Recreation in the Columbia River Gorge
Our Gorge Hotels offer the perfect location to explore the Columbia River. We have hotels at every stop from East to West including Pasco Sleep Inn, Comfort Inn The Dalles, Celilo Inn The Dalles and Holiday Inn Express, Troutdale. In the center of it all, visitors can enjoy Mt. Hood which draws skiers, hikers, mountain climbers and nature lovers year round. In the Eastern Gorge you'll find white water rafting on the Deschutes River, and Salmon and Sturgeon fishing on over 8 rivers. Cyclists whiz through wheat fields, cherry orchards and along historic highways while kiteboarders and windsurfers ride the wind on the river. The region's growing wine industry spans from Pasco all the way to Troutdale along the Columbia Gorge with more than 150 wineries to taste at.
Sightseeing
The Mt. Hood Scenic Byway follows a route around Mt. Hood that has been
traveled for hundreds of years first by the Native Americans of the area and
then by the pioneers finishing the last leg of the Oregon Trail. Whether it
be skiing at Mt. Hood, windsurfing, or hiking-all can be found along this historic
route, a great source for day trips, hikes and history! View our list of scenic
driving routes (.doc) and explore the entire area.
The historic Mt. Hood Railroad takes travelers through the picturesque foothills of the Cascade Mountains.
Old St. Peter’s Landmark is a Catholic church built in 1897 that was saved from demolition by the tenacity of local citizens keen on historical preservation. A Gothic brick church with brilliant stained-glass windows, St. Peters is free to the public and is a treasure The Dalles loves to share.
For more activities and attractions check out www.gorgeonline.com
Museums
Maryhill Museum
-
Come explore Maryhill Museum’s world-class collection of art ranging from
early 20th century European works to an extensive Native American collection.
Set in a castle-like chateau on a stunning 6,000-acre site overlooking the scenic
Columbia River Gorge, Maryhill Museum is one of the Pacific Northwest’s
most fascinating cultural destinations and located just 100 miles east of Portland,
Oregon. The museum’s permanent collection includes more than 80 sculptures
and watercolors by the French master Auguste Rodin, including the only pedestal-sized
plaster version of his famous The Thinker, and much more.
The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center is the official interpretive center
for the Columbia River National Scenic Area. Its over 25,000 square feet exhibit
details and brings to life the all the natural phenomenon that formed the Columbia
River Gorge, from volcanic eruptions to floods. Highlights and features include
supplies and equipment on the Lewis and Clark expedition, theories about the
Ice Age, and a wing devoted to the history of the inhabitants, past and present,
of Wasco County, in which The Dalles is located.
Oregon's oldest history museum, Fort Dalles Museum, is filled with pioneer and military artifacts dating back to 1800's. Set atop a hill, Fort Dalles was the first military outpost in the area and the central building from which the town of The Dalles grew.
You can also check out www.historicthedalles.org for special events & Rodeo information.
Fruit Loop Tours
Drive
through orchards, forests, farmlands, and friendly communities of the Hood River
Valley on the 35 mile, scenic Fruit Loop. Sample delicious fruits from fruit
stands and U-pick farms, experience fields of fragrant lavender, meet some friendly
alpacas, take home delicious baked goods, and create memories by participating
in family activities hosted at Fruit Loop locations throughout the year.
Vineyards
& Wineries
The Columbia Gorge is the rising star of new Wine Appellations. You can taste
everything from Chardonnay, Reisling, Sauvingon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Roses and
Pear Wine to Organic Pinot Noir, Cab's, Syrahs, Barberas, Nebbilos, Zinfandel
and Ports. Take a tour from any of our hotels with www.columbiawinetours.com
Maryhill Winery - With views of the Gorge and Mt. Hood, their tasting room offers a cozy atmosphere to wind-down from your day of biking, hiking, or museum hopping. Their expansive grounds host concerts on warm summer evenings attracting such artists as the Counting Crows, Willie Nelson, Hall and Oates, and Jackson Browne.
Just down the hill at Maryhill park, stop and visit Terrance and his family run wine tasting at Waving Tree Winery. A small production winery, with great wine and great prices!
Cascade Cliffs Winery is a family-owned winery, set in the scenic and stunningly beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Specializing in and crafting red wines focused on the Piedmont varietals Barbera, Dolcetto, and Nebbiolo, our wines begin in our estate vineyard.
Dry Hollow is surrounded
by the Hi-Valley Cherry Orchard in The Dalles, Oregon. The Vineyard is planted
on a south-facing slope in rocky stone laden soil. These soils and the hot,
dry climate in this part of the Columbia River Gorge combine to create optimum
growing conditions for the wines we make. Our new scenic Tasting Room, nestled
among cherry orchards, is located next to the Hi-Valley Vineyard. Come enjoy
the view and our beautiful surroundings with a picnic and some wine!
