The Columbia River Gorge is one of the natural highlights of the Pacific Northwest. Only the Columbia River penetrates through the Cascade Mountain range and does so in a magnificent manner. Long an important transportation corridor whether rail, old highways, new freeways, canoes or flatboats. Waterfalls tend to bring the tourists to the Gorge along with the views of the immense canyon from spots like Crown Point on the Historic Columbia River Highway. But trails take you to the top of many other vista points as magical as those at the Vista House. Here are a few of my personal favorite Gorge views. Maybe you have others.
In no particular order with regard to personal preference, I present them from west to east.
Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint – Chanticleer Viewpoint
One of the most classic views of the Gorge comes from the view from the Vista House on Crown Point. On the Historic Columbia River Highway before you reach the Vista House you pass this popular viewpoint. From here, the view presents similarly with the addition of giving you a great view of the Vista House, as well. The best times for photos are either early in the morning for those sunrise shots or latter in the afternoon with the sun at your back. Winds can be a feature at any viewpoint in the Gorge.
Coming from Portland, you reach here taking the Old Columbia River Highway from the Troutdale exit off Interstate 84. Drive through the town and cross the Sandy River. The Old Highway then ascends out of the Sandy River canyon to a plateau where the villages of Springdale and Corbett await. The little park is about five miles from Troutdale and a mile past Corbett. Alternatively, you can drive further east on Interstate 84 to the Corbett exit – #22. Here, follow the signs for the “Vista House”. Corbett Hill Road takes you steeply up to the Old Highway on the east end of Corbett. Turn left onto the Historic Columbia River Highway and you reach the viewpoint in about a mile.
Crown Point
Crown Point with its iconic Vista House probably represents the best chance to experience views of the Gorge in its immensity for car-bound tourists. The view from here shows up in a multitude of publications. Built atop what used to be known as Thor’s Heights, the Vista House gives you a better appreciation for the history and beauty of the mighty canyon. The road and the house are added treats to the natural beauty.
You reach the iconic views along the Historic Columbia River Highway about a half mile further from the last stop. The drive to the east represents early automobile road construction at its finest with handmade stone walls and plenty of switchbacks as you descend through the forests of the Gorge.
Cape Horn
Not to be outdone, on the Washington side, along Washington Highway 14 sits a excellent viewpoint offering views further up the Gorge and offers an alternative view to the more trafficked Oregon side. As good as the views from the highway are, if you can find a parking place on the west side of the big curve bringing you to the top of Cape Horn’s cliffs, you can walk to even better viewpoints on the Cape Horn trail – both to Cape Horn Falls and high above the car viewpoint below. Cape Horn is about 14-15 miles east of Interstate 205 along Washington 14.
The hike north of the highway to the Nancy Russell Overlook is right at a mile. If you walk south a few hundred yards, you can gain an overlook of Cape Horn Falls. The trail drops down further towards the river from here but beware of seasonal closures in the spring because of nesting peregrine falcons. This trail is part of the Cape Horn Long Trail for which there is a small car park just north of Highway 14 to the east of Cape Horn off the Salmon Falls Road going north – left off the highway. The entire loop covers 6.5 miles including 1437 feet of elevation gain taking just slightly over four hours.
Angel’s Rest
For the rest of these viewpoints, we need to get you out of your car and lose some of those calories. First, from the Oregon side heading east from Portland we come to Angel’s Rest. This is a very popular trail. To get a parking spot come early. Exit off Interstate 84 at the Bridal Veil exit – #22 – and find the parking lot at the intersection of the exit road and the Historic Columbia River Highway. The trail reaches the top of Angel’s Rest in a little over two miles gaining 1437 feet along the way. Unmarked side trails go off to the left to visit the two waterfalls along Coopey Creek along the way. The upper falls you can peer through the trees at just before the trail crosses the creek on a bridge just above the falls.
The main views from this Rest extend to the north and especially downriver out of the Gorge to the west. Downtown buildings in Portland are visible sticking up in the distance. Here, the view concentrates on the exit of the mighty river from its Cascadian passage.
