JUST OUT TRAVEL
s the cost of gas rises with rhe thermometer,
reasons to play. Price hopes more Portlanders come
Fkxxl—3,000-year-old ice dams in present-
the summer is an excellent time to discover
to appreciate the breathtaking views this coveted
day Montana, melting and ripping out the
your own back yard.
yet convenient spot has to offer.
Columbia 15,000 years ago.
A
Closer than some may imagine, the Columbia
Whether you’re a professional windsurfer or a
Or keep your clothes on at the west
River Gorge offers rich views and opportunities at
first-time camper, the following list of fun-filled
end of the park. The park offers a chal
a fraction of the cost that you may have spent on
gorge activities will suit even the least butch
lenging disk-golf course and a variety of
a road trip.
among your bunch. Complete with
views from picnic areas and shelters, trails
exit numbers from Interstate 84,
throughout and river access for boaters
descriptions and experience level,
this guide should save you gas, tune
■ I and stiff muscles. Even if your idea
and windsurfers.
T”; 1
of camping includes a hairdryer
Wahkeena Trail and
Falls (Exit 28)
and HBO, Price says, “There’s
Experience Level: moderate to difficult
something here for everybody.”
Length: 4.8 miles through the trail, 6.4 miles
to the waterfalls
Time: 4 to 5 hours, depending on experience
Nestled quietly on the Columbia River
Historic Highway, one of the most visually
dense roads in the gorge, this hike promises a
lot—and delivers. Summer-bkxtming wildflowers
and wild game are out and about in this remote
location. Some parts of the hike are strenuous but
worth the workout. The morning hours give visi
tors a more solitary opportunity to take in flora and
fauna.
The Vista House (Exit 22)
Experience Level: none
Length: a beautiful 10-minute drive off 1-84 on
the Historic Highway
Aptly allied the “million-dollar rest stop,” the Vista
House is the best place in the gorge for a pit stop.
Built in 1918, the fancy wayside cost $100,000
to build—and was restored to the tune of $1.4
million. This may sound opulent for such a stark
spot, but this prime location on Crown Point is a-
tribute to the Historic Highway’s engineer, Samuel
Lancaster. Even the parks department’s Price, who
beholds views from the Vista House daily, insists
Kevin
it’s his very favorite place on the river.
W.
Price, assistant area
m a n a g < • r t (> r 111 c O r c g c > n
Be sure to bring a camera for this gem. On a
clear day, views of Mount St. Helens, Mount Hrxxl
.¿’'--M $
Parks and Recreation
and miles of the Columbia River, with its jagged
Department, has seen
striations and mammoth landscape, are visible and
breathtakingly photogenic. ©
25 years of change in
state parks but nothing quite as dramatic as the
east end
gorge itself. Inhabiting 97,000 acres, 500 miles of
is as far as you need to venture for a European ex
Oregon State Ranger and freelance writer W est
hiking trails and countless ways of enjoying them,
perience. Also exposed is the view of the gorge as
D uncan can be reached in the woods somewhere or
the state parks in the gorge offer plenty of ways and
it bends through gaping walls made by the Brentz
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