Biddle Lake and Biddle Butte are on the north bank of the Columbia River in the river’s flood plain north of Government Island. It was once owned by Henry J. Biddle, a financier from Portland, Oregon, who owned a considerable amount of land in and around Vancouver—including Beacon Rock to save it from being demolished.

A Biddlewood Park nearby was also financed by Mr. Biddle, who was a botanist. The City of Vancouver now owns the land on the west end of Columbia Springs, which includes this historic trout hatchery near what is now the Biddle Natural Preserve, an interpretive trail with bird-viewing blinds. The Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, located on the site of the historic Vancouver Trout Hatchery, was created in 1997 to provide environmental education for local students. The center is located on 100 acres of urban green space. The Biddle Trail, at the west end of the center, is a self-guided interpretive nature walk.