Columbia River Gorge: So much to see, so little time!
Written: Sep 08 '03 (Updated Sep 12 '03)
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Pros: Beautiful scenery, many well-maintained trails
Cons: So many things to do; can't do it all in one day
The Bottom Line: The Columbia River Gorge is a must-see for anyone visiting Portland. The scenery is breathtaking and there are activities ranging from hiking to wine-tasting.
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| pilarzmom's Full Review: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area |
Over the recent Labor Day weekend my husband and I took one last long weekend trip up to Oregon with the kids. We decided on one of those days to do one of my favorite childhood day trips to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The route we chose is what is known as the Mt. Hood Loop, which takes you up around Mt. Hood and back down through the picturesque fruit orchards of the Hood River Valley. The final leg of the trip takes you through the very scenic falls region of the along the Columbia River Gorge.
Getting there
To do the Mt. Hood Loop like we did, get on Interstate 84 East (also known as the Banfield) on Portland's east side. Take the 242nd Avenue exit and follow the signs to Hwy. 26/Mt. Hood. Follow 26 through Sandy, Welches, and Rhododendron and continue on up to Mt. Hood to Timberline Lodge. Total travel time was about 1.5 hours and distance was approximately 60 miles.
Timberline Lodge and Mt. Hood
Timberline Lodge is at the 6000 foot level of Mount Hood. The mountain itself, is 11,235 feet, making it the tallest mountain in Oregon. The Lodge was built in 1936 during the height of the Depression by the Federal Works Projects Administration, using unemployed craftsmen. It was dedicated only 15 months later in 1937 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. In 1978 it was declared a National Historic Landmark. I highly recommend a stop at the lodge if you do the loop as it is an extraordinary piece of architecture. It also offers spectacular views of the mountain and the surrounding area as well as activities to break up a long day on the road. Do take a look inside the Lodge to learn about its history and view its intricate craftsmanship. You might also want also sample some Northwest cuisine at the Cascade Dining Room. And, of course, if you want to stay more than a few hours, the Lodge offers lodging as well. (I've never stayed overnight or ate at the Dining Room so I am unable to comment on them)
The lodge boasts of year-around skiing and this year, despite being very dry, was no exception. The boys were very eager to go play in the snow, so after our picnic lunch, my husband took them up on the Magic Mile ski lift up to the Palmer Snowfield at 7000 feet where the die-hard skiers were still skiing in late August. Cost for the ski lift is $8 for adults, $6 for children 7-12, and free for children under 7. I opted to stay and go check out an arts and wine fair at the adjacent Wy-East Daylodge. Okay, I think I spent maybe 10 minutes looking at candles and jewelry and the rest of my time at the wine tasting, testing some of local wines, which were exceptional. The kids did have fun in the snow but only stayed up there 20 minutes or so as there wasn't much else to do.
Many summer visitors to Timberline use it as a starting point for hiking. The Pacific Crest Trail, the trail which goes from the Mexican to Canadian borders passes nearby the Lodge. Others just go on short day hikes. Still others, like my oldest brother, who is going through a midlife crisis of sorts, hike the 41-mile Timberline Trail which circles the base of Mt. Hood. Most people do it 3-4 days but his plans call for doing it in two days.
Down through Hood River Valley
After our lunchtime break, we headed back down the road. We continued east on Hwy 26 for about 3 miles before heading down Hwy. 35 for 40 miles, down the east side of Mount Hood and through the Hood River Valley. As a child our family would come here in the fall and load up wooden crates full of the locally grown apples and pears and store them in our root cellar. The apple and pear orchards are still there, but now there are several vineyards as well. As much as I enjoy wine, I hope the orchards do not go away, as they did in my adopted hometown of San Jose.
Hood River
Hood River is a small town of about 6000 next to the Columbia River. Hood River, along with the town of The Dalles just east of it, have become well-known in recent years as great places for wind surfing. Hood River also has developed a small microbrewery industry as well. Some of the brewpubs in Hood River include Big Horse and Full Sail.
