The Columbia River Highway.
The Pacific Northwest series continues. This post will cover a relatively short distance: about 45 miles (72.5 km) on the Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway in Oregon. The highway – about 70 miles (112.7 km) in total distance along the Columbia River – was constructed from 1913 to 1922 and remains an outstanding engineering and aesthetic achievement in western American roadbuilding.
In 1983, the road and associated designed landscapes were listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and in 1984 the American Society of Civil Engineers named the road a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. It became a National Scenic Byway-All American Road in 1999, and, a year later in 2000, much of the highway, together with trail segments, was designated as a National Historic Landmark thereby recognizing the road as a significant national heritage resource.
It is an amazing drive. We started out in Hood River and got on the Byway en route to Portland. Incredible views of the Columbia River Gorge, with one waterfall after another, in a lush temperate rainforest with huge ferns and moss dangling from the trees. It’s almost dreamlike. We did the western portion between Hood River and Portland.
If you find yourself in the Portland area, this one’s worth a day trip. Caution: I have read that as of 2022 – as is the case with many US national parks these days – a timed entry by permit is now required. See this link. This was not the case back in 2015 when I did this drive with my Berkeley friends.
It hugs I-84 for some of the drive, but the proximity to the freeway did not take away from the quality of this drive, so please don’t be put off by the map below. There’s plenty of distance for most parts of the drive.
The epic Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery 1805-06 expedition came right through this stretch of the Columbia River as they approached the Pacific Coast.
I am going to skip my own commentary as of this point and let the photos do the talking. Here’s one more link for some more background on the drive if you would like to read some more.
Next post: Portlandia!
Enjoy.
Click on (or tap) an image to expand it (and use the arrow to the right on an expanded image to go through the set, if preferred over scrolling down in the post).
Springdale, Multnomah County, OR, 2015.
Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway (1913), OR, 2015.
Horsetail Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway (1913), OR, 2015.
Stairs to Horsetail Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway (1913), OR, 2015.
Horsetail Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway (1913), OR, 2015.
Near Horsetail Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway (1913), OR, 2015.
Horsetail Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway (1913), OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Multnomah Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Railway bridge by the Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway (1913), OR, 2015.
Highway bridge on the Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway (1913), OR, 2015.
Detail of a highway bridge on the Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway (1913), OR, 2015.
Latourell Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Latourell Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Latourell Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Latourell Falls, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Another highway bridge, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway (1913), OR, 2015.
Vista House at Crown Point (1918), Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Vista House at Crown Point (1918), Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Crown Point, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Vista House at Crown Point (1918), Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Vista House at Crown Point (1918), Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
Vista House at Crown Point (1918), Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
The view of the Columbia River from Vista House at Crown Point, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.
The view of the Columbia River from Vista House at Crown Point, Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, OR, 2015.