Things To Do In The Columbia River Gorge (Hikes, Waterfalls, Scenic Drives)

If you emotion waterfalls, hiking, wineries, effect picking and scenic drives, past the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area successful Oregon is wherever you privation to visit.

Columbia River Gorge is an expansive, 80 mile agelong gorge framed by the Cascade Mountain Range, and is known for its unreal earthy beauty. I would besides reason it has astir the largest attraction of precocious waterfalls successful North America, from what we’ve seen.

Needless to accidental if you emotion nature, you’ll find plentifulness of things to bash successful the Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.

If you’re reasoning of visiting this canyon and not definite what to do, what’s peculiar astir it, oregon wherever to enactment – here’s everything you request to know!

What is peculiar astir the Columbia River Gorge?

The CRG is simply a stream canyon that expands for 85 miles agelong (80 miles successful Oregon) and up to 4,000 feet deep. Carved by volcanic eruptions and Ice Age floods implicit millions of years, the gorge is the lone oversea level way done the Cascade Mountains.

The Columbia River winds westward done the Cascade Mountain Range into the Pacific Ocean, conscionable westbound of Astoria and forms the borderline betwixt Oregon and Washington.

On the confederate broadside of the stream you’ll find scores of waterfalls, eleven implicit 100 feet precocious tumbling down the broadside of the gorge.

The onshore bordering the stream is protected arsenic the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area and is simply a fashionable destination for outdoor enthusiasts.

The scenic country spans from Troutdale to the Deschutes River, and Washougal to Wishram. There are 13 cities, towns and municipality areas successful the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area. On the Oregeon side, determination is Cascade Locks, Hood River, Mosier, and The Dalles.

In the Washington side, determination is North Bonneville, Stevenson, Carson, Home Valley, White Salmon, Bingen, Lyle, Dallesport, and Wishram – but we didn’t sojourn these arsenic we stayed connected the Oregon side.

Is Columbia River Gorge worthy it?

Due to its determination conscionable 30 minutes eastbound of Portland, the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area is easy accessible and a fashionable destination to flight the metropolis and bask a mountainous landscape.

It offers adventure, but besides relaxation, with a divers earthy scenery made of farmlands, vineyards, forests, misty mountains and rolling bluffs, making it the cleanable spot to fto quality soothe your soul. If you emotion nature, past it’s perfectly worthy visiting Columbia River Gorge.

It besides has tiny towns, tons of waterfalls, caller produce, and h2o sports – truthful if you’re looking for a destination that has the cleanable blend of escapade and laid-back charm, incorporated CRG into your Oregon roadworthy trip. 

Things To Do astatine the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area

Now you cognize what’s peculiar astir the Columbia River Gorge and wherefore you should visit, present are immoderate ideas for what to bash there!

1. Check retired the Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls and Hikes

Lace up your boots hikers, this country is besides good known for its trails.

One of the astir celebrated hiking trails successful the USA goes done here, The Pacific Crest Trail, oregon the PCT arsenic those who person gotten to cognize it affectionately telephone it.

Multnomah Falls

Never person I seen truthful galore waterfalls successful 1 spot arsenic Columbia River Gorge. Well maybe, Yosemite National Park, but Oregon does person the 2nd largest fig of waterfalls successful the US, with implicit 1600 waterfalls successful the full state, truthful it’s truly not surprising.

Thousands of years of geologic events person made the Oregon broadside of the Columbia River the cleanable location for waterfalls.

And you tin spot them either by mode of a hiking way oregon a scenic drive. Be definite to check the wood service for existent closures for each hikes and waterfalls successful this area.

Although Multnomah Falls is astir apt the champion known Columbia River Gorge waterfall, and a item of your sojourn to this region, determination are truthful galore much waterfalls for you to see. Here are immoderate of our favorites…

Multnomah Falls Trail

At 620 ft. high, Multnomah Falls is Oregon’s apical tourer attraction. It’s the 2nd tallest year-round waterfall successful the United States, and the most-visited earthy recreation tract successful the Pacific Northwest!

When you spot it, you’ll understand. The two-drop waterfall is surrounded by lush greenery and cascades down the basalt cliff look into pools.

Legend from the section autochthonal Americans, the Multnomah tribes, says the waterfall formed aft a young pistillate jumped implicit the cliff and sacrificed herself to the Great Spirit to prevention the Multnomah colony from a plague.

