At 8 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 21, the City of Camas began lowering Lacamas Lake and Round Lake by about six feet. The city expected the lakes to reach their lowest level around Monday, Oct. 5. The drawdown happens every year, and the Columbian described the same inspection-and-repair routine in 2023. What's different in 2026 is the repair work. The dam it serves sits right where the Round Lake trails come together.
That puts the most familiar walk in Lacamas Regional Park, the loop around Round Lake and the trail down to the falls, out of reach for most of the fall. The flat gravel trail along Lacamas Lake's south shore becomes the lake's main route until mid-November.
Why this year's drawdown takes longer
The city's notice gives the reason directly. The lakes come down so crews can inspect and repair the dam. This year the city is also replacing parts of the dam to update and improve it, "which is why more time is required." Refilling starts only after the inspections and repairs are done, and the city expects it to take several weeks, depending on how much rain falls.
The 2023 schedule gives a rough comparison. That year the Columbian reported refilling was set to begin Oct. 25. This year's drawdown started later in September and includes the extra parts replacement. The city hasn't published a refill date, so it's reasonable to expect low water to last at least as long as it did then.
How much of the trail system the dam work affects has shifted over the summer. Clark County's July 15 notice said trails around the Round Lake dam would stay open, with flaggers directing walkers while equipment moved. The map attached to that same notice marks a closed area on Round Lake's southwest side, next to the dam, labeled "Trails closed 9/15 - 11/15." The city's later drawdown notice goes further and warns of "significant trail closures around Round Lake." The map and the city's warning are the more recent guidance, and posted signs on site take priority over both.
Two work zones at opposite corners
The dam work is the second closure in Lacamas Regional Park this fall. Since August, Clark County has been replacing an aging bridge on the main access road in the park's northeast corner. According to the county, the old bridge was still safe to walk on. It had to be replaced so maintenance vehicles could keep using it. All trails and trail segments inside the construction area are closed until the work is finished and the signs come down.
| Work zone | Who's running it | Closure dates on the county map | Status as of the latest update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast corner bridge replacement | Clark County Public Works | Aug. 1 to Nov. 15 | Old bridge removed in August; new foundation waiting on design review |
| Round Lake southwest side, by the dam | City of Camas Public Works | Sept. 15 to Nov. 15 | Drawdown underway; low point expected around Oct. 5 |
The Nov. 15 date on the bridge project is not firm. The county's Sept. 18 update says crews removed the deteriorated bridge and debris from an old culvert in August, during the permitted window for in-stream work. Since then, the contractor has been waiting for engineers to approve design calculations for the new foundation, and on-site work will resume once those plans are approved. The county's original estimate was "sometime in November," with weather and other factors able to change it. The Lacamas Regional Park page is where the county says it will post schedule changes.
The county's map also notes that it is for reference only and that unmarked trails exist. In a park of more than 300 acres, an informal path can lead straight into a closed area.
Which routes are affected
The 1.2-mile Round Lake interpretive loop crosses the dam. So does the Washington Trails Association's 3.4-mile Round Lake to Lower Falls route, which continues past the Pothole Falls overlook to Lower Falls. With the dam inside a closure, neither can be walked as published. Other routes are fine or have a shorter list of unknowns.
| Route | Length | Starting point | Fall 2026 status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lacamas Heritage Trail | 3.5 miles, flat gravel | NE Goodwin Road to Heritage Park, 303 NE Lake Road | Outside both mapped work zones; the county map doesn't say whether its junction with park trails is affected |
| Fallen Leaf Lake Park trails | Informal lakeshore nature trails | 2911 NE Everett St. | Separate from Lacamas Park routes |
| Lacamas Creek Trail | 0.7 mile | NE 3rd Avenue trailhead to McEnry Bridge | The trail itself runs to the bridge; check signs before continuing into the park |
| Round Lake interpretive loop | 1.2 miles | Crosses the dam | Can't be walked as a full loop during the dam closure |
| Round Lake to Lower Falls | 3.4 miles | Crosses the dam | Can't be walked as published |
| Camas Lily Fields loop | 0.7-mile option off the Round Lake route | Off the Round Lake route | Not identified on the closure map |
The Heritage Trail runs the length of the lake, from NE Goodwin Road to Heritage Park. Clark County describes the park's trail network as connecting to it along the south shore. Neither work zone sits on the Heritage Trail itself, so a full 3.5-mile walk works without coming near the construction.
Woodburn Falls, Pothole Falls, Lower Falls and the Camas Lily Fields all appear on Clark County's park map. None of them is checked against the two closure areas. Whether you can reach them depends on the signs at each junction, not on any published list.
Fallen Leaf Lake Park is a smaller option close by on NE Everett Street. Its trails are informal paths along the shore. The city allows non-motorized boats with no formal launch, and fishing isn't permitted.
What the low water shows
The drawdown closes some trails, and it also exposes a lake people rarely see. Clark County's interpretive guide says very low lake levels can expose the tops of snags. Farther downstream, WTA notes that low water at Pothole Falls can reveal round pools and pockmarked bedrock, the features the falls is named for.
The awkward part is that Pothole Falls is on the published route below the dam, the same route the dam closure cuts. The low water that exposes the bedrock is also the reason the usual way to the overlook is closed. Whether another approach is open this fall depends on the signs at the trail junctions.
On the water, details are thinner. Heritage Park has a boat launch and normally supports waterskiing and paddleboarding. The 2026 drawdown notice doesn't say whether the launch is closed. In 2021, Clark County Today reported the launch was closed during that year's drawdown. That's a past example, not a confirmation for this year, so check before you load a boat. For water contact of any kind, Clark County Public Health keeps a live advisory page. Routine swim-beach monitoring runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and blooms after that are tracked when someone reports one.
The north shore has an October date of its own
The north shore has its own reason to visit this month. On Saturday, Oct. 17, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Camas Parks & Recreation holds its first Zombie Dash at the Legacy Lands Rose Property, 215 SE Leadbetter Road. It's a free 1.25-mile fun run, with volunteers playing the zombies.
The location matters. The Rose Property is part of the land covered by the Legacy Lands Master Plan, which the city marked complete in June. The plan lays out 165 acres on Lacamas Lake's north shore as a future regional park, with pathways connecting the site to its main features and to the wider trail network. For now, the Zombie Dash is one of the few public reasons to walk that ground. It also happens close to the low point of the drawdown, so the shoreline below it will look very different from summer.
NE Leadbetter Road is also where the boat launch on the lake's northeast shore is located. It's a separate access point from the Goodwin Road end of the Heritage Trail.
Dates for the next six weeks
- Around Oct. 5: Lacamas and Round lakes expected to reach their lowest level.
- Oct. 17, 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Zombie Dash at the Legacy Lands Rose Property.
- After repairs finish: refilling begins, taking several weeks depending on rain.
- Nov. 15: closure end date on the county map for both work zones. The bridge project's actual finish depends on when the foundation plans are approved.
The park is open from 7 a.m. until half an hour after sunset. As the days shorten in late October, an afternoon walk on the Heritage Trail has a shorter window.
If you own a home near Lacamas and are thinking about which season shows your property best, from summer's full lake to the bare shoreline of a drawdown, timing makes a real difference. Rebecca Lee Real Estate can help you plan a listing around it. Request a Luxury Consultation & Market Valuation and we'll go through it with you.
