Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Columbia River Gorge is a bi-state region enjoyed best from both Washington and Oregon.
The next crossing isn't for another 35 miles further east. There, between Cascade Locks, Oregon, and the outskirts of Stevenson, Washington,
the Bridge of the Gods runs over a narrow Columbia River passage, so named for an ancient land bridge that once formed here from a massive
rock slide. The bridge costs $1 to pass each way. It is also, interestingly, the route Pacific Crest Trail hikers take to hike their way up the Washing-
ton section of the trail. Just east of the Bonneville Dam and west of Stevenson's nicer lodging, plus several miles east of Oregon's most accessible
Gorge waterfalls, this link provides a nice means to connect shorter loops on the “wet”western portion of the Gorge byways.
A little over 20 miles past that, the Hood River Bridge connects Hood River, Ore. with White Salmon, Washington. This river crossing gives
Gorge travelers the ability to stay in the nicer accommodations in Hood River while still being able to pop over to enjoy the rafting and fishing on
the White Salmon River and enjoy the wildflower-studded trails of Washington in this section of the Gorge. Over 20 miles east of that The Dalles
Bridge provides a vital link between the largest city within the National Scenic Area and the windswept Columbia Hills area of Washington. Many
campers who stay at Washington's Columbia Hills State Park cap off their trip with a meal in The Dalles.
The last bridge within the Gorge's designated scenic area is an additional 20 miles east. The Sam Hill Memorial Bridge crosses the Columbia to
connect Maryhill, Washington, to Biggs Junction, Oregon, and offers the opportunity to take the grand loop of all of the Gorge from either side of
the river. If you were to start in Vancouver, drive east through Maryhill and Biggs Junction and then back west through Portland and Vancouver,
the total drive time would equal about 4.5 hours straight through.
Situated in the crook of the elbow bend in the Lower Columbia River, Vancouver serves as a gateway to the Columbia Gorge, Mount St. Helens,
and Portland just across the river. The unique riverside geography allows Vancouver to hang on to its slow-paced charm in spite of its inclusion
in the metropolitan Portland scene, giving visitors a healthy blend between big city convenience and small-town relaxation. Much of the city's
appeal is drawn from its colorful history, which is vividly illustrated at the town's premier attraction, the Vancouver National Historic Reserve.
Vancouver National Historic Reserve
No trip to Vancouver would be complete without an excursion to the Vancouver National Historic Reserve (from I-5 take E. Mill Plain Blvd. and
turn left at Fort Vancouver Way), a trove of history and scenery that unfolds over hundreds of acres. Curious travelers will stumble upon a recon-
structed Hudson's Bay trading post, the only complete row of restored 19th-century officers' homes in the nation, and one of the oldest operating
airfields in the country.
