Mount Hood & the Columbia River Gorge

A magnificent river gorge, with its breathtaking vistas, provides the perfect elements for a seemingly endless array of some of the most magnificent waterfalls in the world. Beyond the gorge, the landscape transforms to rolling hills where fruit orchards dot the landscape as far as the eyes can see. Pears, apples, cherries and vineyards are the mainstay, grown mostly on small multi-generational farms. In the midst of all this is a dramatic singular mountain peak towering over 14,000 feet, miniaturizing everything around it. It looks amazingly out of place dressed from head to toe in snow, white as cotton.

The Columbia River gorge is a spectacular river canyon, 80 miles long and up to 4,000 feet deep, that meanders past cliffs, spires, and ridges set against nearby peaks of the Cascade Mountain Range. The Columbia River divides Washington to the North and Oregon to the south and is a mecca for extreme sports such as river rafting and kite surfing. Mount Hood, just over an hour to the south, provides a unique snow skiing and boarding experience and the entire area offers endless hiking and backpacking opportunities. Small towns lining the river and throughout the area provide great stops to relax at a local brewery, shop at some of the many stores or indulge in some great local food.

We set up camp for 2 weeks in Cascade Locks, trying to be as central as we could to explore the entire region. Although we ventured just over an hour and a half to some points, it wasn’t bad because the driving excursions are actually one of the many highlights. Our travels took us along the river from Troutdale to The Dalles, along scenic byways and to the southern edge of Mount Hood. I’ll highlight some of our favorite things and many of the must do’s depending on how much time you might have to spend.

SCENIC DRIVES

Let’s start here to get the lay of the land. There are three scenic drives that cover the entire area and most of the things to do and see are along these amazing scenic roads, so you will likely get the chance to travel them often.

Historic Columbia River Scenic Byway

This historic highway travels for nearly 80 miles between Troutdale Oregon and The Dalles Oregon, paralleling the Columbia River. The road, designated as highway 30, passes by many of the amazing waterfalls the Columbia Gorge has to offer and climbs as high as 900 feet above the Columbia River, offering incredible views. There are also separate bike paths as part of the overall scenic byway system. You’re likely to drive many parts of the road when visiting some of the area attractions, but the road is also good for a relaxing day trip on its own. Two specific stops along the way worth mentioning are the Vista House at Crown Point and Rowena Crest Viewpoint. Both offer amazing views of the Columbia River valley. The Vista House is a structure built in 1913 as a resting stop and viewpoint for travelers. This was also the location where we were amazed on May 11 with the unique opportunity to see the northern lights.

Mount Hood Scenic Byway

This amazing half loop encircles Mount Hood and provides spectacular views and many things to stop for along the way. The loop starts at Highway 26 in Gresham to the west and ends in Hood River to the east via Highway 35, although it can be driven in either direction. Consider taking a slight detour from Sandy to Jonsrud Viewpoint for an incredible view of Mount Hood in the distance. Once you get past Sandy it really gets pretty and the small towns of Zig Zag, Rhododendron and Government Camp offer great stops to eat. You’ll have great views of Mount Hood along the way, which are breathtaking. The east side of the loop enters the Hood River Valley, where the landscape changes from forested to rolling hills and fruit orchards. The Mount Hood Scenic Byway can actually be combined with the Columbia River Scenic Byway, which is often referred to as The Infinity Loop.

Hood River Fruit Loop

Nearly a third of Oregon’s fruit tree acreage lies in the Hood River Valley, where 2.4 million fruit trees grow on close to 15,000 acres. Most of these orchards are small and are run by third or fourth generation Oregon farm families. Fruit farming has been the region’s primary business for more than 150 years, and Hood River Valley is the largest pear-growing area in the U.S. The Fruit Loop is a 35 mile stretch of road combing the east part of the Mount Hood Scenic Byway along with Highway 281, that takes you through the valley. It’s a beautiful drive with the opportunity to stop at many fruit stands or pick your own in the summer months. Wineries, distilleries and lavender farms are also available to visit. Since we were there in May, we were a little early for all that, but the drive with Mount Hood in the background was pretty special.

Lolo Pass

For a bit more of an adventurous drive Lolo Pass Road provides a great backroad experience. The road is paved and gravel in sections and is navigable for most vehicles, however, as you get closer to the pass, it typically stays snow packed well into May. We made it to the point where it abruptly changed to deep snow, but it was great being off the beat and path and enjoy some more great views of Mount Hood. The road can be accessed from either the town of Zig Zag or Mt. Hood.

