Castle Rock

Castle Rock, the Gateway to Mount St. Helens, is situated between the Cowlitz River and Interstate 5, located 134 miles south of Seattle and 63 miles north of Portland, Oregon. It is named after a volcanic rock, “The Rock” which surfaces over the Cowlitz River. 

Castle Rock’s historic downtown features a wide variety of shops, antique stores, restaurants, and accommodations.

The town’s namesake, a 190-foot-high rock, was a landmark for Cowlitz Indians and Hudson’s Bay Company traders as early as 1832. Castle Rock prospered as a Cowlitz River steamboat port and trading center for valley farms. A local sawmill was the first to produce cedar shingles, using the Western red cedar, which grows in abundance in the region.

Within Castle Rock is The Rock Community Park with hiking trails, picnic tables, and a historical marker.

Photo via City of Castle Rock