Heading West on Hwy 14, and up Old Hwy 8, you will also find Jacob Williams
Winery, Domaine Pierre Noir, Cor Cellars, and Klicitat Organic Winery. Heading
20 miles West on Hwy 84 in Hood River you will find Cathedral Ridge Winery,
Pheasant Valley Winery, Phelps Creek, Marchessi, Mt. Hood Winery, Wy East Winery,
The Gorge White House, Hood River Winery, The Pines, Naked Winery, Viento Winery,
and Springhouse Cellars.
In The Dalles you'll find Maison de Glace winery, and The Sunshine Mill which produces Copa de Vinos.
In Troutdale you'll find McNenamins which produces wine, beer and whiskey.In the Tri-Cities/Pasco region you'll find over 100 wineries which extend from Benton City all the way to Walla Walla.
Experience all the wineries on a personal guided tour with Hood
River Wine Tours.
Or Book a Room and Tour Package for a great discount! Call us today at 541-769-0001
Mountain
Biking/Cycling
Northwest mountain bikers know The Dalles is the Gorge’s best-kept secret,
as its dry climate lends the area to early spring riding. The course of the
Cherry Festival Mountain Bike Race is open to riders most of the year. The trailhead
is located in Sorosis Park in The Dalles. The network of trails on the course
will keep riders pumping, turning and skidding for hours. Specific directions
and a map can be found at Life Cycles, 418 East 2nd Street, Downtown The Dalles.
The professionals at Bicycle Adventures offer guided bike tours in the region.
The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail follow the path where U.S Highway 30 once crept around curves high along the cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge. Cyclists love the paved pathway and leisurely turns which showcase the view of the mighty Columbia. The trail, two disconnected paved ribbons along abandoned stretches of the historic highway, give cyclist more than 10 miles of sightseeing thrills.
Fishing
Local and experienced fishermen head out on the Columbia, The John Day, and
The Deschutes to cast for salmon, sturgeon, walleye, trout, and steelhead.
Parks
and Forests
The
Tom McCall Preserve, a nature and wildlife preserve atop a plateau
over looking the Columbia Gorge is a transitional zone between the
moist, heavily forested areas of Western Oregon and the drier grasslands
of the East making its landscape, flora, and fauna diverse. Enjoy
the preserves several trails, which offer a look at rare plants
and animals.
Horsethief State Park across the Columbia River in Washington, was formerly a Native American village and camp to Lewis and Clark on their journey across the American West. During the building of The Dalles Dam, the village was flooded, which resulted in the creation of the 90-acre lake that today offers many boating and water-sport options. With its 7,500 feet of shoreline on the Columbia, the park is the prime picnicking spot. Keep an eye out for ancient Native American pictographs!
Windsurfing/Kite
Surfing
Just up I-84 in Hood River, Hood River Waterplay offers lessons in windsurfing
and kite surfing for every age and skill level.
Whitewater Rafting
& Kayaking
River
Drifters (Deschutes and White Salmon), Zollers, & Wet Planet offers whitewater
rafting trips for all skill levels of rafters. From the remote wilderness stretches
of the class III Klickitat River and Tieton River, to the classic glacier waters
and basalt canyons of the White Salmon River, to the challenges of class V whitewater
rapids on the Wind River and Farmlands, they have designed a variety of day-trips
that are certain to meet the expectations of any whitewater rafter.
For those looking to develop the skills necessary to run rivers on their own,
or experienced paddlers looking to improve their technique, the Wet Planet Kayak
School offers kayak instruction for beginning to advanced paddlers. The Wet
Planet Rafting and Kayaking Center is located in the Columbia River Gorge National
Scenic Area, on the Washington state side, along the banks of the White Salmon
River.
Big Winds in Hood River rents Stand up Paddle Boards and also offers shuttle transportation.
For more information on places to see and things to do in The Dalles and the Columbia River Gorge, visit thedalleschamber.com or www.gorgeonline.com
History of the Columbia Gorge, OR
HISTORY OF THE DALLES
The
Dalles, the Columbia River, and its surrounding area are
rich with Native American history and the history of the
settling of Oregon. The Dalles and Celilo Falls that used
to roar down the Columbia are steeped in the Native American
tradition and myth of the people who once populated the
area. Celilo Village has been called Oregon’s oldest
town, with archeological digs that took place before the
completion of The Dalles Dam proving that Native Americans
had been living in area continuously for over 11,000 years.
Celilo Falls acted as a border between the Chinookan and
Sahaption Indians, creating a key trading post for Native
Americans with tribes coming as far as the Great Plains,
Alaska, California, and the Southwest to trade goods.