WATERFALLS AND HIKES

If Oregon is known for one thing, it’s waterfalls! We’ve seen a lot of waterfalls in our travels and don’t often turn down an opportunity to get on a little hike to see one of any size or shape. We were blown away by the waterfalls in this area and they were in full force during our May visit.

Multnomah Falls

OK, the granddaddy of them all! This incredible waterfall draws visitors from all over the world. It is so large that it can clearly be seen from Interstate 84. It is Oregon’s tallest, and most visited, waterfall at 620 feet, split into two sections with a pedestrian bridge spanning in-between. You won’t find solitude here, but you will be able to see one of the most amazing waterfalls in the world, close up. You can literally marvel at the waterfall from the parking lot or viewing area below, but a short (but steep) walk to the bridge gives you the full effect. You will get a little wet, so a raincoat is a good idea. I ventured further, a mile (and over 800 feet of elevation) to the top of the falls, while Shannon sat comfortably sipping a latte in the restaurant below. Her view from her table was pretty amazing looking up at the top of the falls, as mine was at the top looking down.

Horsetail Falls

The great thing about Oregon waterfalls is that you can see many of them with little effort and this is one of those. Located right along the Columbia River Scenic Byway, this beautiful waterfall drops from the cliffs edge and resembles a long horses tail gently flowing in the wind. There’s a small viewing area, and as I understand it, a short hike to take you even closer but we didn’t see the need for that because we were already getting a little wet from the spray at the viewpoint.

Dry Creek Falls

You’ll have to hike about 4 1/2 miles with a 900-foot elevation gain to get to these falls, but both the journey and destination are well worth it. This is a nice, serene hike with moss covered trees and a nice creek meandering along the trail. The falls are in a peaceful little spot and really gives you a sense of the wilderness. You even get to hike part of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) to get there.

Wahclella Falls

Epic waterfall on this relatively easy 2 plus mile hike. The powerful waterfall sets in a beautiful canyon and empties into a large pool. This place is a photographers dream and the rest of the hike is very nice as well, with bridges and a large weeping wall.

Bridal Veil Falls

Many waterfalls share this name but few live up to it. This is the first of its name that I found actually looked like a dramatic bridal veil, and dramatic it is! The multi-tiered waterfall meanders through the forest and is absolutely gorgeous. With an easy 1/2-mile hike this is a huge reward with very little effort.

Ramona Falls

For those wanting a bit more of a challenge, the payoff of this waterfall is all worth the effort. The trail calls for just over 7 miles with a 1,046 elevation gain but my day ended with around an 11-mile hike. The challenge was finding the river crossing. In the summer it’s easy, you simply get wet and cross in ankle deep water, but this time of year that is not an option. After searching extensively for “the spot” I finally found the crossing – a downed tree traversing across the river. No pride from me, a butt scoot was in order and the suggested method unless you are channeling Simone Biles. The waterfall, cascading down a wide rugged rock area, was incredible and pictures do not do it justice. Oh, and as a bonus, some of the best views of Mount hood can be seen along the trail.

Tamanawas Falls

This is a great moderate hike about 3 1/2 miles. The rushing river along the way still had some spots of heavy snow along the banks and made for a great journey. The waterfall is very unique and because of the direction of the sun reflecting through the spay, it cast an eerie haze over the falls. With a little rock scrambling you can actually get to the backside (behind) the falls which is always a big treat.

Mirror Lake

This is one of two lake hikes that provide that postcard view of Mount Hood. We hiked through a good amount of snow at the beginning of the 4 1/2-mile trail and again at the far end of the lake – no complaints from the dogs. We also got considerably wet when underestimating the wood plank crossings! It was all worth it and added to the adventure of a great hike.

Trillium Lake

This is said to be an even better lake hike and view of Mount Hood with less effort at only 2 miles, However, the road leading to the trail was closed and the thought of hiking 4 mikes down a road did not sound intriguing. If your there in the summer or fall, add this one to your list.

Wahkeena Falls

This highly recommended hike was on my “must do” list but you can’t do it all. I’ll put it first on the list for a return trip someday.

Oneonta Gorge

Hiking the Gorge has always been a popular recreation for visitors, but unfortunately a fire in 2017 damaged the area and it is currently inaccessible. About as close as you can get is a peak through the fencing. I guess this will be another good reason to return at a later date when it is hopefully open again.

