Every mile is worth the drive on the Big Sur Coast and Columbia River Gorge.
The Historic Columbia River Highway is the first scenic byway in the United States to be designated a National Historic Landmark. It also was the nation’s first highway specifically designed for sight- seeing and is so highly regarded for its design, which includes 23 unique stone bridges, that it has been designated a National Historic Engineering Landmark. History is clearly written all over Oregon’s marvelous highway, but the narrative of the Columbia River Gorge through which it passes on its 70-mile route from Troutdale to the Dalles was written well before the 1918 comple- tion of the highway. The Lewis and Clark Expedition paddled through the gorge in 1805 on its daring quest to reach the Pacific. It also marked the end of the original Oregon Trail. Enough history. Let’s get on with scen- ery, which, after all, is why the highway was built in the first place. Shortly after beginning the drive in Troutdale, you’ll have a couple of opportunities for gor- geous views of the Columbia River Gorge
that’ll set the stage for your trip. It’s said that the view from the Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint (originally named Chanticleer Point) inspired engi- neer Samuel Lancaster to start construc- tion of the highway back in 1913. Views from 733-foot-high Crown Point are equally stunning, but the real attention-getter here is Vista House, an elegant domed observatory built of native gray sandstone in 1918. It’s typical of the exquisite stonework you’ll see along the highway in its bridges, viaducts, retaining walls and lamp posts, all the handiwork of Italian stonecutters and masons. Waterfalls are a leading attraction in the Gorge, and there are dozens of them. Latourell Falls is hard to spot from the highway, but a short jaunt up a paved path leads to a clear viewpoint of the falls’ pounding 249-foot plunge. Move in close to feel the spray. A five-minute walk is all that sepa- rates you from the exhilarating spray at the base of massive two-tier, 611-foot Multnomah Falls, about 10 minutes up
the highway. This is the granddaddy of them all, and you should continue anoth- er couple of hundred feet up a paved trail to Benson Bridge, which spans the falls at the misty base of the first tier. It’s a knee- wobbling view from here over the second tier’s 69-foot drop. A mile-long hike leads to the top of the falls, from which there’s a splendid overview of the gorge. A hand- some stone lodge at the base features a gift shop and a restaurant with great views of the falls. Before you reach the highway’s ter- minus in the Dalles, there’s one more must-do on your itinerary: a visit to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Wasco County Historical Museum. This stunningly beautiful 48,200-square-foot facility, honored for its design by the American Institute of Architects, features state-of-the-art multimedia and interactive exhibits. Nature trails circle the grounds. For More Information Federal Highway Administration fhwa.dot.gov/byways
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