Columbia River Gorge
January 16 - 18, 2021
On a last minute, long weekend whim I decided to check out an area I had not visited yet - the Columbia River Gorge. The Columbia River runs from Canada, south and west across the Cascade mountain range, and finally out to the Pacific Ocean. The Gorge is an 80 mile section of beautiful canyon, cut by the river, that forms the boundary between Washington and Oregon. The road (on both sides) runs right by the river, making for a scenic drive. Trains and barges are a common sight carrying loads out to Pacific Ocean ports. There is plenty of great hiking up and down the gorge. And most famously, there are waterfalls...tons of them.
I had been playing with this trip idea in my mind for a couple days prior, but on Friday night I booked an Airbnb and decided to go for the long weekend. I quickly finished up some research on the area and threw my hiking gear into a bag to head out the next morning. My Airbnb in Stevenson, Washington proved to be a perfect location for a "base camp" of exploration up and down the gorge. Over the next two days I explored many hikes, waterfalls, and viewpoints on both the Washington and Oregon sides of the river. Check out my blog post Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls for a compilation of all of my waterfall videos from this trip.
I had been playing with this trip idea in my mind for a couple days prior, but on Friday night I booked an Airbnb and decided to go for the long weekend. I quickly finished up some research on the area and threw my hiking gear into a bag to head out the next morning. My Airbnb in Stevenson, Washington proved to be a perfect location for a "base camp" of exploration up and down the gorge. Over the next two days I explored many hikes, waterfalls, and viewpoints on both the Washington and Oregon sides of the river. Check out my blog post Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls for a compilation of all of my waterfall videos from this trip.
Day 1
Heading out from Seattle that morning, I made it to the Oregon side of the river gorge, just outside of Portland, before noon. I followed the Historic Columbia River Highway through the well-know "waterfall section" of the gorge. This area is highly trafficked with so many well known and easily accessible waterfalls. I stopped for short hikes at Latourell Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. I then headed further up the gorge to Starvation Creek Falls, Cabin Creek Falls, and Hole in the Wall Falls. The scenic views from the road, right along the gorge, make the drive a fun part of the trip as well. By late afternoon I reached the town of Hood River, Oregon and caught great sunset views of Mount Hood from Panorama Point and of the Columbia River from a waterfront park in town.
Latourell Falls, Oregon
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Bridal Veil Falls, Oregon
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Starvation Creek Falls, Oregon
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Cabin Creek Falls, Oregon
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Hole in the Wall Falls, Oregon
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Panorama Point, Oregon
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Hood River, Oregon
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Day 2
On my second day in the Columbia River Gorge I headed first thing in the morning to Multnomah Falls. This waterfall is the number one tourist attraction in Oregon. It is also the tallest waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge at 620 feet tall. Despite the touristy feel, I knew I had to check it out and going early morning I could beat the crowds. I agree with the tourists, it is beautiful. I took the extended trail about a mile to the top to get the bird's eye view of the falls and the raging river which feeds it. After a morning of cool, drizzling rain, I then jumped back in the car and headed east up the gorge to Columbia Hills State Park, Washington.
In Columbia Hills State Park, there are several trail areas to explore. I tried one, but it was closed for winter. I turned around and found another trailhead access point 3 miles up a gravel road. I figured I would check it out, what did I have to lose. Luckily, I was rewarded with a remote, beautiful hiking area on the Columbia River hillside. Unplanned finds are always the most fun! It was extremely windy, but the sun was out and gave amazing views of Mount Hood on the horizon. I went out exploring and taking pictures while piecing together a six mile loop hike. Every single time I go from the east to the west side of the Cascade Range it blows my mind. It couldn't have been more different experiences from morning to afternoon, but both fabulous in their own right.
In Columbia Hills State Park, there are several trail areas to explore. I tried one, but it was closed for winter. I turned around and found another trailhead access point 3 miles up a gravel road. I figured I would check it out, what did I have to lose. Luckily, I was rewarded with a remote, beautiful hiking area on the Columbia River hillside. Unplanned finds are always the most fun! It was extremely windy, but the sun was out and gave amazing views of Mount Hood on the horizon. I went out exploring and taking pictures while piecing together a six mile loop hike. Every single time I go from the east to the west side of the Cascade Range it blows my mind. It couldn't have been more different experiences from morning to afternoon, but both fabulous in their own right.
Multnomah Falls, Oregon
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Columbia Hills State Park, Washington
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Day 3
On the last day of my long weekend I had planned a few final stops in the Columbia River Gorge before heading home. I can say that the views did not disappoint at Spirit Falls, Beacon Rock State Park, and Cape Horn Lookout. All three locations are easy to access off Washington Highway 14, which runs right along the Columbia River Gorge. Spirit Falls is less than a mile roundtrip hike (but very steep) from an unmarked trail near Cook, Washington. Beacon Rock State Park offers many trails that ascend up to great views overlooking Beacon Rock and the Columbia River. I headed to Little Beacon Rock Peak and relaxed for a bit on a rocky outcrop to enjoy the views. Finally, as I started the drive home, I stopped off at Cape Horn Lookout. The lookout is simply a tourist pullover along the highway, but the views are not to be missed!
This was a fun-filled weekend and I highly recommend visiting the Columbia River Gorge. The winter seems to be a great time - if you can luck out on a few nice days of weather that is. I was fortunate with upper 40s and no rain. This time of year the water is running high in all the waterfalls, there are fewer tourists, and plenty of great low elevation (snow free) hiking to keep you occupied.
This was a fun-filled weekend and I highly recommend visiting the Columbia River Gorge. The winter seems to be a great time - if you can luck out on a few nice days of weather that is. I was fortunate with upper 40s and no rain. This time of year the water is running high in all the waterfalls, there are fewer tourists, and plenty of great low elevation (snow free) hiking to keep you occupied.
Spirit Falls, Washington
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Beacon Rock State Park, Washington
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Cape Horn Lookout, Washington
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