Devil’s View
I have already covered the hike to Devil’s View in a couple of posts. Normal routes to this viewpoint reach from the Angel’s Rest direction or from Wahkeena Falls to the north. From the Angel’s Rest trailhead, figure on one-way 4.1 miles via the Foxglove Way-Short’s Cut-She Devil way-trail#420C with 2316 feet of elevation gain and a 3-hour walking time.
The view here concentrates upriver towards Bonneville Dam and Beacon Rock area. Directly beneath, almost 800 feet down, is the wide Wahkeena Basin. Waters rushing over Wahkeena Falls emerge in a fully formed creek here running the short distance of a mile to the confluence with the Columbia River to the north. The effects of wind sparing upon the local forests in the Gorge here are on display from the 2017 conflagration. The trees in the basin below were spared as the high winds blew over the top or around the north side. Looking to the east shows much more widespread damage on the slopes leading higher. To the north, the Washington side of the Gorge rises up with Archer Mountain sticking out slightly. The three snow-covered volcanoes of southern Washington can be seen – Mt. St. Helens, the top of Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams.
Nesika View
New for me, I experienced the view from the benches of a viewpoint just to the east of the Trails Club of Oregon’s Nesika Lodge. Many maps do not show where the lodge is located. Maybe the TCO wants it that way, though the 4-mile 2339-foot gain one-way trail – 3 hors 10 minutes for the walk – leading to this viewpoint is probably the main reason for weekday solitude up here on the rim of the Gorge.
incredible history
The view again is to the east, but here, you perch much closer to the river. Freeway noise drifts up, as does noise from passing trains, though winds can modify sounds. This area was burnt over during the 2017 fire, and the lodge has emerged new once again. Again, the moods of the wind can be seen here and on the approach. Parts of the Multnomah Basin were burnt – especially around the rim of the Gorge where the lodge is – but other areas were spared.
Dating to 1923, Nesika Lodge became the home in the Gorge to the Trails Club members. The club began in 1915 with Samuel Lancaster as club president. Simon Benson bought the land around Multnomah Falls donating it to the City of Portland in 1915 when the highway was completed. Lancaster, in the meantime, served a pivotal role in overseeing the further construction of the Larch Mountain Trail. The trail runs from the base of Multnomah Falls to the top of Larch Mountain, a little over seven miles. Lancaster was in the initial party scouting the route of the hike. He also helped in the fund raising for the trail’s construction. The trail completed in September 1915 along with a shelter built atop the summit.
the lodge
The shelter has not survived but the Nesika Lodge has. Built at a height of over 1800 feet in elevation, quickly levelling out most day hikers at Multnomah Falls from a potential visit, the present lodge replaced the original in 1997. Damage to parts of the lodge – a water tank and sleeping dormitories were among the casualties – resulted from the 2017 fire. The fire also severely changed the landscape around the lodge, which survived. A great place to use as a hub for exploration in the Gorge forests above Multnomah Falls, the lodge – built by club members – seems a great reason to look into joining the Trails Club.
The viewpoint dates to at least 1933 when the club put in place the benches and stone wall sitting high above Waespe Point beneath to the east. Looking to the east, the fires burnt strongly scorching the forests of the ridges rising above the Oneonta and Horsetail Creeks, scaling up towards the Gorge rim summits of Yeon Mountain and Nesmith Point. Pictures on the TCO website shows the fire in its infancy as it raced west from Eagle Creek canyon.
incredible views
Being almost 400 feet lower than the Devil’s View, the Washington volcanoes are not in view from here, though the south edge of Mt. Adams sneaks into the picture barely. You are close at hand to some of the taller peaks of the north side of the Gorge, however – Archer Mountain with Beacon Rock and Hamilton and Table Mountains beyond to the east. At times, you can see the spray coming off the spillways at Bonneville Dam. The summit of Silver Star Peak is also noted to the north-northwest. Going back towards the lodge, views downriver more towards the suburbs of Vancouver-Camas come into slight view.
As you make your way to this viewpoint through the Multnomah Basin, reflect on some of the history of the area. Families used to try and make their way with little farms in the basin at a time before the highways below.
