Find & Book the Best Hotels in Cowlitz County for 2026 | Expedia

The Toutle Trail may be the best kept secret in all of Southwest Washington, which is to say, the world.

Meandering down the length of the Kalama River, it gently switches back and forth as it makes its way some 682 feet in elevation over the 4.4-mile one-way trip to a tiny cutoff.

You'll see songbirds, signs of elk (even elk, in season), wildflowers all through the summer, and if you're lucky like me, you'll see a few other critters along the way.

But the payoff is what you see here, a completely unimpeded view of the entire southwest flank of Mount St. Helens. To get a better view, you have to be at the foot of the mountain (or at the Plains of Abraham -- see earlier posts).

But in those spots, you won't have a cascading river and tall, shady trees to accompany you the whole way. And when you make that turn at 4.4 miles, you will get the big, cartoon eyes that characterize those which are witnessing overpowering and indescribable beauty for the first time.

And here's the best part. The trailhead shares space with a relatively active horse camp, which means you might meet a horse or two along the way, but most hikers steer clear of the place.

We went on a very warm, summer-like day, one essentially designed for a trail like this, where you keep a view of a river to your flank but hold the cover of trees the whole way. We met two horses and their owners, one coyote, two chipmunks, more songbirds than you might believe, and a very gregarious squirrel.

That was it.

This trail is like a gift to those who want all the attractions of a more popular hike (think Angel's Crest in Oregon, or Silver Star Mountain in Washington), without having to deal with the crowds and the conditions that result from them.

A gem of a place. A true discovery. And you can only find it here in Southwest Washington, probably the most beautiful place you never heard of before.

Well, you've heard of it now.

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Top Cities in Cowlitz County

2017

Our top choices for Cowlitz County hotels

Lobby

Best Western Woodland Inn

Woodland

Canada

Bradley

￥16,401 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 27 - Jan 28

Standard Room, 2 Queen Beds, Non Smoking | Premium bedding, pillowtop beds, desk, laptop workspace

Sleep Inn Kelso Longview

Kelso

United States

Stephen

￥16,085 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 27 - Jan 28

Combined shower/tub, free toiletries, hair dryer, towels

Lewis River Inn

Woodland

United States

David

￥23,156 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 24 - Jan 25

Traditional Suite, 1 King Bed (with Wet Bar) | Desk, blackout drapes, iron/ironing board, free WiFi

GuestHouse Kelso Longview

Kelso

United States

Melissa

￥19,157 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 22 - Jan 23

Desk, iron/ironing board, free cribs/infant beds, rollaway beds

Quality Inn & Suites Longview Kelso

Longview

United States

Valentina

￥14,802 total

includes taxes & fees

Feb 8 - Feb 9

Lobby

Comfort Inn Kelso - Longview

Kelso

United States

Bryan

￥15,536 total

includes taxes & fees

Feb 1 - Feb 2

Lobby sitting area

OYO Woodland Hotel and Suites

Woodland

United States

Joe

￥13,387 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 22 - Jan 23

5 bars/lounges

McMenamins Kalama Harbor Lodge

Kalama

United States

Dawn

￥33,218 total

includes taxes & fees

Feb 1 - Feb 2

Breakfast area

Americas Best Value Inn Kelso

Kelso

United States

Kendrick

￥10,737 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 23 - Jan 24

Indoor pool

Best Western Aladdin Inn

Kelso

United States

Andrew

￥17,242 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 27 - Jan 28

Lobby

Red Lion Hotel Kelso Longview

Kelso

United States

Darcie

￥15,972 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 23 - Jan 24

Reception

Travelers Inn by OYO Longview Kelso

Longview

United States

Angie

￥12,555 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 25 - Jan 26

Deluxe Room, 1 King Bed, Non Smoking, Hot Tub | Egyptian cotton sheets, premium bedding, desk, soundproofing

Timberland Inn & Suites

Castle Rock

United States

Peter

￥18,644 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 24 - Jan 25

Coffee service

Motel 6 Kelso - Mt. St. Helens

Kelso

United States

Amanda

￥11,696 total

includes taxes & fees

Feb 3 - Feb 4

Cabin 6 | Living area | TV

Lone Fir Resort

Cougar

United States

Jeremy

￥23,077 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 22 - Jan 23

1 bedroom, WiFi, bed sheets

Charming lodge in delightful Kelso with AC, WiFi

Kelso

￥15,225 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 23 - Jan 24

Front of property

Town House Motel Inc

Longview

United States

James

Exterior

Riverfront Paradise Campground in Kalama

Kalama

United States

sharon C.

Outdoor dining

Fun Lofted Waterfront Home w/ Sauna and BBQ

Longview

United States

Ashley B.

Exterior detail

Cool cabin with AC in Kelso

Kelso

￥19,546 total

includes taxes & fees

Jan 26 - Jan 27

View all properties

Great weekend hotel deals in Cowlitz County, WA

Showing deals for:Jan 30 - Feb 1

Desk, iron/ironing board, free cribs/infant beds, rollaway beds

Quality Inn & Suites Longview Kelso

Longview

8.4/10Very Good (1,000 reviews)

15% off

Interior

Beautiful Gardens, Outdoor Shower, Hot Tub, Steam Sauna, Cold plunge pool.

Castle Rock

9.6/10Exceptional (39 reviews)

10% off

Exterior

Rocky River is a Spacious 5-bedroom house in wonderful Longview with WiFi, AC

Longview

10/10Exceptional (3 reviews)

10% off

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Top Cowlitz County Hotel Reviews

Comfort Inn & Suites Vancouver Downtown City Center

Comfort Inn & Suites Vancouver Downtown City Center

10/10 Excellent

"Good place to stay"

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Top cities in Cowlitz County

Hotels near popular Attractions

Hotels near Mount St. Helens Forest Learning Center

Hotels near Cowlitz County Airports

Portland Intl. Airport Hotels

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