Outdoor Activities

Few places in the country surpass Lewis County for outdoor activities. In the summer, hike, bike, horseback ride, car and backcountry camp in the Mt. Rainier National Park, Gifford Pinchot National Forest and Goat Rocks Wilderness. Fish, boat and swim in Riffe Lake, Mayfield Lakes and pristine rivers. Venture out and try, white water rafting, or kayaking. Hunt for rocks. Explore caves. Skydive from Toledo's parachute center. Watch birds and other wildlife. Take lots of pictures!

Winter recreation abounds around Mt. Rainier in East Lewis County and in the Mount St. Helen's region. Have your choice of either downhill or cross-country skiing at White Pass. Try snowshoeing on freshly groomed trails in forested lands at White Pass and at the Sno Parks. Snowmobile and sled.

White Pass

The White Pass Ski Area boasts of the driest powder in the Washington Cascades. With a 6,000-foot summit and 1,500-foot vertical drop, White Pass averages 300 inches of snowfall a year.

Destination Packwood: Winter Activities Abound!

White Pass Scenic Byways: The Playground of Volcano Country!

Click for a winter activities brochure [pdf].

Fishing

Riffe Lake, an 11,830-acre reservoir situated on the Cowlitz River, with an abundance of cutthroat, brown and rainbow trout, Coho and Kokanee salmon, as well as largemouth bass is a fishermans paradise. Mayfield Lake is only minutes to the west of Riffe, has a year round fishing season. It is home to fighting Tiger Muskie, bass and rainbow trout. For tips on current methods and where the fish are biting check out the Highway Shopper.The town of Mineral boasts of trout fishing from their community dock on Mineral Lake. Don't forget the rather new, Lake Scanewa, which is great for Salmon and Silvers. There are several rivers with plenty of fishing opportunities. The Tilton, in Morton, is open from june 1 through March 31st. The Cowlitz and the Tilton are stocked by Cowlitz Fish Hatcheries. Please also see our page on fish hatcheries. For more information about fly fishing and river flows, visit Washington Fly Fishing.

Golf

For devoted golfers, Lewis County has four public golf courses: 27 holes at the Newaukum Valley Golf Course (Chehalis), 18 holes at the Riverside Country Club Golf Course (Chehalis), and nine holes at both the challenging Centralia Public Golf Course and the more forgiving Maple Grove Golf Course (Randle).

Bulb Farm

DeGoede Bulb Farms features manicured gardens, a greenhouse and acres of flowers are open year round to the public. A spectacular display of permanent shrubs, show gardens, 300 acres of tulips and perennials in the spring, as well as the poinsettia house in November and December are sights to behold. Located on Highway 12 in the Mossyrock Valley, 18 miles east of Interstate 5. DeGoede's (360) 983-9000.