier and drier than the Western Gorge, and can be quite windy. Dress appropriately and be aware that there are no water or garbage facilities. The paved, universal access trail offers 2 levels of difficulty for wheelchairs. The short 1/4 mile "Easy" route will take you to a viewpoint overlooking Catherine Creek Falls. The "moderate" routes form loop opportunities of up to 1-1/4 miles in length through open grass lands, vernal ponds and oak woodlands."


Source:    U.S. Forest Service website, 2012


Stewardship ...
STEWARDSHIP
a PLACE worth Preserving

"Wildflower watchers have come to Catherine Creek for many years to wander the slopes, outcrops, and canyons to search of blooms. To them, Catherine Creek is a special place where they may be rewarded in February with the sight of the first spring Grass Widow -- or, in June, with the discovery of a deep-purple Meadow Larkspur.

The Catherine Creek area was acquired by the U.S. Forest Service in 1987, in recognition of its unique botanical, geologic, and archaeological features. Forest Service employees and hundreds of volunteers worked to clean up the site and build this universal access trail.

In July 1998, the trail was completed. Now, visitors can explore this fragile ecosystem without trampling sensitive plants or disturbing the thin soils.

This special place, as with all special places, needs your ongoing care and stewardship to remain special."


Source:    Information Sign, Catherine Creek, visited June 2017.


Views ...

Image, 2012, Catherine Creek drainage, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Catherine Creek drainage, Washington. View from Old Highway 8, looking downstream (south) towards the Columbia River. Image taken June 15, 2012.
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Catherine Creek, Washington, with the Columbia River. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Scenic, Catherine Creek, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Scenic, Catherine Creek, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Bachelor Buttons, Catherine Creek, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Bachelor Buttons, Catherine Creek, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Bachelor Buttons, Catherine Creek, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		California Poppies and Bachelor Buttons, Catherine Creek, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.
Image, 2017, Catherine Creek, Washington, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Hairy Vetch and Everlasting Pea, Catherine Creek, Washington. View from the Catherine Creek Trail. Image taken June 13, 2017.


From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...

Clark, April 14, 1806 ...



Columbia River GorgeReturn to
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*River Miles [RM] are approximate, in statute miles, and were determined from USGS topo maps, obtained from NOAA nautical charts, or obtained from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website, 2003

Sources:
  • "HistoricMapWorks.com" website, 2017;
  • Historic Oregon Newspapers Archives, courtesy University of Oregon Libraries, 2017;
  • U.S. Bureau of Land Management's General Land Office (GLO) Records database, 2017;
  • U.S. Forest Service website, 2006;


All Lewis and Clark quotations from Gary Moulton editions of the Lewis and Clark Journals, University of Nebraska Press, all attempts have been made to type the quotations exactly as in the Moulton editions, however typing errors introduced by this web author cannot be ruled out; location interpretation from variety of sources, including this website author.
/Regions/Places/catherine_creek.html
June 2017