About This Trip
The Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway is the oldest scenic highway in the United States, completed in 1916 and engineered by Samuel Lancaster to maximize views while minimizing impact on the landscape. It runs through the Columbia River Gorge — a 4,000-foot-deep canyon carved by the Columbia River along the border between Oregon and Washington — and passes more waterfalls per mile than almost any road in North America.
The drive begins at Troutdale, just east of Portland, where the Sandy River meets the Columbia and the city abruptly ends. The Historic Columbia River Highway leaves I-84 here and begins climbing through basalt formations and Douglas fir forest onto the canyon rim. Crown Point and Vista House — a 1918 art deco observatory perched directly on the gorge edge at 733 feet — offer the first panoramic view of the gorge, with the Columbia more than 700 feet below.
The waterfall section between Latourell Falls and Wahkeena Falls is the highway's centerpiece. Latourell Falls drops 249 feet in a single plunge against a basalt amphitheater stained vivid yellow by lichen. Multnomah Falls is the most famous — a 620-foot two-tier drop that is Oregon's most visited natural attraction and one of the highest year-round waterfalls in the United States. The bridge at the base of the lower falls is as packed as any tourist attraction in the Pacific Northwest, but the view from the bridge looking up at both tiers simultaneously justifies the crowds.
East of the waterfall corridor, the landscape opens from dense rainforest into the drier, more open terrain of the eastern gorge. The wind accelerates dramatically here — the gorge acts as a natural wind tunnel — making Hood River the windsurfing and kiteboarding capital of North America. The town itself is a small, excellent food and drink destination with a thriving cider scene from the surrounding orchards.
The drive is extraordinary in any season but particularly magnificent in spring when the waterfalls run at peak flow and the gorge floor is carpeted with wildflowers. Fall brings good color on the Oregon side. The historic highway is also excellent for cycling — several sections are motor-vehicle-free and the full route is part of the US Bicycle Route System.
Stops
Troutdale, OR — Gateway to the Gorge
The eastern edge of the Portland metro area and the start of the Historic Highway. The town itself has a few antique shops and cafes. From here, the road immediately begins climbing out of the Sandy River valley and into the basalt canyon walls of the gorge proper.
Crown Point & Vista House
A dramatic promontory 733 feet above the Columbia River, capped by the 1918 art deco Vista House observatory. The view east up the gorge from here, with the river curving into the distance and Washington's mountains visible across the water, is one of the great roadside panoramas in the Pacific Northwest. The Vista House interior has free exhibits on gorge history.
Latourell & Wahkeena Falls
The beginning of the waterfall corridor. Latourell Falls drops 249 feet in a single sheer plunge against a basalt cliff face stained vivid yellow by lichen — the colors look painted. Wahkeena Falls tumbles in a series of cascades a few miles east. Both have short, paved trails to the base. In late winter and spring, the flow rates are genuinely thunderous.
Multnomah Falls
Oregon's most visited natural attraction and the highest year-round waterfall in the United States at 620 feet. The historic Multnomah Falls Lodge at the base has a restaurant and visitor center. The bridge viewpoint between the upper and lower tiers offers the definitive photograph. The 1.2-mile trail to the top of the upper falls rewards with views back down the gorge. Parking requires a timed permit in summer — the lodge shuttle from a nearby park-and-ride is easier.
Hood River, OR
A small city at the confluence of the Hood River and the Columbia, internationally known for windsurfing and kiteboarding. The downtown has an excellent concentration of restaurants and a thriving hard cider industry from the surrounding orchards. The Hood River Fruit Loop — a 35-mile driving route through orchards and farms on the slopes of Mount Hood — is a natural extension of the day.