After her death, h2o began to travel from supra the cliff, frankincense creating the waterfalls.

Her bravery created thing truthful beautiful.

Multnomah Falls is fed by rainfall but besides by snowmelt and underground springs from Larch Mountain (The Larch Mountain way besides begins astatine the lodge).

Multnomah Falls

It has h2o each twelvemonth round, but outpouring and wintertime is erstwhile you’ll spot the highest measurement of water.

Multnomah Falls Oregon is 1 fashionable spot and if you spell aboriginal oregon connected weekdays you whitethorn flight the crowds. 

You tin hike to Benson span – oregon to the apical of the falls. The Benson Bridge makes for stunning photos arsenic it spans crossed the mediate of the h2o arsenic it cascades down from 1 level to another.

If you privation to seizure the Upper and Lower Falls and the Benson Bridge, you’ll person to find the close space from down the bottommost adjacent the lodge.

To beryllium honest, I did not find the apical of the Multnomah Falls to beryllium overly exciting. You couldn’t truly spot the h2o thundering implicit the top, lone its archetypal rotation implicit the lip.

The views were good but the crowds were excessively much!

The Multnomah Falls hike up to the apical involves 17 switchbacks and is beauteous strenuous if you are not utilized to hiking. There are respective viewpoints to halt astatine on the way.

If abbreviated connected clip and unfit I’d perchance halt astatine Benson Bridge.

Multnomah Falls Hike via the Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail

We decided to instrumentality successful much than conscionable the main waterfall attraction by doing the 5 mile Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail.

This way takes successful 5 different waterfalls successful Columbia River Gorge and plentifulness of smaller cascades arsenic the Multnomah and Wahkeena Creek makes their mode down the canyons.

The waterfall loop locomotion volition assistance you flight the crowds, admit the towering evergreens, get spectacular views, and spot respective much waterfalls, including the fashionable Fairy Falls and Wahkeena Falls.

I particularly loved walking done the wood astatine the apical that was inactive recovering from the fire. The blackened trunks of the trees stood retired successful opposition with the greenish shrub, wildflowers and stream views.

It was beauteous to decorativeness this waterfall loop way with Multnomah Falls astatine the extremity and instrumentality those steep switchbacks down.

I felt we could admit the views of the waterfall amended arsenic we weren’t concentrating connected breathing and getting up the hill!

This 5 mile loop hike was overmuch harder than immoderate of america anticipated. It was a beauteous steep ascent for fractional of the hike with plentifulness of switchbacks. It was a humid time truthful we were each sweating and successful request of respective breaks.

I was ace super impressed with the kids who kept up a accelerated pace. They each enjoyed their crystal pick astatine the extremity of it – a good deserved reward. You tin prime yours up from the Multnomah Falls Lodge.

I enjoyed a cider backmost astatine our campground. I was wholly wiped retired aft that hike but truthful gladsome we did it. It was a item of our clip successful the Columbia River Gorge Oregon. It was lone backmost astatine campy that we learned the Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail was a 1,600 ft elevation gain! No wonderment we were wiped out.

There are assorted broadside trails you tin instrumentality disconnected the Multnomah Wahkeena loop trail.

If we weren’t with the kids, we whitethorn person considered checking retired immoderate of these different trails:

• Vista Point Trail
• Wahkeena Springs
• Devils’ Rest Trail

Wahkeena Falls

The misty Wahkeena Falls is simply a bully stopping-for-your-breath constituent aft your archetypal steep ascent up connected the Multnomah-Wahkeena Falls Loop trail.

It tin besides beryllium visited connected a abbreviated locomotion up a paved way from a tiny parking batch if you did not privation to bash the full trail.

A refreshing spray whitethorn beryllium invited here.

Fairy Falls

Fairy Falls cascades 20 feet down the broadside of Wahkeena Canyon upstream from Wahkeena Falls.

It’s close connected the borderline of the way and a favourite of those doing this Columbia River Gorge waterfall hike.

The verdant mossy rocks and ferns surrounding it marque this a precise beauteous waterfall.

Ecola Falls

Ecola Falls is simply a coagulated 55-foot autumn that drops disconnected a articulator conscionable disconnected the broadside of the trail.

It’s astir apt champion you don’t effort to scramble down the steep canyon walls to get to the basal of the waterfall. Some hikers person died trying.

This waterfall is rather hidden from the way and was erstwhile called Hidden Falls for this reason.

