state route 503

The town of Woodland at milepost 21 on I-5 in Washington is the place to begin your day trip. The great attraction is scenery including forested slopes, open scenic valleys, mountain peaks and waterfalls. Locals will be glad to suggest things to see along the route. One good destination would be the Falls on the North Fork of the Lewis River. The lower falls is at the east end of Swift Reservoir and signs will guide you. A short hike is required but be sure to bring your camera. If you don't hike there is still plenty to see along Hwy. 503. You can make a drive along Hwy 503 as short as 3 hours or a day long adventure. After you choose your option, start your day trip going east on highway 503 for about four miles through patchworks of small housing developments and small acreages and then enter the forested area. A nice public park is available at Merwin Dam in Aerial about 10 miles east of Woodland. The park feature swimming, picnic grounds and plenty of room for kids to burn off some of their restless energy. In nearby Aerial the Lelooska Native American center is open on an irregular basis. Best to check ahead and it is worth seeing. Further up at the community of Yale the forested land gives way to an open valley with forested mountains on both sides and an option presents itself. If time is short highway 503 turns south at Yale and in a short distance goes across a scenic and one-way suspension bridge. The route gets into more inhabited land and eventually winds up skirting the town of Battleground and then the eastern edge of Vancouver where 503 merges into I-205. Northbound I-205 merges onto I-5 northbound in a few miles and I-5 north takes you back to Woodland. If you have more time or plan to visit Lewis River Falls, go straight at the Yale junction up to the village of Cougar where fuel and food are available. Beyond Cougar is Swift Dam and reservoir and a terrific close up view of Mt. St. Helens south side. After traveling along Swift reservoir you can choose a couple of options. You can go north to Randle, WA. That road skirts the east side of Mt. St. Helens and offers spectacular scenery including Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams and on a good day Mt. Ranier. At Randle you can go west along Hwy 12 and back to I-5 or go east to Rainier Natl. Park or Yakima, WA. This road may be closed in Winter.Alternatively you can save the trip to Randle for when you have more time and proceed east on forest service roads into the Wind River country and go south eventually winding up at Carson, WA. in the Columbia River Gorge along Washington highway 14 and then west to Vancouver, WA. Either choice is a full day of great scenery made possible by Highway 503 going east from Woodland.

Once you get out of town a ways, there are plenty of trees & a nice drive along the river. There are a few boat launches and little places to swim.