Tarbell Trail is a 22 mile loop in Clark County within Yacolt Burn State Forest. Today it is a common trail for hikers, backpackers, and bikers in the area.
History
The name for the Tarbell Trail comes from George Lee Tarbell who lived within a lonely cabin within the forest. The old hermit created the trail to as to access the isolated cabin, at the time it was just six miles long and the only route that lead to the cabin[1].
In July of 1925, George got into an argument with two young men from Yacolt who had been peeling cascara bark. When the men returned the next day, he shot and killed Hartman Campbell (23). George Tarbell was acquitted in the name of self-defense. He died alone in 1932[1].
In 1970 the State Department of Natural Resources completed the trail that George Lee Tarbell used for around 30 years making it what it is today. Today, at the north end of the trail, stands a sign titled “The Hermit,” which tells the man’s story[1].
Route
Download Tarbell’s route[2]: