"Outside Skamania, Washington is the 848 foot-tall Beacon Rock that overlooks a breathtaking section of the mighty Columbia River. The core of an ancient volcano, Beacon Rock is essentially a basalt plug; the Missoula Flood waters eroded away the softer outer material.  Captain Clark wrote in his journals, '…a remarkable high rock on Stard. Side about 800 feet high & 400 yds round…'  His estimates were exceptionally close. Today, the site is on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail’s list of High Potential Historic Sites.  As the area was settled in the 19th century, the basalt feature was given a variety of names. By 1915, river developments threatened to destroy the rock. Henry J. Biddle, a prominent Washingtonian and descendant of Nicholas Biddle, the original editor of Lewis and Clark's journals, bought it and eventually gave it to the state for a park, restoring the original name assigned by Clark." Today, you can hike the switchbacked trail to the top of Beacon Rock for sweeping views up and down the Columbia River.