Clark County outlines Heritage Farm public-access plan, including new Harvest Pavilion and trail

Clark County Parks and Nature presented plans to increase public access to Heritage Farm, an 80-acre portion of the historic Clark County Poor Farm on Northeast 78th Street, proposing a new multi-use building called the Harvest Pavilion and a community-accessible trail that would connect to Hazel Community Park.

Lindy Wallik, park and trails planner with Clark County Parks and Nature, said the Harvest Pavilion "will provide restrooms and a covered space for farm programming users," and that the opposite side of the building would serve trail users with additional restrooms and a trailhead.

The farm, Wallik said, is listed on national, state and local historic registries and currently operates as mixed farming, research and educational space affiliated with the Washington State University Agricultural Experimental Station. Wallik said the site hosts programs serving thousands each year but that public awareness beyond program participants is limited.

Under a 2020 master plan update, the Clark County Council directed Parks and Nature to make public access improvements. Wallik described the current project as twofold: siting, final design and construction of the Harvest Pavilion, and a separate design concept process for a future trail. She said the trail design and construction are not part of the present contract phase and are "anticipated to begin in 2027" with a separate outreach and engagement process.

The proposed trail would start off Northeast 78th Street, connect to the Harvest Pavilion, and "wind its way around the farm," Wallik said, featuring wetland views, a wooded walk through big-leaf maples and western red cedar, views of Mount St. Helens and Hazel, passing working farm areas and an interpretive stop at a historic cemetery before linking to Hazel Community Park. Wallik noted trails in flatter northern areas will be designed to meet ADA standards while steeper central slopes will be designed to US Forest Service accessibility guidelines.

Wallik said a small parking area for future public access is anticipated in the area indicated on the project graphic but is not shown in the rendering. She invited members of the public to view more information and a video of future-trail views on the County website and to email her with questions or concerns. The pavilion design and the pavilion construction timeline are active in the current phase; the separate trail design and public outreach are scheduled to follow, beginning in 2027.

Next steps: final design and construction of the Harvest Pavilion is underway per the project presentation; trail design and construction will proceed in a later phase with separate public engagement.