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Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway
Anyway you look at it, the Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway
is a marvel — for its visionary engineering, incredible scenery,
and rich history. Internationally lauded for spectacular waterfalls, architectural
gems, and magnificent overlooks of the Columbia River Gorge, it's no wonder
this Byway has been called "King of Roads."
Construction of the Columbia River Highway in 1913 was considered one
of the greatest engineering feats of the modern age. Its engineer, Samuel
C. Lancaster, did "not [want] to mar what God had put there,"
and worked diligently to showcase the many waterfalls and other "beauty
spots" on the highway's route through the Columbia Gorge. There are
numerous historic landmarks along the highway. In fact, the Columbia River
Highway is the first scenic highway in the U.S. to be named a National
Historic Landmark.
Samuel Lancaster certainly had a magnificent palette to work with. The
Columbia River Gorge is 80 miles long and up to 4,000 feet deep, cutting
the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountain Range. Lava flows
created the substrate and the Missoula Floods cut through this substrate
much later to create the towering cliffs of columnar basalt that make
up the Gorge. The Gorge includes 16 endemic plant species (those that
exist only within the Gorge) and over 150 rare plant species, and is rich
with animal life. The Historic Columbia River Scenic Byway offers ever-shifting
perspectives of the Gorge, including sweeping panoramas from 900 feet
above the river. Hikers will delight in the many trails along the Byway,
some of which lead to hidden waterfalls.
As its name implies, the Byway is incredibly rich in cultural history. This stretch of the Columbia once served as fishing and meeting grounds for the many indigenous peoples of the Columbia Basin. The Dalles was a highly significant trading and rendezvous site throughout history and prehistory. Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery followed the river toward its terminus near Astoria in 1805, as did Oregon Trail Pioneers in the mid 1800s. The region's rich history is preserved in several museums along the route.
 A.
Troutdale and the Sandy
To begin your journey from Portland, take I-84 east to exit 17. Follow the signs through the quaint town of Troutdale and over the Sandy River to the Historic Columbia River Highway. In 1805, Lewis and Clark camped along the banks of the Sandy, which ran gritty with ash from the 1802 eruption of volcanic Mount Hood. The road follows the Wild and Scenic Sandy River for several miles, then climbs past orchards and blueberry fields through the communities of Springdale and Corbett, offering glimpses of snow-capped Mount Hood.
B. Gorgeous Vistas from Crown Point
At the Portland Women's Forum State Park at Chanticleer Point, you get your first glance of the Columbia River and the Gorge: the site of the Chanticleer Inn, and the vista that inspired the Highway's founding father, Sam Hill. The stone guard walls and graceful arches are typical of the highway's exquisite craftsmanship. The Vista House at Crown Point is an Oregon treasure, one of the most photographed and recognizable sites in the Columbia River Gorge. Built as a memorial to
Oregon pioneers, it offers an inspiring view of the Gorge and the mountains of the Cascade Range.
C. Unforgettable Falls
 To
help motorists navigate the 600 foot vertical drop from Crown Point, Lancaster
engineered a series of "figure-eight loops" that gracefully
wind down toward the river. You're soon surrounded by mossy tree limbs,
the greenery enhanced by a series of remarkable waterfalls in the next
five miles: Latourell, Shepperd's Dell, Bridal Veil, and Wahkeena. Soon
you'll reach the granddaddy of Columbia Gorge waterfalls —620 foot
Multnomah Falls. Only three waterfalls in the nation are taller —
and none are more beautiful. A trail from Multnomah Falls Lodge (built
in 1925 and listed in the National Register of Historic Places) takes
you to the lower cascade, then zig zags to the top. A little further down
the road, Horsetail Falls plummets close enough to the road to mist your
windows. Before the Byway joins I-84, at the village of Dodson, you'll
pass Oneonta Gorge, a botanical paradise with more than fifty species
of plants that flourish in the damp, cool environs.
D. Bonneville Dam to Hood River
For the next 25 miles, you'll leave the Historic Highway for modern -
yet still beautiful - Interstate 84. The Gorge's dramatic geologic formation
are a highlight of this segment. Engineering and fishing buffs will want
to visit the Bonneville Dam, the first structure to restrain the mighty
Columbia. In nearby Cascade Locks, travelers can leave the car for a sternwheeler
cruise of the Columbia. More intrepid water sports enthusiasts will want
to take to the Columbia at Hood River. Here, the Gorge acts as a wind
tunnel to create consistent breezes that have made this once sleepy orchard
town the unofficial windsurfing capital of the world. If you're more inclined
to stay close to land, be sure to visit the stately Columbia Gorge Hotel
(north of I-84 at exit 62), which is listed in the National Register of
Historic Places.
E. From Mosier to the Rowena Community
In the 12 miles from Hood River to Mosier, you'll notice a dramatic change
in the scenery. It's here that the "two Oregons" meet. As you
reach Mosier and the second leg of the Historic Columbia River Highway
(off exit 76), the moist and lush western Gorge gives way to dry, eastern
Columbia River plateau. Once a booming trade center, Mosier is still famous
for its springtime blossoms, fat juicy cherries, and the community's unrivaled
passion for native plants. Elegant Mayerdale estate appears unexpectedly
on this rural stretch of the road. Look for Memaloose Island in the Columbia,
a traditional burial site of Native American peoples of the Columbia Basin
that was flooded following the construction of Bonneville Dam. Just west
of Mosier, you can walk the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail
through the restored Mosier Twin Tunnels. Farther east, be sure to linger
at the viewpoint at Rowena Crest, which affords sweeping Gorge views rivaling
those of Crown Point and access to the wildflower wonders of Tom McCall
Preserve.
F.The Dalles
The Historic Columbia River Highway spans the extremes of Oregon's landscape,
from the damp and mossy western beginning along the banks of the Sandy
River to the dry oak savannahs skirting Chenoweth Creek near the historic
Dalles. The Dalles was long a Native American gathering place and is rich
in Oregon Trail lore. Before you leave the Historic Highway as you enter
The Dalles, you'll find the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Wasco
County Historical Museum. Built as the interpretive center for the National
Scenic Area, the Discovery Center has answers to all your questions about
the Gorge's history. At the Museum, you'll learn about the earliest inhabitants
and hear tales of the traders and settlers who came later. As your tour
over the Historic Columbia River Highway comes to a close, consider beginning
a new journey to the Lewis and Clark campsite at Rock Fort.
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