A simple yet beautiful trail that is fully paved and meanders down towards the river providing…read morevast, expansive views of the magnificent Columbia River. If you visit during wildflower season, it's even more beautiful with colorful wildflowers covering the fields. This trail is one of the few ADA accessible, which I really appreciate. While I do not use a wheelchair, I do have a disability and my legs can not handle the dirt and rock trails that are uneven. So having a paved path means that I can enjoy the gorgeous nature in this area. Wildflower season ranges from end of March to June, but every year is different based on the weather. This year (2022) was a very cold and rainy spring which delayed and prolonged the season. In April the hills were covered in yellow balsomroot and then blue lupine. End of May and heading into June, the next wave of flowers brings shades of blue from the delicate cornflowers with California poppies providing vibrant pops of orange Along the way. It's stunning! Wildflower season is my favorite season! Along the path there are many benches for those wanting to just relax and chill; some in the shade, some in the sun. There are also placards providing info on the area, the wildflowers, and the importance of pollination. The Catherine Creek paved trail is south of the parking area, which is a gravel section along Highway 8. Cross the street, the access is just past the porta potty. If you want the Catherine Creek Arch trail, it is on the same side as the parking, just head up the hill on the dirt trail. It's an easy 1.5 mile paved path that does have some declines and inclines as you make your way down, around, and then back up. If you head clockwise, you can see the creek to your left. If you decide to go off the paved path down to the creek, know there is a lot of poison oak and ticks. I stayed on the path, which is clear and well maintained. Note for wheelchair users - the path is wide and paved, but there are some areas where it slopes down and then makes it way back up. Another great thing about Catherine Creek Trail and Catherine Creek Arch Loop is that parking is free, no day pass required. The parking area is on the smaller side and on weekends, especially during wildflower time, it does get crowded. I went midweek and there was plenty of parking and I only came across two people on the path. Great for people of all ages and skills. For expert hikers, do the Catherine Arch first then finish with Catherine Creek.

The trailhead was pretty busy Saturday afternoon, but there's a decent amount of parking along Old…read moreHwy 8 at the head. There are trails on both sides of the Hwy...according to the trail map only two above 8 and one below within Catherine Creek, but another trail leads towards Coyote Wall. We only took one uphill loop this day. The trails are quite narrow and the footing mostly uneven and rocky. The views are stunning throughout, and the flowers are emerging. As the trails wind mostly through the open ridge there is almost no shade...sunblock sunblock! It's an enjoyable spot for a hike for sure, although for me not quite AS pretty as the nearby Labyrinth Trail. We will definitely return to complete the other trails...good times.

My wife and I set out for an adventure from East Vancouver, heading to Dog Creek Falls, which we…read morereached in about an hour. The falls are conveniently located right off the highway, with ample parking available. In fact, we had the place to ourselves for the first 25 minutes or so. From the parking lot, it's just a short, easy walk--about 100 yards--to the falls. The waterfall is absolutely stunning, with crystal-clear water cascading into a serene, picturesque setting that feels tucked away from the world.

A small waterfall...especially if compared to the endless supply of spectacular falls along the…read moreColumbia Gorge. There's a nice sign for Dog Creek easily seen when traveling along the 14. If you're heading west you might not see the turnoff to the parking area until you pass it. There's a decent amount of parking available, but no toilet or trash bins. Dog Creek is sweet and in a peaceful setting. The falls are easily seen from the highway, but a very short path leads from the lot to the water. A small and simple single drop falls comes down from the canyon, however we took the drone up and could see there's quite a bit more to the river and falls higher up...we did not attempt to venture up there though. There's a small pool at the base of the falls and great shade. I could see it be a nice place for families to picnic and kiddos to splash around in the summer. In an area full of fabulous hikes and sites Dog Creek Falls might not stand out, but it's a easy place to stop off the highway and quickly enjoy a falls with the fam.