RIVER RAFTING

White water rafting has been on my bucket list for a long time. Our trip to the Columbia River Gorge put us in the right place at the right time and this was a blast. We took a half day trip down the White Salmon River and experienced Class III and Class IV rapids. Our guide with River Drifters was outstanding, and I would say better than the other two raft captains who did not fare as well crossing one of the challenging falls. We actually preferred staying “in” the raft rather than the 45-degree river water. Shannon was a little nervous leading up to this but honestly she looked more comfortable than I felt. Wow, the Northern lights and white-water rafting all in the same week! Like is good.

SMALL TOWNS AND AREA ATTRACTIONS

Bonneville Dam and Fish Hatchery

This complex, just down river from Cascade Locks, is well worth the visit. After crossing through a security access point, you are able to enter the dam and lock system which quite impressively spans the entire Columbia River between Oregon and Washington. In addition to power generation and nautical navigation, it’s also a wildlife habitat. Seals can be seen fishing underneath the dam and salmon swimming up the ladder system. A five story visitors and information center are very informative, and the roof level provides amazing viewing of osprey and bald eagles (they like to fish too). Below, you can view the salmon swimming upstream through a glass window under the river. Adjacent to the visitor center is the power plant that can be toured as well as the fish hatchery.

Timberline Lodge

This historic 1930’s chalet is an architectural wonder and still operates as the primary ski lodge for Mount Hood. The lodge sits at an altitude of 6,000 feet and hosts skiers and snowboarders 12 months of the year. But it’s the architecture of this marvel that makes a trip here well worth it for everyone. This building isn’t as much about the materials used as it is the skilled laborers and artists who were hired to build it. The woodworking, stonework and embedded art is incredible.

Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum (WAAAM)

We’ve been to a few airplane museums, but this place raises the bar to an unreachable level. What started out as a small private collection of planes in various locations by one individual, has turned into a museum with three separate hangers housing over 300 antique pre-WWII airplanes, literally from floor to ceiling. From gliders to the first commercial aircrafts, this place has it all. There are also equally impressive automobiles and motorcycles as part of the display. Additionally impressive is that every airplane, motorcycle and automobile in the museum are fully operational. In fact, many of them are regularly taken out of the museum and used. If you are anywhere near Hood River, this place is a must stop.

Hood River

This perfect size town – not too big, not too small, sits right on the Columbia River and has a lot to offer. Whether you go shopping at some of the cool local stores, enjoy a wood-fired pizza and craft beer from one of the many bars and eateries or just hang out in the city park and watch the kite surfers on the river, it’s a great place to visit. It’s also one of the locations that has a bridge into Washington.

The Dalles

This is a great spot for a day trip when traveling along the eastern portion of the Columbia River Scenic Byway, since this is the end of the road. There are a ton of things to do here including the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, Fort Dalles Museum and Anderson Homestead, Old St. Peter’s Landmark, and the National Neon Sign Museum. These places have some odd hours, so we missed several of them, but did get to St. Peter’s which is beautiful and has a great story. It’s crazy to think that they were about to tear down this old church when a local historic group stepped in to save it.

SPECIAL PLACES TO EAT AND DRINK

There are many places to eat in these small towns, from local coffee shops to unique Thai restaurants and just too many to review them all but a couple in particular stand out.

Sunshine Mill

When you’re visiting The Dalles this is a must do. An old flour mill has been converted into a winery and is one of the most unique places you will ever walk into. All of the original equipment from the flour mill is still in place and somehow they have turned this into a great little winery. It is a 10 on the cool scale and the wine is pretty good as well. Even if you’re not in the mood for a glass, they welcome people to stop by and check it out.

Sugarpine Drive-in

Off the beat and path in Troutdale is an amazing little drive-in eatery. It was originally a gas station in the 1940s, then converted into a bait shop. Eventually the city purchased it and renovated it and today it operates as this little restaurant adjacent to the community park on the Sandy River. They have some of the best sandwiches, soups and salads… and ice cream. Their pulled pork sandwich was one of the best I’ve had. Their soft serve ice cream creations include home baked goodies on top that you order through an extensive array of options. Over the top good!

Agave Azul Mexican Restaurant

We miss our Tex Mex so when we find a good Mexican restaurant we get excited. Agave Azul is about as authentic Mexican as you can get. Located in a cozy little “house” in Gresham, they serve it up right. In fact, they were featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. We also enjoyed the Mexican food at Ixtapa, a local chain.

CONCLUSION

Mount Hood and the Columbia River Gorge has a lot to offer and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Whether you make it a short visit or hang out for a couple weeks as we did, there is plenty to see and do. If you’re simply driving through the area along Interstate 84, consider taking a detour around the Mount Hood Scenic Byway and stop at Timberline Lodge, or make a quick stop at Multnomah Falls.

Be sure to check out all of our pictures.