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Alert: The doors at this property are not raptor-proof.
It’s impossible to look at Washington’s old-growth forests and not see the distant past—one populated with not just mossy trees and giant ferns, but roaming creatures straight from The Land Before Time. What would it have been like to live among them? Well, this Washougal home offers the closest thing to an answer we might find in 2025.
The two-acre property just north of the Columbia River is ruled by life-size motion-controlled dinosaurs, from a Brachiosaurus that gently moves as cars pass through the entrance gate to a roaring Tyrannosaurus rex just outside the front door.
“Custom, contemporary style” with a very not-contemporary twist.
When real estate broker Louise James first sold the property to a Portland builder, it was just a shed. In 2019, the three-bedroom, two-bathroom home with “really cool flair” was completed. Industrial fixtures and large, exposed beams lend a “custom contemporary style” to the interiors, and the open floor plan makes the space attractive for family gatherings, she adds.
The next buyer had something a bit more bizarre in mind. He built a handful of life-size dinosaurs on-site, equipping each with their own analog button to trigger roars and lifelike movements. It’s no surprise James remembers the first time she saw the updates in person: “I actually have video, and I’m laughing and I’m giggling and kind of scared at the same time.”
Though it was born a woodsy cabin, the clean lines and airy light of the wood-forward interiors are overshadowed by the roaring residents just beyond industrial metal siding. It was a short-term rental property (considered a “guest favorite” on Airbnb), with visitors using the Jurassic getaway for weddings, bachelorette parties, birthdays, and family vacations.
Dinosaurs are in the property’s DNA, but Dougan Falls, Cape Horn Lookout, and fishing access just beyond the nearly 11-foot-tall entrance gate also make it a great home base for outdoorsy travelers. Set on two acres of serene, forested land, the house includes a Jeep to explore the surroundings in true Jurassic Park style.
All furnishings are also included, down to the dinosaur-related artifacts lining the shelves inside. Selling full-furnished homes “is a more common thing that’s going on in this world because every house is so personalized and different,” James says.
Oh, hello.
And bespoke it is. Sure, the next buyer could take escapism to the next level, opting for daily coffee with the hot-tub-adjacent velociraptors. But its short-term rental history positions this unique residence as an investment property, or perhaps as a second home with income potential for dino fanatics. One thing is for sure, says James. The ultimate buyer will be “somebody who loves dinosaurs.”
Listing Fast Facts
61 Joy Ln Washougal, WA 98671
Size: 2.03 acres, 2,166 square feet, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
List price: $899,000
List date: 5/31/2024
Listing agent: Louise James, Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty