The question about horse use on the Klickitat Trail comes up frequently.  The short answer is horse use is not allowed at this time.

The longer answer is  horse use is not allowed in Washington State Parks unless specifically designated by the Commission.  This would have been done for the upper half being managed by Washington State Parks and Recreation if the Commission had adopted the staff-recommended CAMP (Classification and Master Plan) document and its supporting Management Plan (MP) which designates equestrian use.  CAMP and the Master Plan were presented at a Commission meeting in the Fall of 2008. There was some testimony that caused the Commission to table a decision on the CAMP and MP with no future date set for revisiting the agenda item.  KTC still have not yet been advised when the CAMP and MP will be brought forward again.

KTC's Spring 2008 Trail Notes Newsletter carried Park Ranger Kallinen's explanation, which is reprinted below:

Horses on the Klickitat Trail?
by Andrew L. Kallinen, Park Ranger, Columbia Hills State Park

The Klickitat Trail is currently going through the master planning process. The basis of much of that planning work lies in the Environmental Assessment (EA) conducted by the USFS. The EA evaluated and included horse use for the trail. State Parks and the USFS are working on synchronizing USFS codes and Park codes so that the appropriate rules/regulations are parallel on the two separately managed halves of the trail so that there is little distinction to the user as to where the National Forest Trail ends and the State Park Trail begins.

WAC (Washington Administrative Code) 352-32-070 Use of horses, llamas, sled dogs or similar animals for recreation; states that none of these types of animals "are permitted on trails in any state park area, except where designated and posted to specifically or conditionally permit such activity."

Once we have an approved master plan and accompanying management plan that permits horse use and those other similar animals, the trail will be opened to that use. Interested parties may check on the status of the trail planning efforts on the Washington State Parks website.