Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
COLUMBIA GORGE DISCOVERY CENTER
The pre-eminent museum in all of the Gorge makes its home in the unassuming town of The Dalles. The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center lays
out a fascinating mix of exhibits detailing the geography, flora, fauna, history, and culture of the region. With presentations on the Lewis and Clark
expedition, the building of the historic highway, and even an up-close-and-personal birds of prey demonstration, this museum makes the drive to
The Dalles well worth it even if that's the only thing you do on the eastern section of the Gorge.
THE DALLES DAM
“The Dalles” is from the French (
La Grand Dalle de la Columbia,
meaning flagstone), a reference to the basaltic rocks lining the narrows. In
the pre-dam days, this was the most dangerous point in the river for early navigators who approached a virtual staircase of rapids called Celilo
Falls. Most Oregon Trail travelers opted to portage around the rapids at The Dalles. For centuries the falls were a major fishing spot for Native
Americans who caught salmon as they headed upstream to spawn. When Lewis and Clark visited this area in 1805, they reported a village of 21
large wooden houses and called the place a “great emporium ...where all the neighboring nations assemble.”
The Dalles Dam (exit 87 off of I-84, 541/506-7819) was completed in 1957 and the half-mile-long powerhouse now produces some 1.8 million
kilowatts of power. Some salmon still make it up this far, and Native American fishing platforms can occasionally be found on both sides of the
river. Check out the dam with a free tour through the power generation and fish passage areas. Tours leave the dam's visitor center at 11 A.M. and
2 P.M. on weekends between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Visitors have to be U.S. citizens, over 16 years old and must come with photo ID.
FORT DALLES
The Dalles initially sprang up as a pioneer and military outpost in the 19th century. Learn about the area's history, check out pioneer and military
artifacts, and an interesting collection of antique wagons at
Fort Dalles Museum and Anderson Homestead
(500 W. 15th St, 541/296-4547,
10 A.M.-4 P.M. daily, $5). The museum is inside the old Surgeon's Quarters, the only remaining building left of the fort. Nearby, the Anderson
Homestead is a quaint little cottage built of hand-hewn logs in 1895 and now furnished with antiques representative of the era.
DESCHUTES RIVER RAFTING
Splash your way up and over the Deschutes River east of The Dalles on a half-day, full-day, or overnight expedition led by
All Adventures Raft-
ing
(509/493-3926,
www.alladventuresrafting.com
,
$79 for full-day trip). This long-time river-running outfit has been guiding these waters for
over 40 years and can arrange exciting class III through class IV trips or set something up calmer for a raft and fish combination trip. Unlike
many of the Columbia tributary whitewater trips that take you through frigid waters that require many layers of neoprene, this hot-weather trip is
a tank-top and sandals type run the way that most people envision rafting should be.
Entertainment and Events
Check out the gorgeous 1900s-era backbar at the historic
Baldwin Saloon
(205 Court St., 541/296-5666). Serving some of the finest wines the
Gorge has to offer, the saloon is a might bit less rough and tumble than back when it was built in 1876 right near the town's train tracks. A squat
brick building that's been restored with care, it is now highlighted by an 18-foot mahogany backbar with big scrolled columns and an original
mirror trimmed with stained glass paneling.
Held the second weekend in July, the
Fort Dalles Days and Rodeo
(
http://fortdallesdays.com
) is the big shindig in town each year. Expect to
see the buckin' broncs of a pro rodeo, plus a street fair and 5K fun run.
Accommodations
Hidden away on a Gorge-view property featuring a colorful garden, a creek, and a little pond,
The Mosier House
(704 Third Ave., 541/478-3640
or 877/328-0351,
www.mosierhouse.com
,
$85-145) lies in a beautiful Queen Anne Victorian built by the little town's founder in 1904. Each of
the five rooms has its own unique benefits—one with pretty stained glass windows, another with a beautiful Gorge vista, another with a garden
view, and so on.
The only hotel settled directly in the middle of The Dalles' historic district,
The Dalles Inn
(112 W. 2nd St., 888/935-2378) presents an afford-
ably posh alternative. With sleek linens, pillow-top beds, flat screen televisions, and free Wi-Fi, rooms come with all the goodies. Also included
are in-room coffee makers, fridges, and microwaves. The property sports a heated pool and fitness center and is extremely pet-friendly.
Even though the building's designed to look like a quaint farm building,
Cousins Country Inn
(2114 W. 6th St., 541/298-5161) won't make
you feel like you're staying in a barn. The neutral palette and clean lines of the guest rooms feel more like a trendy urban inn. Flat screen TVs,
free Wi-Fi, and leather seats are the norm and some rooms come with fireplaces. The pool here is small, but there's a nice indoor whirlpool and
you'll be able to work out for free at an offsite fitness center.
A boutiquey twist on the typical roadside stopover,
Celilo Inn
(3550 E. 2nd St., 541/769-0001) has sweeping views of the Gorge. Accented
with chocolate-colored backboards and wine-colored chairs and throw pillows, the classy rooms appeal to the wine-taster crowd who come here
after a day tasting at Maryhill across the river. Enjoy a glass of wine on the patio or take a dip in the pool, both of which face the Columbia.
