Submitted by:  Jim Braddock

Many people visit the clothing-optional area at Oregon’s Rooster Rock State Park in the Columbia Gorge.  However, early in the season you may be disappointed that you will not be able to reach Sand Island by foot because the water level is too high.

But there is a solution so you do not miss this jewel of a clothing-optional area in such a scenic setting.  Access to Sand Island at Rooster Rock State Park in Oregon can be determined by looking up real-time water level data from the USGS website:
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv?14128870

This is data from the a water level gage upstream near the Bonneville Dam.  If the gage height (water level) is less than 12 feet, you should be able to walk to the island in dry to ankle-deep conditions.  If the water level is between 12-14 feet, an adult should be able to wade to the island with water below the waist.  The water level is usually a bit lower during the daytime than at night.

The default graph on the USGS website is 7 days.  You may enter a value to for a graph of one to sixty days duration.  You may also click on “Summary of all available data for this site ” and get historical data.

When you know it is a good time to go, walking around Sand Island is very pleasant.  As you can walk toward the east end of the island, the Columbia Gorge scenery unfolds in front of you.  The Columbia River and the Washington cliffs are to the left and the interesting sand cliffs of the island to your right.

As the dry season progresses, the beach gets wider and wider (near Rooster Rock, the Columbia River is wide, but it is also shallow with one deep channel near the Washington shore),  and you may be able to walk more than halfway out into the riverbed.  Looking into the Columbia River Gorge from the middle of the river is my favorite nude view!  Also during the dry period, it is possible to hike completely around Sand Island – about 2-1/4 miles.

So don’t overlook the opportunity to take in the scenic beauty of the Columbia River Gorge while walking naked on the beach.  The USGS website will help you determine when to go.  Be sure to stop in at the office and ask for some of the new AANR-Rooster Rock State Park welcome cards.  The cards include welcome, beach etiquette, and law enforcement numbers to call should you see any illegal or inappropriate behaviors.