Munra Point
This is one of the few viewpoints I have not walked to. It was a short and very steep path up from Moffett Creek. The views from pictures I have seen are very dramatic overviews of the Bonneville Dam area from a knife ridge atop the point. The path, hard as it was, seemed a popular testing route, gaining over 1550 feet in under a mile. With the occasional obstinate behavior of the mountain corgi, it never was a good way to have dogs or children along for the trek. Access to path was off the Gorge Trail #400, a trail which suffered damage in many places from the fires of 2017. The area has been closed off since 2017 with no indication from the Forest Service whether it will ever open again.
Indian Point
Continuing further up the Gorge to the east past Bonneville Dam and Eagle Creek to the town of Cascade Locks. Get off Interstate 84 at the west end of the town – exit #44 – and drive through the town on US Highway 30 – Wa-Na-Pah Street – to pass underneath the freeway on the east side of the town. At the stop sign, ignore the signs to return to Interstate 84 and continue straight towards Herman Creek. Two miles further along, turn right at the sign for the Herman Creek Campground. At the end of this road is the trailhead for the Herman Creek Trail #406.
trails
Follow this trail for 1.3 miles and a gain of a little over 700 feet to a trail junction at what map’s note as Herman Creek Camp. From here you can either take the Gorton Creek Trail #408 for 2.5 miles further – total 3.8 miles to Indian Point gaining 2415 feet and losing 490 over just over 3 hours – or continue a short way on the Herman Creek Trail to the Nick Eaton Trail #447, turning left after three miles onto the Ridge Cut-Off Trail at the 3-mile mark. This route is slightly shorter at 3.7 miles but gains 300 more feet losing almost 800 feet over the same amount of time. One could easily make a loop out of the trek.
The two paths come together just above Indian Point. A short distance past the junction to the east – turn right if coming from the Nick Eaton-Ridge Cut-Off paths – looking for a user path which quickly and somewhat steeply drops 500 feet in a little under a quarter mile. A knife ridge extends out to the point which you can scramble up. Or just enjoy the views from the ridge, especially if the winds are blowing.
views
From here, you have magnificent views up through the eastern end of the Gorge, from Coyote Wall across from Mosier downstream past Dog Mountain and the two twin guardians of the river, Wind and Shellrock Mountains. Native legends have it that these two peaks represent Native American sisters who taught white men to fish for salmon. In retaliation, they were turned to stone. Mt. Adams and the confluence of the Wind River and Columbia are to the north. Interstate 84 runs almost 2000 feet straight beneath.
Powerline area of the trail to North Lake
Mount Defiance stands at the east end of the middle stretches of the Gorge rising above the Hood River Valley to the south and east. It rises so high but is set back enough so neighboring ridges block good views of the Gorge itself. The Mt. Defiance Trail #413 rises so quickly, it quickly becomes more of an endurance quest than an enjoyable hike – one way 5.3 miles gaining 5146 feet over 5 hours 35 minutes.
A little easier access to the top is the Starvation Ridge Trail which accesses the top of Mt Defiance. Going past North Lake, you gain 5308 feet but over a longer 6.8 miles in 6 hours 20 minutes. Looping the two trails gives 12.1 miles with 5640 feet gain and a long 10 hours 10 minutes. People use these trails to get in shape for climbing some of the Cascade volcanoes such as Mt. Hood of which you have a great view of its north side from the top of Defiance. I am not sure which is harder, the normal south route on Hood or Defiance.
views lower down
For the Gorge views, you do not have to climb so high, however. From the Starvation Creek State Park – exit #55 going eastbound only on Interstate 84 – take the Historic Columbia River Highway bike-walk path to the west. After almost 0.75 miles on the old highway track, the Mt. Defiance Trail takes off to the left at Hole-in-the-Wall Falls and climb another 0.2 miles to the junction of the Starvation Ridge Trail, the next path off to the left. Note, the Lower Lancaster Falls is but a short distance beyond to the west from this junction.
Now on the Starvation Ridge Trail, climb up over the Warren Creek canyon which you cross just beyond one mile out and then ascend five switchbacks to the top of the viewpoint reached underneath powerlines – 1.4 miles one way with 958 feet gained (367 feet lost) along the 1 hour 20-minute trek.