Your presumption volition beryllium mostly from the apical looking down implicit the lip.

Wiesandanger Falls

Located conscionable downstream from the mighty Ecola Falls, Wiesendanger Falls is simply a overmuch much accessible and arsenic beauteous waterfall.

You tin scramble to the bottommost of this one.

Don’t miss Lemmon’s Viewpoint

Not excessively acold aft Wahkeena Falls, determination is simply a abbreviated broadside way to Lemmon’s viewpoint, which is offers an outstanding presumption of Columbia Gorge.

I deliberation the presumption present is much expansive and amended (with mode less people) past astatine the apical of Multnomah waterfall.

2. Drive The Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Drive

Dubbed arsenic “King of the Roads” this 75 mile road is the oldest scenic byway successful the USA. You tin thrust a conception (about 20 miles) of the archetypal Historic Columbia River Highway (US HWY 30) erstwhile touring the waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge.

Other parts are unfastened lone to hikers and bikers. Some parts are overlapped by the I-84.

There is simply a conception betwixt Corbett and Dodson, which volition instrumentality you to 7 of the Columbia Gorge waterfalls (including Multnomah and Wahkeena), arsenic good arsenic scenic viewpoints.

The byway is simply a windy shaded, ferny oasis, with a bid of waterfalls tumbling down from the gorge rim to the roadside.

Sadly, we ran retired of clip to bash the implicit waterfall mode loop drive. The hike I mentioned earlier wiped america out, but proved to beryllium bully grooming for immoderate overmuch longer and harder hikes successful Washington and Montana.

The different waterfalls connected the Historic Columbia River Scenic Highway successful this conception are:

• Lower and Upper Latourell Falls: (2.4 miles circular trip) Latourell Falls cascades 224 feet and tin beryllium accessed easy from a abbreviated way that leads to a viewpoint, arsenic good arsenic somewhat longer treks to the basal and apical of the waterfall.
• Bridal Veil Falls (1.4 miles circular trip) a beauteous waterfall that drops 118 feet successful 2 tiers. Only a abbreviated 1/3 mile locomotion to the falls.
• Horsetail Falls: Named for its horsetail shape, this 176 ft. waterfall plunges into a excavation close beside the Columbia River Scenic Highway; 1/2 mile hike volition instrumentality you to the Upper Horsetail Falls.
• Shepperd’s Dell: is simply a two-tiered autumn that cascades done a constrictive canyon; the precocious falls is astir 40 feet and the little falls plunge down an further 50 feet. Most noted for its stone, arched bridge. Short locomotion to the viewpoint of the precocious and little falls and historical bridge.
• Oneonta Falls and Gorge: 1.2 mile circular travel hike that involves scrambling implicit logs and walking done water. It’s a trek for the adventurous but is said to beryllium the hidden gem of the waterfall Way.

3. Catch the views from Vista House astatine Crown Point

Hard to judge we did not marque it here, adjacent aft truthful galore radical successful our assemblage recommended it.

I archer ya, that waterfall hike we did knocked it retired of america and we figured we got a beauteous bully presumption of the Columbia River from there.

The Vista House astatine Crown Point is known to beryllium 1 of the astir beauteous scenic points connected the Columbia River Highway. So don’t you miss it!

It was the archetypal destination built (1918) on the caller roadworthy and Vista House displays accusation astir the road construction.

The Gorge views are from the rotunda atop Crown Point, 1 mile/1.6 kilometres past the archetypal scenic overlook.

Women’s Forum Overlook is different viewpoint on the Historic Columbia River Highway.

4. See Bridge of the Gods

Bridge of the Gods is simply a 1,868 ft. span that rises 135 feet supra the Columbia River and is an icon of this region.

You tin locomotion (or drive) crossed it and transverse implicit into Washington. The Bridge of the Gods was the closest stream crossing, astir 10 miles eastbound of the waterfall country connected I-84.

About 1,000 years agone a elephantine landslide from the northbound of the Columbia River blocked the gorge and stopped the river’s flow.

Water eroded the dam and created a earthy chromatic span that fell and created the cascade rapids.

Native American fable says that Manito, the Great Spirit, built a chromatic span for the People that had occupation crossing the river.

Fearing it would lavation away, The People appealed to the Great Spirit to support the span and they gave it a caller sanction “The Bridge of the Gods,” which is wherefore the modern operation has that sanction today.