When Lewis and Clark passed through The Dalles on their
grand expedition exploring the Louisiana Purchase it was
October 25, 1805. Lewis and Clark called Celilo Falls the
“Great Falls,” and found the navigation of the
falls narrow and treacherous. In the area that is now present
day The Dalles they saw the largest population density of
their journey and described the Indian trading posts as
a “great emporiums.” The explorers stopped and
camped in The Dalles again on their return trip in April
1806. They called their camp Rock Fort, the site is now
listed in the National Register of Historic Places and may
be visited year round. The Dalles was a natural stopping
point for The Native tribes that inhabited the area for
thousands of years, as well as for new explorers like Lewis
and Clark, fur traders, artists, and writers alike. The
name The Dalles was bestowed on the area by the French-Canadian
fur traders that passed through, after the great amount
of tumultuous water that was forced by the surrounding rocks.
By the 1840’s the Native tribes of the area were being
confronted with more and more settlers. There had not been
issue with the transient explorer stopping by on their expeditions,
but people were now showing up with domestic animals, tools,
wives and children with the intent of staying.
This shift brought new tension into the area and many conflicts
between Indian and settler arose. In response to the violence
what is now called Fort Dalles was erected in 1850, serving
as a way post for the first United States Army Troops in
the area. They protected the settler’s interests as
well as helping emigrants on the Oregon Trail. From the
small log cabin that was Fort Dalles the town of The Dalles
expanded. Wasco County was formed in 1854 and gold was discovered
near by, both of these factors attributed to more and more
settlers coming into the area and developing the town. The
Dalles was incorporated as a town in 1857 and continued
to serve as a major stopping point between Portland and
Pendleton for commercial and non-commercial travelers alike.
As the century wore on, industry grew and by 1881 talks
were already beginning regarding ways to make the Columbia
River more easily navigated. In 1915 the Celilo Canal was
created, offering a by-pass of the treacherous Celilo Falls.
The focus shifted to hydroelectric power with the onset
of WWII. The Columbia River has a heavy flow and drops in
elevation over a short distance, making it extremely powerful.
The Army Corps of Engineers began working on The Dalles
Dam in 1952 and completed it five years later.
With the completion of The Dalles Dam, Celilo Falls was
flooded and the long-held tradition of fishing the falls
by native people ceased. An estimated fifteen to twenty
million fish had been passing through the falls every year,
and fishing had been the sustaining way of life for the
Indians that lived in the area. On March 10, 1957 as observers
watched the rising of Lake Celilo fishing platforms became
submerged underwater and Celilo Falls was silenced.
Celilo Falls and the surrounding area still hold cultural
significance for the native people. In 2007 gatherers came
in thousand to commemorate the fifty year anniversary of
the inundation of the falls. Architect and artist Maya Lin,
who designed the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington D.C.,
is creating a work of interpretive art for the Celilo area
as part of the Confluence Project. The project promotes
the regions history through Native American myths and journal
entries from the Lewis and Clark expedition. The Celilo
Falls installation is slated for completion in 2010.
HISTORY OF CELILO FALLS
For thousands of years, Celilo Falls was the center for the economic,
cultural and spiritual traditions of Native tribes who caught salmon
along its basalt cliffs and from wooden platforms that extended
above the raging waters of the Columbia River. Celilo Falls - possibly
the largest freshwater fishery in North America - drew Native people
from as far away as the Great Plains and Vancouver Island to the
area to trade.
It is said that roar of the 40-foot falls could be heard for miles
and that those who stood nearby could feel the earth beneath them
tremble. Although Celilo Falls was flooded when The Dalles Dam was
completed on March 10, 1957, it continues to inspire generations
of people who live and gather on the banks of the mighty Columbia
River.
For more information visit TheDallesChamber.com.
Events the Columbia River Gorge and The Dalles, OR
The beauty and nature of the Columbia River Gorge draw travelers year-round for exciting activities both indoors and out.
Plan
your trip around one of these incredible events, or decide last
minute on a weekend getaway for you and your spouse. 
BLOSSOM
FESTIVAL - March 27-April 11
NORTHWEST
CHERRY FESTIVAL - Fourth Weekend in April
FRUIT LOOP WINE CELEBRATION - Third Weekend in June
JAMMIN JULY STREET FAIR - 2nd Saturday in July
FORT DALLES DAYS & PRO RODEO - Third
Weekend in July
HOOD RIVER COUNTY FAIR - Fourth Weekend in July
Tri
- Cities Hydro Races and Air show - Late July - http://www.waterfollies.com/
CRUISE
THE GORGE - Cruise the Gorge Car Show" which takes place
Mid-August. Complete info regarding the show events and registration
can be found at www.midcolumbiacarclub.org
VAN
GOGH DAYS - August
Rasmussen Farms, Hood River
Celebrate sunflowers! Some 50 varieties of the bright blooms are growing in the garden at the farm. Paint or photograph them or cut some to take home. During the weekend, enjoy quilt and art shows and wine tastings.
