Castle Rock, Washington
Castle Rock is a city of 2,217 people in Cowlitz County, Washington.
Why visit Castle Rock
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 7 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Mount Saint Helens Creation Center.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; February lows average 35°F.
Weather in Castle Rock
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Castle Rock
Castle Rock is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. Located between the Willapa Hills and the western base of Mount St. Helens, Castle Rock is at the heart of Washington timber country in the Pacific temperate rain forest. Castle Rock is part of the Longview, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area; the population was 2,446 as of the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Castle Rock, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks3
Mount Saint Helens Creation Center
Museum · 0.4 mi
147 Front Avenue Northwest, Castle Rock
Mo-Sa 09:00-17:00
Parks, trails and playgrounds7
Restaurants and cafes17
Ashtown Bewing Co.
Bar and pub
21 Cowlitz Street West, Castle Rock
Tu-Th 15:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 12:00-21:00; Su 12:00-16:00
The Oasis
Bar and pub
123 Front Avenue Southwest, Castle Rock
Su, Mo-Th 08:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 08:00-23:00
Amaro's Table
Diner · American · 1.0 mi
1300 Mount Saint Helens Way Northeast, Castle Rock
11:00-21:00
Pastime Saloon
Bar and pub
127 Front Avenue Northwest, Castle Rock
5 more on the map.
History
Castle Rock is named for a volcanic rock outcropping over the Cowlitz River, "The Rock", rising 190 feet high on the south side of the city. The rock formation, resembling a castle, became a geographic landmark for Cowlitz Indians and Hudson's Bay Company traders as early as 1832. Today, it is the location of The Rock Community Park, with hiking trails, picnic tables, and a historical marker.
Castle Rock is centered primarily on the donation land claim of Eliza and William Huntington, who settled at the location in 1852. The city was platted December 12, 1888 and incorporated on June 20, 1890. Castle Rock prospered as a Cowlitz River steamboat port and trading center for valley farms. The local sawmill was the first to produce cedar shingles, using the Western red cedar, which grows in abundance in the region.
By 1940, the population had reached 1,182 and was supported by dairy farming, truck farming, and lumber manufacturing. Sword ferns, common in the region, were picked each year by several hundred people to be processed into medicine. In the spring, large quantities of Cascara Sagrada bark were gathered, dried, and shipped.
From the History section of Castle Rock, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship8
Castle Rock Christian Church
Church · Baptist
542 Huntington Avenue South, Castle Rock
St. Matthew Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 0.5 mi
412 Pioneer Avenue Northeast, Castle Rock
Shopping5
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare2
Map of Castle Rock
59 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 35°F | 6.5 in |
| Feb | 52°F | 35°F | 4.8 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 38°F | 4.9 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 40°F | 4.1 in |
| May | 69°F | 45°F | 3.1 in |
| Jun | 73°F | 50°F | 2.0 in |
| Jul | 79°F | 53°F | 0.6 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 53°F | 1.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 50°F | 2.3 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 44°F | 4.4 in |
| Nov | 53°F | 39°F | 7.2 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 35°F | 7.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Longview Hcn (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Cowlitz County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2024-04-28: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2022-03-29: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-04-08: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2020-03-22: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Southwest Washington Regional Airport (KLS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Beacon Hill 7 mi south, about 11 min by car
- Longview 9 mi south, about 15 min by car
- Kelso 11 mi south, about 17 min by car
- Rainier 15 mi south, about 24 min by car
- Clatskanie 18 mi southwest, about 30 min by car
- Columbia City 26 mi south, about 42 min by car
- St. Helens 29 mi south, about 47 min by car
- Vernonia 31 mi southwest, about 50 min by car
- Centralia 32 mi north, about 51 min by car
- Ridgefield 33 mi south, about 54 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.