For ‘Wild’ lovers, this is the constituent wherever Cheryl Strayed ended her 1,100 mile hike connected the Pacific Coast Trail (it’s a large book, if you haven’t work it).

The Bridge of the Gods is the lone span crossing the Columbia River betwixt Portland and Mount Hood.

5. Relax successful Cascade Locks

Cascade Locks is simply a tiny municipality that is known arsenic captious stopping constituent connected the Oregon Trail, for transition of the treacherous Cascades.

The Lewis & Clark expedition passed done April 13th 1806. The metropolis took its sanction from a acceptable of locks built to amended navigation past the Cascades Rapids of the Columbia River.

It’s present offers different captious stopping constituent for different iconic passage: The 2,555 mile Pacific Crest Trail. Cascade Locks is the lone incorporated metropolis situated connected the PCT.

It’s besides the PCT’s lowest elevation constituent arsenic it drops into the Columbia River Gorge and crosses the Bridge of the Gods.

Cascade Locks is wherever we stayed during our sojourn to the Columbia River National Scenic Area and we loved its tranquil vibe and stunning scenery.

It’s lone a tiny town, but offers section nutrient and beverages and is simply a large basal oregon stopping constituent for your waterfall explorations.

You tin instrumentality a circuit connected the Sternwheeler Columbia Gorge, paddle vessel that hosts regular and nightly cruises done this melodramatic agelong of the Gorge, wherever the stream cuts done the Cascade Range.

Thunder Island

Thunder Island is simply a tiny land carved retired of the mainland successful 1890 to physique the Cascade Locks and canal which provided a harmless transition astir the rapids for ships traveling the Columbia River.

This was close connected the doorstep of our RV parkland truthful I loved to locomotion implicit present for beauteous views of the upland peaks crossed the river, forested Gorge cliffs, and the Bridge of the Gods.

Interpretive accusation boards archer of the geology of the Gorge and past of the locks.

It’s a bully spot for abbreviated strolls, picnics, watching sailing regattas, and weddings.

Thunder Island Brewery

Anyone who reads our blog regularly volition cognize we emotion a trade beer, truthful we had to halt by the awesome Thunder Island Brewery.

Whether you are staying astatine Cascade Locks oregon not, I  highly urge you adhd this to your Columbia River Gorge experience.

You’ll find delicious food, awesome section trade brew and cider (try the rhubarb cider!) and beauteous views of the river.

They adjacent had trivia nighttime erstwhile we visited which was amusive to play with our friends.

Recommended Cascade Locks Hike: Dry Creek Falls

A section recommended Dry Creek Falls arsenic 1 of her favourite hikes successful Columbia River Gorge.

It’s a 4.4 mile instrumentality hike from the Bridge of the Gods trailhead done vine maple and scattered fir to dense strands of old-growth.

Dry Creek Falls plunges 74 feet implicit a basalt partition successful a secluded amphitheater. It’s a fashionable destination for those funny successful a short, woodsy hike with plentifulness of Gorge ambience.

It’s 1 for america to bash adjacent time!

6. Explore Hood River Territory

Hood River is the spot wherever outdoor adventures, h2o lovers, and foodies travel to play.

A earthy upwind passageway has been created here, which attracts windsurfers and kiteboarders from astir the country.

We didn’t get clip to research overmuch of Hood River town, but I loved the look of it. It’s an eclectic premix of cafes, distilleries, breweries and autarkic acquisition shops.

That’s 1 happening I emotion truthful overmuch astir Oregon – it’s filled with truthful galore autarkic section businesses. No chains around!

We grabbed a delicious hemp latte from Ground Espresso Bar & Cafe earlier mounting disconnected connected the renowned Hood River County Fruit Loop Trail.

7. Drive the Hood River Fruit Loop Trail

The Hood River Fruit Loop way is simply a stunning 35-mile self-guided roadworthy trip done the fertile Hood River Valley.

There are astir 30 small, household owned farms, orchards, cideries, and wineries you tin halt astatine on the way. Many of the orchards connection u-pick opportunities including apples, pears, cherries, peaches, and berries.

It was connected this way that we got to acquisition the grandeur of Mt Hood (11,245 ft.), 1 of the 3 dormant volcanoes successful this region.

On its other broadside was 1 of the different volcanoes, Mt Adams (12,276) located crossed the stream successful Washington. Mt St Helens (8,358 ft.) is the different volcano.

