"Traveling Toward the Light Minutes from downtown Portland , there's a hike on the northern tip of Sauvie Island that takes you through bird-sanctuary beauty and wilderness isolation. The walk out to explore Oregon's smallest lighthouse can be a comfortable sunny stroll through the beach, woods, and wetlands. It can also turn into a damp slog later in the rainy season when island lakes overflow their banks, inundating the roads and trails. But year-round, it's still possible to find your way to the spot on Warrior Rock where the classic light overlooks the Columbia. Cycling out to the light gets you to the trailhead at the end of Reeder Road for the 7-mile roundtrip hike out to Warrior Rock. The original lighthouse was built in 1889, and that wooden structure was replaced with the current concrete tower in 1930. Back in 1969, the rocky shelf that juts out into the Columbia couldn't stop a barge from running into the light, compromising the foundation. The Warrior Rock Light, one of two in Oregon that are not on the Pacific, is now automated and still serves the busy shipping lanes on the river. This historic site is a great spot to experience a bit of island life, have a picnic, or just relax watching the day drift down river."
