Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WINERIES
Overlooking the depths of the Gorge,
Cascade Cliffs Winery
(8866 Hwy. 14, 509/767-1100,
www.cascadecliffs.com
, 10 A.M.-6 P.M. daily)
produces some deliciously obscure red wines. The winery has the distinction of bringing the first Washington-grown barbera wine to market and
is one of the few Washington wineries to produce nebbiolo. The exposed-beam warehouse tasting room (11 A.M.-5 P.M. Fri.-Sun. Apr.-Nov.)
gives visitors the opportunity to sample wines.
The real centerpiece of the Gorge's winery scene,
Maryhill Winery
(9774 Highway 14, Goldendale, 877/627-9445,
www.maryhillwinery.com
,
10 A.M.-6 P.M. daily) sits next door to the museum on a terraced cliff over Maryhill State Park 's lush vegetation. Its comfortable tasting room
and patio afford the most breathtaking scenery at any winery in the state. Much of the vineyard sits on a level below the tasting room terrace, its
rows seemingly extending to the very lip of the Gorge. The panoramic view of the vineyard, the Gorge, and Mount Hood in the background make
for unbelievable sunsets. The patio is pleasant when the wind doesn't whip up too much, and the tasting room itself is an elegant affair with a
river-rock fireplace and an enormous 12-foot-high oak and inlaid mirror bar built during the turn of the 20th century. Also on the premises right
next to the winery arbor and tasting room is the brand new 4,000-seat Maryhill Winery Amphitheater, which draws summertime shows such as B.
B. King and Crosby, Stills and Nash.
See
CASTLE NOWHERE
STONEHENGE REPLICA
Three miles east of Maryhill is another unexpected attraction. On a hilltop surrounded by open grass and sage sits a poured-concrete
replica of
England's Stonehenge
(7 A.M.-10 P.M. daily) but with all the monoliths neatly aligned. Built by Sam Hill, an ardent Quaker and pacifist, the
array is a monument to Klickitat county's 13 men who lost their lives in World War I. It is meant to illustrate the needless human sacrifice of war
and is believed to be the nation's first World War I memorial. The ashes of Sam Hill himself are in an urn just down the slope from Stonehenge.
ORCHARDS AND FRUIT STANDS
Just down the hill from the Stonehenge replica are fruit orchards surrounding the small settlement of Maryhill, with its New England-style white
church and old steam engine. The
Maryhill Fruit Stand
and
Gunkel Orchards
sell some of the finest peaches, apricots, cherries, and other fresh
fruits that you'll ever taste.
Sports and Recreation
Maryhill State Park
(509/773-5007) is five miles east of the Maryhill Museum and right along the Columbia River near the intersection of
Highways 14 and 97. Maryhill State Park offers Columbia River waterfront access for boating, windsurfing, and fishing. A $7 fee grants you
all-day access to one of two boat launches and a nearby dock. Once you dry off, you can also unwind taking a stroll and looking for waterfowl
along 1.1 miles of trails here. The park is open for day use 6:30 A.M.-dusk in summer and 8 A.M.-dusk the rest of the year. You can also camp
here year-round, in 50 full-utility RV campsites ($24), 20 standard tent sites ($17), and showers. Make reservations ($7 extra) at 888/226-7688 or
www.parks.wa.gov
. A
Travel Information Center
here has Columbia Gorge and Washington State information seasonally.
You can also camp or park RVs along the river at
Peach Beach Campark
(509/773-4698).
The stretch of Highway 14 between Maryhill and McNary Dam is some of the most sparsely populated country in Washington. Dry grassy hills
provide grazing land for cattle, and a few scattered old farmsteads are slowly returning to the land. The land is bisected by tall power lines march-
ing like misshapen insects over the landscape. There's not much traffic here, so tune in to the Spanish-language radio station, KDNA (FM 91.9)
for music. Two bucolic settlements—
Roosevelt
and
Paterson
—are the only signs of human life on this side of the Columbia.
John Day Lock and Dam
The John Day Lock and Dam, 24 miles upriver from The Dalles and 6 miles east of Stonehenge, gave birth to Lake Umatilla and produces enough
electricity for two cities the size of Seattle. Here you'll find one of the largest single-lift locks in the world, hefting vessels 113 feet. At the dam
on Oregon's I-84, enjoy the fish-viewing room, visitors' gallery, and Giles French Park, which has a boat launch, a picnic area, and fishing.
A good portion of the power generated is used in the enormous Columbia Aluminum Corporation plant that stretches for two-thirds of a mile
next to the dam. Camp for free at undeveloped
Cliffs Park,
approximately three miles off the highway on John Day Road.
Bickleton
For a pleasant side trip, drive north from Roosevelt to the farming town of Bickleton, with a friendly café on one side of the street and a tavern on
the other. Bickleton has the unique distinction of being the bluebird capital of the world; houses for the little guys are everywhere. The bluebird