TLDR: Mostly great trail except it passes directly by the dump and has terrible signage…read more I had read somewhere that there was a 7.5 mile trail from Riverfront Park to The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. From Downtown The Dalles, I had an easy time finding the trail, and finding my way to Riverfront Park. According to the map, the dam is only an additional 2.5 miles east of the park. But, the unpaved section of trail about a mile past the park had a lot of glass and other debris in it, so I decided to turn around. Heading west of Riverfront Park, I had a hard time figuring out where to pick up the trail. There is little to no signage. I kept riding past the dump, thinking, "This can't be right," and turning around. Turns out that the trail is just past this. So, ride until it smells really, really bad. Ride until it smells like death, and then turn right when the road runs into the Google data center. This is where a small aux trail runs from the wide paved Industry trail to the real Riverfront trail. The section from Google to the Gorge Discovery Center is by far the best section of trail. If I only had an hour or two to do this trail and knew everything I know now, I would park at the Discovery Center, and ride from there. Between Google and the river, there is a mini bike park with tables for snacking and stretching, a water bottle refill station, and a bike repair station. There were a lot of older couples and children walking along the trail, so this is not necessarily a great trail for riding fast, but it is very pretty. The views of the volcanic bluffs and basalt deposits along the river are unique and distinct from the rest of the Gorge. Due to the recent fires, a lot of the trees and shrubs on the east side of the trail are currently missing. Even though that's obviously sad, it's resulted in amazing views of the river from the trail. The very last section of trail climbing up to the Discovery Center is a kind of brutal switchback. Coming back down the other way, I got hit by a strong gust of wind that I swear almost blew me straight into the river. I would be very cautious about riding with small children in this area. From the bike trail, you can see so many things that you can't see from the road. There are lots of little inlets full of moss and birds that you would never notice from the freeway. Overall a very pretty trail except for the ride by the dump.

Located in the Columbia River's edge, the Riverfront Trail in The Dalles offers expansive views of…read morethe Columbia River, the basalt cliffs along the Washington side, and The Dalles Bridge and powerful dam with lots of wildlife to see along the way! The ten mile trail goes from The Discovery Center to The Dalles Dam Visitor center winding along the southern bank of the Columbia River. The path is paved, which is why I like it, and it's about 10 feet wide. Plenty of room for those walking, biking, pushing strollers or walking with pets. There are often eagles soaring above, especially from November through January when migrating eagles stay here to feast on the fish and critters. If you go at dusk, there are 50+ nesting in the trees in front of the dam. During the summer, there are hundreds and hundreds of pelicans. They are fascinating to watch, their fishing skills just incredible. They stay together in their flock and when they are hunting, it's a sea of these big white birds diving in and out of the river. Winds can be fierce in this area, which means the current on the river is equally fierce so be aware! And careful. There are also deer in this area which means ticks so wear socks, long pants and stay in the trail. Make sure to check yourself and your dogs after walking especially if you are your pets wander through the grasses. Located off exit 85 on I-8, it's easy access while driving through this area or staying in The Dalles. It's part of Riverplace Park so there are shaded areas with picnic tables, public restrooms and plenty of parking.

This hike kept coming up again and again in reviews, so I came to check it out and I just don't get…read moreit? I can see the appeal for mountain bikers but as a hiker there are so much prettier places around! This felt like a desolate land speckled with burned trees, dried out grass and black rock. This may hold a certain wind swept novelty for some but coming from the desert, not what I was looking for. Maybe it's best in the early spring? By late June the creeks were all dry. The trails were also confusing and didn't match the maps in my guides. There are signs posted that the government has taken to trying to consolidate the unauthorized mountain bike trails so this seems to be a work in progress. Also be careful out here, I ended up turning around because I was quite sure I saw a mountain lion hop into some trees higher on the ridge-line. Just my humble opinion as a tourist and wanted to share my 2 cents since was so highly regarded!

This feels like a Westerosi road. Maybe "THE" Westerosi road…read more It feels like the trail through forests and hills and meadows that used to to take Game of Thrones characters many seasons to get through, but was being traversed in a single day in later seasons. These rolling hills and creeks are reminiscent of Scottish highlands. The trails are very moderate and you can make your hike as long or as short as you please. Only downside is that you don't have tremendous Cascade views, just peaceful valleys and babbling brooks.

