The sun goes down every night in Clark County. Some of these spots are five minutes away. Others take a little planning. All of them give you a clear line to the horizon and a reason to stay a while.
Here are my favorite sunset spots in Clark County.
Wintler Community Park
📍 6400 SE Beach Dr, Vancouver, WA 98661
🕛 Get there about 30 minutes before sunset in August. That gives you time to claim a bench and watch the light change across the river.
🎟️ Free to visit. Parking is $6 from May through September.
Wintler is a sandy riverfront park on the Columbia, and the view here is actually east toward Mt. Hood. You’re watching the mountain catch the last light while the sun sets behind you. On clear days it’s incredible — the peak lights up gold and pink. The park faces south so you get plane traffic from Portland Airport across the river, which honestly adds to it.
The paved path connects to the Waterfront Renaissance Trail so you can walk it after sunset. Benches and picnic tables everywhere. Dogs are allowed and the sandy beach is a big draw if you want to stay into the evening.
Grant Street Pier
📍 Grant Street, Vancouver, WA 98660
🕛 Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before sunset in August. The pier fills up fast on nice evenings so earlier is better if you want space.
🎟️ Free. The pier is open 24 hours.
Grant Street Pier is a 90-foot pedestrian pier that extends out over the Columbia. You’re standing right over the water with unobstructed views up and down the river. The sun sets west over the Oregon skyline and the whole river turns gold. The bridges create a really striking silhouette and the color changes every few minutes.
The waterfront restaurants are right there. Salt & Straw is open until 11 p.m. if you want ice cream after. The whole district lights up at night so it’s worth walking around even after the sun goes down.
Vancouver Waterfront
📍 695 Waterfront Way, Vancouver, WA 98660
🕛 Show up about 30 minutes before sunset in August. The park gets busy on summer evenings but there’s enough space to spread out.
🎟️ Free. The park is open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Vancouver Waterfront is a 7.3-acre park that stretches along the Columbia River. You get wide-open river views and the Grant Street Pier is the centerpiece. The sun sets over the water and the reflections are beautiful. Mount Hood is visible to the east if it’s clear so you can catch both the sunset and the alpenglow on the mountain.
There are walking trails and a water feature for kids. Restaurants and shops are right on the waterfront. Dogs are allowed and I see people bringing blankets and hanging out on the grass all the time.
Marina Park
📍 4501 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver, WA 98661
🕛 Arrive about 30 minutes early in August to find parking and get situated. The boat launch can get busy so give yourself a little buffer.
🎟️ Free to visit. Parking is $10 per day if you’re using the boat launch.
Marine Park is a 58-acre riverfront park on the Columbia River Renaissance Trail. It’s quieter than the downtown waterfront spots and you get clear river views. There’s a lookout tower near the boat launch that gives you a higher vantage point. The sunset is west across the water and you can watch planes taking off from Portland Airport.
The paved trail connects to other parks so you can keep walking. Covered picnic shelters and tables are scattered throughout if you bring food. Dogs are allowed on leash and there’s a playground for kids.
Lewisville Regional Park
📍 26411 NE Lewisville Highway, Battle Ground, WA 98604
🕛 Get there 30 to 40 minutes before sunset in August. The park is a bit inland so the light filters through the trees differently than at the river spots.
🎟️ Parking is $5 year-round.
Lewisville is a 159-acre park along the East Fork Lewis River, about 20 minutes from Vancouver. The towering Douglas fir trees and open meadows give you a totally different sunset than the riverfront spots. The light comes through the trees and lights up the meadows in this really warm golden way. It’s more about the forest glow than a wide-open horizon.
The 2.8-mile trail system winds through forests and meadows so you can keep walking after the sun sets. Covered picnic shelters and tables are everywhere and you can reserve them for groups. The river access is calm and dogs are welcome on leash.
Pick one spot from this list and go catch a sunset this week. You already live here. You might as well use the view.
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