Views from the Powerline Viewpoint reach downriver focusing on the two Native American stone maidens – Wind and Shellrock Mountains, as well as Dog Mountain to the immediate north. Go in late May-early June, Dog Mountain’s green summit meadows blaze with thousands of yellow balsamroot flowers.
Mitchell Point
Here is another viewpoint I have not been to. I give credence to the views from those taken from Google Maps. The trailhead here has been closed for several years with the reconstruction of the Mitchell Point Tunnel for the Historic Columbia River bike and hike way. The finish time for this massive project was 2023 but now is the end of September 2024. We will see. The hike is only 5.2 miles with a previous unmarked add on visit to Mitchell Spur, the northern spur of Mitchell Point rising directly above Interstate 84, included in the trek. The hike takes in 1270 feet of vertical gain along the way. Read the Oregon Hikers post about this hike which Ollie and I will be doing … once the trailhead opens up again.
Gorge views are geared in the opposite direction of Indian Point – downriver taking in Dog Mountain, Cook Hill, Draino Lake and the remnants of the Broughton Flume while upriver you can see upstream towards the city of White Salmon. Adding in the top of the Spur brings a view more like the Powerline Viewpoint from down farther on the Gorge walls with the addition of the imposing Mitchell Point rising behind. The views look topnotch and with the new opening of the bike-hike way through the newly-constructed tunnels beneath the Mitchell Spur, parking spaces here at the trailhead will be hard to find.
Hamilton Mountain
Over now to the Washington side again. Hamilton Mountain rates high with hikers. The Gorge views from the top of the mountain are to be honest, just ok. From the top of the cliffs facing Bonneville on the south side about two thirds of the way up towards the top, however, register this hike on the ”to do” list for many hikers. Add in Hardy Falls, Pool of the Winds and Rodney Falls and you have one great hike.
It is located within the Beacon Rock State Park – Beacon Rock is another favorite of hikers as you hike the stairs to the top of the Rock – and while rating second-best hike in the park, the overall views of the Gorge from the top of the cliffs surpasses those much lower down atop the Beacon. So, like our last hike – Mitchell Point and Mitchell Spur – do both.
It is about a mile from the trailhead – parking is always an issue, plus you have to purchase a $10 Discovery Day Pass or a $30 year pass covering all Washington State Parks and Department of Natural Resource lands – to the waterfalls. Here, the hike steepens as you rise up to the shoulder of the mountain where you can step out onto the top of the cliffs, also known as Little Hamilton Mountain.
Table Mountain
The view from the top of the Table is one of the most amazing in the Gorge. From here, you gain a better appreciation of the power of the Earth in the form of landslides and the formation of the former Bridge of the Gods. Dan Coe’s cartographic presentation for the Washington Department of Natural Resources describes the how’s and where’s. Half of the mountain collapsed creating a dam across the river which eventually eroded away to the Bridge of the Gods told from Native American legends. The cliffs from the top drop straight away 1500 feet. You can easily make out the lumps left over from the ancient landslide, dotted with lakes just upstream of today’s Bonneville Dam.
access questions
I have been to the top four times, but not for several years now because what used to be a 9.5-mile hike and a gain of 4000+ feet has extended to 15.5 miles. The former hike was difficult enough. From the point where the Pacific Crest Trail skirts the base of Table Mountain, two routes go up. One is the Ridge Route, and the other is Heartbreak Route. The Ridge is a little easier – my corgi managed her way up and down without a problem if I could provide water and the motivating treats – but Heartbreak is not that much tougher. At this point on the mountain, I recommend going up Heartbreak and coming down the Ridge.
You also used to be able to access a road leading north off the top which went north to a small pass from which you could drop easily down to the PCT for your return, but alders have overgrown this route making it pretty much impossible to traverse at the last time I ventured up here.
summit views
On the top sits a nice little plateau where you can rest up before the long descent. The views are magnificent, Eagle Creek Canyon, Bonneville Dam, Stevenson, Mt Hood, Mt Adams and a host of other peaks, ridges, and other sites to peer at. Peregrine falcons use the cliffsides below to nest. Even when the hike was shorter, I rarely met anyone up here. I imagine there are even fewer people hiking the longer distance – from the trailhead just east off of Washington Highway 14 past the dam.