Just back from a killer overnight backpack to Benson Plateau!…read more I was the only person on the Plateau mannnnn, it was really beautiful. Got to check out Camp Smokey, Hunter's Camp and the camp I set up at, Benson Camp. The site is right there in the middle of the Plateau, right next to Ruckel Creek. I started my 6 1/2 mile hike from Wahtum Lake, then took the Pacific Crest Trail, north. . . to Benson Plateau. The one way trip takes me about 3 1/2 hours, and I'm not young! Check my photos mannnnnnn!

We hiked the Benson Plateau last weekend. My first observation after hiking there is that Mark S's…read morecommentary is entirely accurate with one exception. The final stretch from Camp Smokey to the Plateau can be pretty tiring. (He may be in better shape than me). Ruckel Creek can get pretty buggy if it is warm so bring a net, bug spray and some tolerance. On the return trip there is a small area on the hikers left about 1/2 mile above Camp Smokey. We were there around 7:30 AM to make coffee and take in the incredible views. Interestingly enough we also went 23 hours before we say another person. Great place to hike!

I just did this trail with a local hiking group a few nights ago, and it was hard!…read more We met up in the parking lot at about 6pm, and were on the trail by 615. It took us until about 830 to reach the summit. It's about 3 miles each way, depending which path you take. After about the first mile, the trail splits into "difficult" and "more difficult." We took the difficult side up, and it was pretty steep at times. Most of the trail was relatively wide and smooth, but there were a few rocky/root-y sections. In the last half mile to the top, the blackberry shrubs were taller than I am. The path was so overgrown that we had to push through the branches with our whole bodies. About half a mile from the top, there is a great viewpoint called Puppy Point where you can see the Gorge in both directions, especially to the west. When I saw how much balsam root there was on the hillsides, it made me regret not doing this hike sooner. Now I'm going to have to come back sometime to do it in spring. Once we got to the top, everyone else in the group started sitting down to watch the sunset. I'd forgotten my sweater and headlamp in my car, and I was getting cold. I asked the group how long they thought we would take to hike down, and they said two hours. This was when I decided to part ways. It took me one hour to get down. Good thing my phone was fully charged, because, I needed the flashlight. I accidentally took the more difficult route down, which explains why it seemed steeper than I remembered. For a 6 mile hike, this is a really good hike. My thighs almost feel as ripped as if I just hiked Dipsea or Half Dome.

This is one of the best hikes I've ever been on. It was extremely tough, but absolutely worth it…read more The wildflowers were breathtaking. Extremely windy and foggy at the top. It was rough but I would do it again!

Rowland Lake, formally named DeBois Lake, is so beautiful ! This little lake is so picturesque,…read moreespecially in the spring when the wildflowers are in bloom and growing along the slopes, framing the water. If you have driven along SR-14 four miles east of Bingen, then you have driven through Rowland Lake, literally, since the SR-14 and the train track cut through the lake! It makes for some pretty spectacular photo snaps! When you turn onto Old Highway 8 there is a small parking lot and a few areas where you can pull over to take in the scene. Further up the hill on Old Highway 8 is a pull off area for even better views from above. If you are heading to Catherine Creek area or Syncline Wines, you will pass Rowland Lake. It's worth pulling over for a few minutes to take in the beauty. The north lake is stocked with trout, both rainbow and broodstock. There are two fishing openers: the first is from the last Saturday in April through the Sunday before Thanksgiving.; the second is the Friday after Thanksgiving through February. People have also caught bluegill, crappie and largemouth bass. Check their website for details. There is a small boat launch area; electronic boats only. WA access pass is required if you are spending time here other than just pulling over for a few quick pics. I walked around, took pics, then headed to Catherine Creek.

Secluded lake park perfect for those who want a lake to themselves…read more Boat ramp available but the lake is not large enough for anything more than Jon boats. Plenty of well worn trails around the lake, some leading down to the banks to fish alongside. All trails are fairly easy for all ages. Views are serene. Ample parking, bathrooms available but bring your own wipes ;) *Warning* as there is no fresh water source to circulate, signage indicates extreme toxic levels especially during warm weather seasons. Safer to avoid during the summer.

this lake has leeches i was there 2 weeks ago and when I got out the water there was one on my footread more