Airports in Clark County, Washington

Clark County, Washington sits at the confluence of the Columbia and Lewis rivers in the southernmost corner of the state, directly across from Portland, Oregon. With a 2023 population exceeding 511,000 residents — making it Washington's fifth most populous county — Clark County is a thriving hub where aviation history and modern air travel intersect. Whether you are a general aviation pilot, a commuter relying on commercial flights, or a history enthusiast, the county's airport landscape offers something remarkable at every level of aviation.

Pearson Field Airport (KVUO) — Vancouver's Historic Airfield

Pearson Field Airport, located just one mile southeast of downtown Vancouver and operated by the City of Vancouver, holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating airfield in the Pacific Northwest and one of the two oldest in the entire United States. Designated with FAA identifier VUO and ICAO code KVUO, Pearson Field traces its aviation lineage back to 1905, when Lincoln Beachey piloted the Baldwin airship onto the Vancouver Barracks polo grounds — the very site that would evolve into today's municipal airport.

The field was formally named in 1925 to honor Lt. Alexander Pearson, a celebrated Army Air Service pilot. Over the following decades, Pearson became a landmark destination for aviation's greatest names. Charles Lindbergh visited the field, as did Jimmy Doolittle and Eddie Rickenbacker. In 1924, Pearson Field served as the final stopover for the U.S. Army's first-ever around-the-world flight. Perhaps most dramatically, in June 1937, Soviet aviator Valeri Chkalov and his crew touched down at Pearson after completing the world's first non-stop transpolar flight from Moscow — a 63-hour, 25-minute journey of more than 5,900 miles. In 2012, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics recognized Pearson Field as a historic aerospace site, cementing its irreplaceable place in aviation history.

Today, Pearson Field serves general aviation traffic and is home to the Pearson Air Museum, which preserves the site's extraordinary heritage. The airport's proximity to the Columbia River waterfront and downtown Vancouver makes it a unique urban airfield — rare in any major metropolitan area. Pilots and aviation enthusiasts visiting Clark County should plan time at the museum to appreciate the breadth of history concentrated on these grounds.

Grove Field Airport (1W1) — Eastern Clark County General Aviation

Grove Field Airport, carrying FAA identifier 1W1, serves the eastern portion of Clark County from its location three miles north of downtown Camas, approximately 20 minutes east of Vancouver. Owned and operated by the Port of Camas-Washougal, Grove Field covers 23 acres and features a single asphalt runway (Runway 7/25) measuring 2,710 by 40 feet. The airport supports 77 hangars and 14 tie-downs, with full facilities including restrooms, showers, and radio-controlled runway lighting.

Founded in 1946 by Ward Grove, a local aviation enthusiast who built the field on private land, the airport was purchased by the Port of Camas-Washougal in 1961 and formally named Grove Field in Ward Grove's honor in 1984. Services at Grove Field include flight training, aircraft rental, and minor aircraft maintenance, making it a practical resource for student pilots and private aircraft owners in the Camas-Washougal corridor and surrounding communities in eastern Clark County.

Portland International Airport (PDX) — Primary Commercial Gateway

For commercial air travel, Clark County residents rely primarily on Portland International Airport (IATA: PDX, ICAO: KPDX), located approximately 12 miles and 15 minutes from Vancouver across the Columbia River in Portland, Oregon. PDX is the largest airport in Oregon, handling more than 90 percent of the state's passenger air travel and 95 percent of its air cargo. The airport operates as a joint civil-military facility and serves as the primary commercial aviation hub for the entire Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area.

C-Tran, Clark County's public transit authority, operates Route 67, which provides weekday afternoon and evening bus service connecting downtown Vancouver directly to PDX — a practical option for Clark County residents without personal vehicles or those seeking to avoid airport parking costs. The airport's accessibility from Clark County, combined with its extensive domestic and international route network, ensures that Vancouver and surrounding communities enjoy the full range of commercial aviation services despite not hosting a commercial airport within county lines.

Additional General Aviation Fields

Beyond Pearson Field and Grove Field, Clark County hosts several smaller private and general aviation strips that support recreational flying and private aircraft operations. Fly For Fun Airport (FAA identifier W56), located approximately four nautical miles northeast of Vancouver in the Orchards area, serves private pilots. Additional private strips including Goheen Airport near Battle Ground and McClellan Field round out a network of landing areas distributed across the county's 656 square miles.

For pilots seeking a regional airport alternative, Southwest Washington Regional Airport (ICAO: KKLS) in Kelso, just north of Clark County in neighboring Cowlitz County, offers 110 acres of facilities at 20 feet elevation and provides 24/7 Life Flight emergency medical helicopter services — demonstrating the broader regional aviation infrastructure that complements Clark County's own facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions: Airports in Clark County, Washington