This year, Columbia Springs celebrates 25 years of serving the Clark County community.
For many children, Columbia Springs is the place where curiosity takes over. It is where questions come easily. Where science stops being something in a book and becomes something you can see, touch, and experience. Tucked into the city’s backyard, Columbia Springs has spent the past 25 years creating a space where exploring the outdoors feels accessible, welcoming, and open to everyone. The idea has always been simple: every child, and every member of our community, deserves the opportunity to explore, to ask questions, and to connect with the natural world around them.
What began as an effort to preserve the Vancouver Trout Hatchery grew into something much larger. Columbia Springs was founded on the belief that protecting a place and educating people within it could go hand in hand. The preservation of the hatchery ensured that this landscape would continue to serve as a living classroom, where people of all ages could experience nature firsthand and develop a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Columbia Springs was made possible through partnership and shared vision. The preservation of the Vancouver Trout Hatchery and the creation of Columbia Springs grew from collaboration between community leaders, Clark Public Utilities, and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, who recognized the importance of protecting this place while expanding opportunities for environmental education. Columbia Springs emerged from that partnership as the organization dedicated to connecting people to this landscape through hands-on learning, community programs, and experiences that inspire stewardship. That spirit of partnership continues to shape the work today.
From the beginning, the goal was not simply conservation. It was connection. Environmental education became the pathway for serving the community, creating opportunities for students, families, and educators to explore science through experience rather than observation alone. Over time, Columbia Springs became a place where curiosity is encouraged, questions are welcomed, and learning happens through discovery.
At its heart, Columbia Springs has always offered something simple and powerful: the gift of space for curiosity. Space to slow down. Space to ask questions. Space to watch salmon return, to notice seasonal changes, and to understand how ecosystems function. For many students, it is the first time learning feels tangible and alive. For families, it is often a place of return, where memories are made across generations.
What began with the preservation of a place has grown into a broader community resource. While the hatchery remains at the heart of the site, Columbia Springs has expanded its role over the past 25 years to serve thousands of children and families each year through environmental education, community programs, and hands-on experiences that connect people to science, nature, and one another. Today, Columbia Springs serves as a bridge between conservation, education, and community, ensuring that this landscape continues to inspire curiosity and stewardship for generations to come.
Over the past 25 years, that vision has grown into programs that now serve thousands of children each year, along with families, educators, and community members. Field trips and Salmon in the Classroom experiences connect students directly to the life cycle of salmon and the health of local waterways. Summer camps and nature programs create opportunities for hands-on learning and outdoor exploration. The repair program brings neighbors together to fix what is broken, sharing skills and reducing waste while strengthening community connections. Internships and volunteer opportunities help young people discover pathways into education, science, and community leadership.
None of this has happened in isolation. Columbia Springs exists because of partnerships and community support. Educators, volunteers, donors, public agencies, and families have all helped shape what this place has become. Each person who has walked the trails, asked a question, or shared their time has contributed to the legacy of this site.
As Columbia Springs marks its 25th anniversary, the focus is both reflection and renewal. Clark County continues to grow, and the need for accessible outdoor learning spaces continues to increase. The next 25 years will build on the same foundation that brought Columbia Springs here: preservation, education, and community. By expanding access, strengthening partnerships, and continuing to invest in environmental education, Columbia Springs will remain a place where curiosity leads to stewardship and connection leads to care.
If Columbia Springs has been part of your story, this anniversary year is an opportunity to celebrate together. Visit the site, attend a program, volunteer, or share your memories with us. And if you are discovering Columbia Springs for the first time, welcome. There is always more to explore.
Thank you for being part of the first 25 years of Columbia Springs.
Most photos by Paul Peloquin