Columbia River Gorge

The Columbia River Gorge offers spectacular and varied recreation — driving the historic Columbia River Highway past viewpoints (the Vista House at Crown Point) and the famous waterfalls (Multnomah, Wahkeena, Horsetail, Latourell), hiking the waterfall and cliff trails and into the gorge’s side canyons, world-class windsurfing and kiteboarding on the wind-whipped river at Hood River (a global capital of the sport), mountain biking, fishing, paddling, and exploring the towns and wineries. Taking in the waterfalls, the viewpoints and the dramatic gorge are the signature draws. The combination of the towering cliffs, the greatest concentration of waterfalls in North America, and the windswept river makes the gorge a premier destination.

Spring is spectacular, with the waterfalls at their fullest, wildflowers blooming (the gorge is famous for its spring wildflowers, including endemic species), and lush green, while summer brings the best weather for the river, windsurfing and hiking (and the dry east end golden), and fall color and quiet. Winter brings heavy rain (thundering waterfalls) and occasional dramatic ice storms. The waterfalls are fullest in spring; spring for the falls and wildflowers, summer for the river and windsurfing, and fall for color are highlights. The wet west and dry east offer different experiences; come prepared for wind and rain.

The Columbia River Gorge has been a vital passage and home for Native peoples for thousands of years — a great fishing and trading center (the now-submerged Celilo Falls was one of the oldest continuously inhabited sites in North America), rich in story and significance. The gorge was the route of the Oregon Trail’s final, dangerous river passage, and later of the pioneering, scenic Columbia River Highway (built in the 1910s). Protected as the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in 1986 — the first of its kind — the gorge preserves its spectacular landscape, its waterfalls and its rich heritage, a treasured icon of the Pacific Northwest.

The Columbia River Gorge was created by the combined work of the Columbia River and dramatic geological forces: the thick layers of Columbia River basalt, vast ancient lava flows, were uplifted as the Cascade Range rose, and the river — older than the mountains — cut its sea-level passage straight through the rising range. The gorge was then dramatically widened, steepened and scoured by the cataclysmic Ice Age floods (the Missoula Floods), which roared through and left the towering cliffs, the hanging valleys and the many tall waterfalls of the tributaries. The basalt, the river and the floods created this spectacular canyon.

The Columbia River Gorge, spanning wet forest to dry grassland, hosts black-tailed deer, and a rich community of birds, including the peregrine falcons and other raptors that nest on the cliffs, waterbirds and the songbirds of the forests and grasslands, while the Columbia River supports salmon and steelhead (and the fish ladders at the dams), and sea lions follow them upriver. The dramatic range of habitats — from rainy forest to golden grassland — supports diverse wildlife, including endemic gorge wildflowers and species. The gorge is a fine place for wildlife watching and birding amid its spectacular and varied landscape.

The Columbia River Gorge is ecologically remarkable for its dramatic gradient — from the lush, wet temperate forests of the rainy western end, through a transition, to the dry oak woodlands and grasslands of the golden eastern end — all within the canyon, creating a rich range of habitats and a famous diversity of wildflowers, including many endemic species found nowhere else. The waterfalls, the cliffs, the river and the varied forests and grasslands support diverse life. Protecting this range of habitats, the rare wildflowers, the river and the waterfalls sustains both the ecology and the spectacular scenery of this treasured national scenic area.

The Columbia River Gorge holds a treasured and storied place in the Pacific Northwest, its spectacular canyon — with the greatest concentration of waterfalls in North America, its towering cliffs and its windswept river — a beloved natural icon and a landscape of deep significance. A vital passage and home for Native peoples for millennia, the route of the Oregon Trail and the pioneering scenic highway, and the first national scenic area, the gorge embodies the dramatic, varied beauty of the region. The Columbia River Gorge is a cherished icon of Oregon and Washington and one of the great landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.

The Columbia River Gorge stretches some 80 miles along the Columbia River east of Portland, forming the Oregon–Washington border, reached via Interstate 84 (Oregon side) and State Route 14 (Washington side), and the scenic historic Columbia River Highway (US-30), with the towns of Troutdale, Hood River and The Dalles along the way, about 30 minutes to an hour east of Portland. The national scenic area is free to explore (some sites, trailheads and the waterfalls’ parking may charge fees or require permits, like Multnomah Falls in summer). Check the U.S. Forest Service (Columbia River Gorge) for access, permits and conditions before visiting.

The U.S. Forest Service (with the Columbia River Gorge Commission) protects the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area — its waterfalls, cliffs, forests, grasslands, rare wildflowers and the river. Visitors help by staying on trails (protecting the fragile slopes and the rare, endemic wildflowers), keeping back from cliff edges and waterfall brinks, protecting the streams’ and river’s water quality, packing out everything, preventing wildfire (a serious risk that has burned the gorge), respecting wildlife and the cultural and Native sites, and following the rules. Protecting the waterfalls, the cliffs, the rare wildflowers and the varied habitats sustains this treasured national scenic area.

In the Columbia River Gorge, stay on trails and keep well back from the cliff edges and the tops of the waterfalls (falls have been fatal), and never climb over barriers or off-trail near the brinks. The trails can be steep, wet and slippery; wear sturdy footwear, and watch for falling rocks. The wind on the river is strong (great for windsurfing but hazardous for the unprepared on the water). Beware of wildfire risk and closures, and of the heavy rain and occasional ice. Carry water and layers, supervise children near the cliffs and water, and respect the cliffs, the waterfalls, the wind and the river.

The national scenic area is free to explore (some sites and waterfall parking charge fees or require permits, like Multnomah Falls’ summer timed-use permit). Stay on trails; protect the rare wildflowers and fragile slopes. Keep back from cliff edges and waterfall brinks. Prevent wildfire; follow fire restrictions and closures. Protect the river and streams; pack out all trash. Windsurf and boat safely. Pets must be leashed. Drones may be restricted. Respect cultural and Native sites. Check the U.S. Forest Service (Columbia River Gorge) for permits, closures and current rules before visiting.

The towns of Hood River (the windsurfing capital), The Dalles, Troutdale and the Washington-side communities lie along the gorge, with Multnomah Falls and the other waterfalls, Mount Hood to the south, Mount Adams to the north, the city of Portland (30 minutes to an hour west), and the Columbia River’s dams and fish ladders in the region. The Columbia River and the Cascade Range define the region. The Columbia River Gorge anchors a spectacular and varied scenic region of the Pacific Northwest, a centerpiece of a waterfall, windsurfing and scenic-drive adventure from Portland through the canyon of the Columbia.

Drive the historic Columbia River Highway for the classic gorge experience — stopping at the Vista House at Crown Point for the sweeping view and at the string of waterfalls (Multnomah, Wahkeena, Horsetail, Latourell) — and hike the waterfall and cliff trails. Come in spring for the fullest waterfalls and the famous wildflowers, or summer for the river and the world-class windsurfing at Hood River. Stay on trails and back from the dangerous cliffs and waterfall brinks, watch for required permits and wildfire closures, and savor the dramatic shift from rainy forest to golden grassland across the gorge.