Walking Trails, Land Bridge & The Village

"The land bridge is a real link connecting back to the Klickitat Trail, Lewis and Clark, and the development of the Northwest. It completes a circle that's been broken."

- Johnpaul Jones, designer

Vancouver Land Bridge

Designed to reconnect Fort Vancouver with the Columbia River, the Land Bridge symbolizes ties forged between local Native American people and Lewis and Clark. Its 3,800-foot paved trail begins southwest of Fort Vancouver, threads past the fort’s orchard and Village, over SR-14, through Old Apple Tree Park and connects to the popular Columbia River Renaissance Waterfront Trail.

From the Land Bridge, walkers and bicyclists can view Fort Vancouver, the Columbia River and Mount Hood. The bridge’s interpretation includes a Language Walk with words in several Native languages about the land, people and river. A history timeline path and photographic murals visualizes how the landscape has changed over time. Downloadable information guide

About the Old Apple Tree & Old Apple Tree Park

At the south end of the Land Bridge is Old Apple Tree Park. The Pacific Northwest’s apple cultivation began at Fort Vancouver, where the first seeds were planted in 1826. Vancouver’s Old Apple Tree, one of the original trees, still stands near Fort Vancouver today.

The Village

For many years Fort Vancouver was unique among fur trade posts in the Columbia Department in having a separate area designated for laborer living quarters. Located west of the fort, the village was inhabited by the lower ranks of the Hudson’s Bay Company employees and their families. During peak season, the village population reached 600 people. The village population included French-Canadian, Scottish, Irish, Hawaiian, Iroquois and people representing more than 30 different American Indian tribes. Today’s visitors can see a reconstructed Engage’ House in the village. A second village house is being built spring 2009.