Since the kids were with us, we decided just to make Hood River a rest stop and pass on the brew pubs (besides I had already had some wine earlier). There was a nice waterfront park with a beach along the Columbia with a great view of Hood River Bridge that crosses over to Washington State. We hadn't brought swim trunks for the boys but they just rolled up their shorts and waded out with their dad, about a third of the way across. It was a great way to cool off in the 85 degree heat and rest before we hit the road again to explore the Historic Columbia River Highway.
Historic Columbia River Highway
This narrow winding highway along the steep cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge was built between 1913 and 1922. When Interstate 84 was built in the 50s many parts were destroyed, but a portion still remains near the waterfalls. However, the good news is that there is a renewed interest in the highway and state and federal agencies have come to its rescue to help restore portions of it and rebuild its stone guardrails. Additionally, two disconnected portion of the highway have been designated as National Recreation Trails.
To get there follow Interstate 84 West out of Hood River for approximately 33 miles, taking exit 35 to the Historic Columbia River Highway.
There will 5 falls you can stop and see from the roadside, the most famous being Multnomah Falls. The other equally beautiful falls include Horsetail Falls, Oneonta Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and Latourell Falls. There are numerous well-maintained hiking trails as well, taking you up to several other falls and view points.
As our boys were getting a little bit tired, we decided to just get out at Multnomah Falls. If you are short on time, you may access this fall from Interstate 84 as well.
Multnomah Falls is 620 feet high, and although it is not on the same scale as Yosemite Falls in California, it is magnificent in its own right, being the second highest year-around falls in the nation. In spring when the snow pack is melting it is especially spectacular. In addition, if roads conditions permit, a visit to the Falls in the winter when a winter storm has frozen over the Falls, is well worth your time.
Needless to say, there were lots of visitors being the summer and Labor Day weekend. However, we were still able to get good pictures from the base. We also took the short hike up to Benson Bridge (.2 miles) that allows a closer view of the Falls. Here again, crowded but people were courteous and didn't get in the way of others taking pictures.
The trail continues for about a mile to the top of the Falls. It can be slippery on top and is not a hike I recommend for families with very young children (it is steep, too!). We opted not to go that day. For those of you who really enjoy hiking you may want to continue on to Larch Mountain or do the Wahkeena Falls Loop. Both of these hikes are several miles long and probably day-long hikes.
The Multnomah Falls Lodge is near the base of the Falls. (No lodging, dining only). It serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, and Sunday Brunch. I've never eaten there but the menu looked interesting, with a special emphasis on local fish and seafood. The prices looked good, too. Lunch and breakfast were in $8-9 range, dinner was in the $15 range, and the the Sunday Brunch was $16.95 for adults and $8.95 for kids eleven and under. Champagne was extra: $1.50 a glass.
The last stop on our journey through the Columbia River Gorge was Crown Point, standing 733 feet above the Columbia River. This lookout offers beautiful panoramic views of the Gorge and is especially beautiful late in the day when the sun is low in the sky. The copper domed octagonal structure at Crown Point is called Vista House and was constructed at the same time as the Historic Columbia River Highway. It used to be a stop for refreshments and relaxation, but is now a visitors center. However, the interior is in need of restoration and the building is now closed. $2 million is being raised and the Vista House is expected to reopen in 2004. It is still a worthwhile stop on a trip the Gorge and no matter the time of day you will get some great pictures.
After you have finished your visit here, continue on the Historic Highway west toward Portland, watching for the signs to Interstate 84. Downtown Portland is just a short 30 minutes west on I-84.
Conclusion
Our excursion to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area was a day-long trip that took in many sites. However, if you are short on time, it only takes a few hours to drive up and back to Multnomah Falls via I-84 and still give you a chance to appreciate the beauty of this region. Hopefully, you will be blessed with a pleasant sunny day such as we had, but do remember, being in Oregon, there are more rainy or overcast days than there are sunny. But don't let that keep you away!
Thanks for reading.
This Epinion review is dedicated to the memory of my father, who passed away August 24, 2003. My dad loved the outdoors and was a great supporter of the organization, Friends of the Columbia Gorge (http://www.gorgefriends.org).
My other Oregon reviews:
Oregon Zoo http://www.epinions.com/content_108882005636
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: Anytime
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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