Larch Mountain (Clark County, Washington) facts for kids

Larch Mountain is a tall peak in Clark County, Washington. It stands about 3,480 feet (1,061 meters) high. This makes it the highest mountain that stands alone in the county. While some rock formations like Pyramid Rock are taller, they are part of other mountains.

Larch Mountain is covered with many gravel roads. These roads are part of the Yacolt Burn State Forest. A very large forest fire, called the Yacolt Burn, happened here in September 1902. This fire burned the eastern side of the mountain. After the fire, a huge rockslide occurred, leaving that side mostly bare.

The southern part of Larch Mountain is a fun place for off-road vehicles. It is called the Jones Creek Off-Road Vehicle recreation area. From the top of the mountain, you can see Vancouver, Washington to the west. To the east, you can see Silver Star Mountain. There is also a work camp nearby. People from this camp help build and maintain roads and trails. They also help fight forest fires in the area.

Exploring Livingston Mountain

Livingston Mountain is like a neighbor to Larch Mountain. It is located north of Camas, Washington. In recent years, more people have wanted to build homes on Livingston Mountain. However, a large area called Camp Bonneville covers much of the mountain's north and west sides. This limits how much new building can happen there.

Livingston Mountain is also very easy to reach. It is only about 25 minutes away from the Portland Airport.

Wildlife and Nature

The area around Livingston and Larch Mountains is full of amazing wildlife. You might see animals like deer, elk, and black bears. Coyotes, grouse, and even bald eagles live here too. Sometimes, bobcats and mountain lions can be spotted.

The plants are also very rich and diverse. You will find many tall evergreen trees and lush ferns. Huckleberry bushes grow here, along with many other types of plants. Because of the Yacolt Burn fire, most trees are only about 50 years old. But sometimes, you can find a very old tree that survived the fire. These old trees stand much taller than the younger ones around them.