St. Helens lies at the confluence of four rivers. Along the Columbia River, several parks and walking paths offer sweeping views of the river, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Hood. The city also has historic sites and recurring events. If you want to plan your trip around a festival, keep its dates in mind; culture and scenery offer other highlights for your stay.
Riverside, Parks, and Views
The St. Helens Riverfront District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. About 300 feet of the Riverwalk have been developed in Columbia View Park. These two details offer different perspectives on the waterfront: one highlights the district’s historic designation, while the other describes a specific stretch of the Riverwalk.
The small municipal Nob Hill Nature Park preserves 6 acres of oak woodland and some camas. A wind phone was reinstalled in McCormick Park; the city announced this on February 3, 2026. In February 2026, the city also mentioned the Veterans Pavilion and Japanese Gardens there. These places add their own points of interest alongside the views along the river.
Local History and Culture
The Columbia County Museum is located in the John Gumm Building and Civic Center at 251 St. Helens Street. It displays artifacts related to the history of life in Columbia County. Topics range from Indigenous peoples and pioneers to the timber industry and railroad, as well as local art, the military, music, and film. The museum’s collection therefore covers both the region’s history and different aspects of everyday life and its cultural development.
St. Helens’ Downtown Historic District is a lasting, outstanding example of early settlement patterns in the Northwest and of the development of local Indigenous industries before the economic collapse of the Great Depression. Lewis and Clark also camped in St. Helens in 1805 and returned there in 1806 on their way back. The St. Helens Historic District Walking Tour passes through an area of the city that was recognized as a historic district by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1984.
The historic Columbia Theatre opened in 1928. Its lobby displays memorabilia from Hollywood’s Golden Age, including photographs of MGM actors and a large 1930s carbon arc projector. Exhibit details may change. Another visitor resource is the Columbia County Museum Association’s St. Helens Filming Locations Walking Tour; its tour details may also change.
Seasonal Events
13 Nights on the River is a free annual summer concert series in Columbia View Park. The event includes food and market vendors, games, and a beer garden. Spirit of Halloweentown is an annual family-friendly Halloween celebration in St. Helens. Activities include costume contests, haunted tours of the city, scarecrows, and trick-or-treating in the Old Town District. The events differ in season and theme: one combines summer concerts with vendors and games, while the other features Halloween activities in the Old Town District. Dates and programs may change for both events, so check the latest information for your travel dates.
Camping as a Distinct Highlight
Sand Island Campground offers docks, nature trails, beaches, picnic tables, campsites, and restrooms on a 31.7-acre island offshore. There are also kayak connections and water adventure rides. The facilities combine camping with a range of activities on the water; check operational details before your trip.
These features offer different ways to plan a stay: seasonal dates for a visit around an event, historic themes at the museum and in the city’s districts, or the scenery along the river and in the nature parks. Which one matters most depends on whether you want to plan your trip around a festival or focus on culture and views.
Discover more destinations: Clatskanie, Deer Island.
See the broader travel guide: Columbia County.
