Cowlitz County Headquarters Landfill

Cowlitz County Headquarters Landfill is the county landfill out on South Silver Lake Road in Castle Rock, where locals bring household trash and larger loads. County landfills commonly handle both residential drop-offs and commercial haulers, so expect a mix of pickups and big trucks. The site is the final place trash is buried, not a transfer or recycling center.

Drive in toward an entrance point and you’ll likely cross a vehicle scale - landfills charge by weight, so stopping on the way out is normal. There’s usually a small booth near the entrance and traffic flows between scales and the tipping area, with piles and heavy equipment visible across a wide, open work area. Washington facilities often require separating yard waste and recyclables, so look for separate drop spots for those materials as you pull through. Weekends and spring-cleanup times tend to have the longest lines, and larger commercial trucks operate alongside pickups and trailers.