Wind Mountain
Wind Mountain is often overlooked as a hiking destination so closely located to the vastly more popular Dog. Native Americans used Wind as a place for young men to ascend and gain a better understanding of themselves and their standing within their culture as well. There are pits atop the peak where you, too, can replicate these feats of old. The views are outstanding downriver, just like from the neighbor, but you also have good views of the Dog to enjoy.
Dog Mountain
Here is another hike and view which I covered in an earlier post. The Dog is very popular. The popularity is earned in late spring and early summer with a profusion of floral delights illuminating the open summit meadows. This hike is considered by many to be in the very difficult category and you do gain a lot of elevation along the way – you also lose it too! The better your physical shape, the easier the hike goes.
Views are gorgeous downriver towards the Table Mountain complex. Boats in the Columbia River far below appear as tiny toys. The top of Mt Hood pokes its head above the Oregon rim of the Gorge. Mt. Defiance rises directly across the river, demonstrating another level possible in strenuous hiking beyond the Dog. The two Native American sisters transformed into Shellrock (Oregon) and Wind (Washington) mountains face each other across the mighty river.
Mosier Twin Tunnels
Another previous posting talked about the Twin Tunnels of Mosier. Part of the remarkable history of the construction of the Columbia River Highway now transformed into the Historic Columbia River Highway serving today as a bike and hiking paths. The views are dramatic from either of the two windows inside the tunnel. Windows were built to allow automobilists to see their way through the tunnel before the advent of electric lighting inside the rock caverns. On the eastern side of the tunnel near its entrance lies an observation point. From here the Columbia River syncline theatrically comes into shape in the form of the Coyote Wall across the river on the Washington side.
Rowena Crest – McCall Point
The Columbia River Gorge begins to reduce some of the drama as trees become fewer and mountain walls decrease ever so slightly. And yet, plenty of natural drama still parades on display. The routing of the Columbia River Highway over the Rowena Crest and down the switchbacks on the east side, I covered in another earlier posting.
Two great hikes take off from the large parking lot atop the crest. One short hike goes off over the plateau into seasonal flowers and basaltic cliffs on the west side of the road. To the south of the crest parking area, another somewhat longer trail heads up to more flowers, as well as expanded views upstream past Mosier and on towards Hood River. The flowers here are ever so gorgeous as on Dog Mountain and a little easier to reach. This area is owned by the Nature Conservancy meaning no pets are allowed on this trail.
Convict Road
The views from here might not be as far-reaching as the other spots we have already covered. But they are dramatic. This early 20th century attempt at road building here in the Columbia River Gorge, predates the roads on the Oregon side, instituted by Sam Hill. His story can be found here and the story of this road attempt can be found here. Walking along the old decaying road, you move along sheer cliffs with the new road and railroad below. The views of the river and the dramatic walls of Rowena Crest go together with the history painting a memorable story.
One can extend the visit here.
Coyote Wall
Coyote Wall views provide another example of the physical drama found within the Columbia Gorge. Like a couple other viewpoints, I have to rely on pictures for verification not having stood on the Wall, itself. Every time I ventured close to the trailheads, the massive number of cars parked have led me to look elsewhere. Here, hikers are outnumbered by mountain bike enthusiasts.
For views, you can look across the river. Pick out the Twin Tunnels just west of Mosier. But it is the awesome Wall itself that catches your attention and holds it. This is the most dramatic of several visible synclines in this region of the Gorge. The trick is just to catch it on a quiet day.
Your favorites?
What about you? Maybe you enjoy one or more of these magical viewpoints, as well? Or maybe another? Notice that mountain tops included here lie close to the rim of the Gorge. Other mountain tops sitting back further have wonderous views to their measure, as well. But those views do not always include the river in them – Mt. Defiance, Chinindere and Tomlike Mountains, —- Peak, Silver Star Mountain and Larch Mountain. They do allow one to observe what lies immediately beyond the rim. Their views are wider reaching not focusing as much on the might river and the canyon it carves.
Feel free to agree or disagree. We are talking about the awesomeness and simple stop-you-in-your tracks viewpoints here. It seems like a bit of magic every time, I put on my boots and begin another trek up into the majesty that comprises the Columbia River Gorge with my little corgi leading the way.