DUFUR
THRESHING BEE - Mid-August
The Dufur Threshing Bee is held the second weekend
of August. Each year since 1971, the citizens of Dufur
have staged a threshing bee, to honor their history,
celebrate the crop just harvested, and share with
their neighbors the pleasures and rewards of working
together as a community. Visitors can see horse-drawn
antique harvesting equipment being used in the fields.
This is the only threshing event in the country that
uses horse-drawn machinery, and demonstrates every
step of the process from cutting standing wheat to
sewing up bags for shipping. The
Threshing Bee offers working demonstrations of authentic
horse-powered and steam-driven combines and other
farming equipment. In the late 1800s, harvesting a
wheat crop was no small matter. It took teams of 32
horses to move some of the harvesting equipment. Farmers
would hire in harvest crews, and everyone worked long
hours to get the job done. Farmers' wives' labored
to feed the crews, sometimes spending all day in portable
cook shacks preparing meals for as many as 30 men.
The Dufur Threshing Bee recreates this community wide
event, with fun, races, contests, an antique tractor
pull, and more.
WASCO COUNTY FAIR - Mid-August
4-H exhibits, carnival rides
and entertainment
KLICKITAT COUNTY FAIR & RODEO -
Mid-August
Goldendale, Washington
GRAVERSTEIN
APPLE DAYS - Late August
MARYHILL FESTIVAL
OF SPEED - Early September
This IGSA sanctioned event is a 5-day, multi-discipline
gravity sports competition. 200 of the top international
gravity sports competitors will compete in downhill
skateboarding, street luge, inline skaing and more.
HISTORIC DALLES DAYS - Mid- September
Downtown street fest, sidewalksales, territorial Express
Experience, Wagon rides and exhibits of old time daily
life.
541-298-1906
HOOD RIVER HOPS FEST - October
STARLIGHT
PARADE - November
29
Watch
The Dalles transform into a magical place Christmas lights, music,
and of course a visit from Santa Claus! Also enjoy the traditional
Chili Feed after the parade.
Columbia Gorge Maps
The Columbia Gorge River runs between WA and Oregon states in
the USA.
Head East from Portland, OR on I-84 to reach Troutdale, then Hood
River, then The Dalles, OR. Continue on to reach Pasco, WA.
View The Columbia Gorge Activities Map
View
the new 2014 Columbia Gorge Wine Tasting Map
Click for larger version of all 3 hotel locations
Holiday Inn Express, Troutdale Map Quest Link - Click Here
Celilo Inn, The Dalles Map Quest Link - Click Here
Comfort Inn, The Dalles Map Quest Link - Click Here
Columbia Gorge Links
Baldwin Saloon - Our famous historical restaurant in The Dalles from 1800's.
Big Winds- Recreation Gear
Celilo Inn Hotel in The Dalles, OR
Clock Tower Pub & Restaurant
Columbia Gorge Flyfishers
Columbia River Gorge Visitor's Association
Columbia Gorge Winegrowers Associaton
Columbia Gorge Windsurfing Association
Columbia Gorge Economic Development
Association
Comfort Inn, The Dalles, Oregon
Columbia
Wine Tours
Discovery Center - History Museum The Dalles
Dalles Dam
The Dalles Chamber of Commerce
The Dalles Chronicle
Goldendale Chamber of Commerce
GorgeOnline
Holiday Inn Express, Troutdale, Oregon
Hood River News
Hood River Scenic Tours
Hood
River Waterplay - windsurf lessons
The Hood River Classic
Maryhill Museum of Art
Maryhill Winery
McMenamins Edgefield, Troutdale
Mt.
Hood Meadows ski resort
River
Tap Pub - The Dalles
Water's Edge spa and fitness Facility, The Dalles
WAAM-The car/airplane museum in Hood River.
Troutdale Area Links
Multnomah
Falls
www.multnomahfallslodge.com
Plummeting 620 feet from its origins on Larch Mountain, Multnomah Falls is the second highest year-round waterfall in the nation. Here, all your senses will come alive as you experience the sights and sounds of these magnificent falls. At the base of the falls lays historic Multnomah Falls Lodge. Built in 1925 the lodge provides fine northwest cuisine with a panoramic view from your table.
Bonneville
Dam (30.0m E)
Visit the Bonneville Dam Visitor Center with its interesting
displays. Learn the workings of the massive turbine generators, and see the fish
ladders with glass viewing areas to view the migrating salmon in season.
Columbia Gorge Premium Outlets - www.premiumoutlets.com/columbiagorge
Portland Visitor's Association-www.pova.com
Sternwheeler Cruises
www.sternwheeler.com
Mt. Hood Community
College -www.mhcc.edu
West
Columbia Gorge Chamber of Commerce
www.troutdalechamber.org