Don’t inquire the locals what upland Mt Adams is. We were told it was Mt Rainier, Mt St Helens, and MT Hood earlier we got to the Adams Truth!

We urge the pursuing stops connected the Hood River Fruit Loop Trail…

Apple Valley Country Store & Bakery

For a huckleberry oregon marionberry shake, caput to Apple Valley Country Store and Bakery.

They merchantability caller effect pies and pastries, arsenic good arsenic small-batch jams and manus crafts.

The Old Trunk

The Old Trunk Antique Shop is truthful cool. It’s a vintage store with berry picking retired the backmost connected the tiny household vine.

We picked delicious raspberries, bluish berries, and my present favorite, marionberries. We learned a marionberry is simply a benignant of blackberry grown successful Marion County, Oregon.

The picking present was truthful cheap. They besides person an artisanal Soda Fountain that serves sodas made from location made syrups. It arsenic a amusive store to browse.

Montavon’s Berries

Oh my god! The cherries astatine Montavon’s Berries were sensational.

Red and acheronian cherries consecutive from the histrion – they were perfectly the champion I’ve ever had.

There were hundreds of trees with gorgeous views of Mt Hood and Mt Adam.

Grateful Vineyard

Grateful Vineyard

I loved the views and the chardonnay from the Grateful Vineyard.

The pizza and crockery present was truly bully excessively truthful we urge it arsenic a luncheon spot. It was hard to permission the chairs soaking up the prima and the view.

Draper Girls Country Cider Company

Draper Girls Country Cider Company was a amusive halt for kids and adults. The kids loved swinging connected the plot plaything and feeding the goats.

We loved sitting successful the beauteous plot enjoying a peach cider. That was my favourite of the ciders we tasted. I adjacent took location a growler of it arsenic it’s the cleanable summertime drink.

Fruit utilized for the ciders is sourced from their forty acre workplace and has nary nasties. You tin besides get alcoholic and non-alcoholic cider. They besides person a state workplace and u-pick orchards.

Stave and Stone Winery

Oh my, the views from Stave Stone Winery were exquisite.

There is simply a ample covered patio and grassy terraced tract to beryllium with games for the kids.

Although a ample motion does accidental escaped scope children not welcome.

Hood River Lavender Farm

Hood River Lavendar Farm says it closes astatine 5pm, but the lavender picking really closes astatine 4pm. We missed it arsenic we were going by the closing times listed for it truthful didn’t get to prime immoderate beauteous smelling lavender.

It was beauteous with views of some mountains successful the background.

Other places we wanted to sojourn connected the Fruit Loop Trail but couldn’t get to were:

• The Gorge White House Fruit Stand & Winery
• Fox-Tail Cider and Distillery – we missed this but our friends said it was awesome with loads of ciders to try. She bought maine backmost a pineapple cider which was delicious.

Video: Watch our travel to Columbia River Gorge [Multnomah Falls and Hood River Fruit Loop Trail]

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Columbia River Gorge Map of Attractions

The representation beneath features our favourite things to bash successful the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Area successful Oregon we person mentioned successful this guide!

Where to Stay astatine Columbia River Gorge

• Columbia River Gorge Hotel & Spa: Located successful Hood River among 7 lush acres of garden. This is your luxury choice.
• Westcliff Lodge: A large find 5 minutes from halfway of Hood River/ Excellent Value for money” Guest review.
• We camped astatine the Cascades Lock Marine Park. It was a bully determination close connected the stream and adjacent Bridge of the Gods. It’s a tiny campsite and books retired acold successful advance.

Car & RV Rental

• If you don’t person your ain car, check present for rental car options from Portland
• You whitethorn privation to rent your ain RV, campervan oregon motorhome. Check retired RV share.

Tours of the Columbia River Gorge

No car of your own? No problem. Thanks to its adjacent proximity to Portland, determination are respective tours that research the Columbia River Gorge region.

• Columbia Gorge Wine and Waterfalls Day tour
• Mt Hood and Columbia River Gorge Day tour

Other Pacific Northwest Travel Tips

• Cool Things To Do In Portland Oregon
• Cool Kids Guide of Things to Do successful Seattle
• Coolest Things To Do successful North Cascades National Park
• Don’t Miss Things to bash successful Bend Oregon
• Incredible Things to Do successful Olympic National Park
• A Day Trip to Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
• Exploring the waterfalls successful Umpqua National Park
• Don’t miss the stunning McKenzie River Valley

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