Dougan Falls is so incredibly beautiful. My wife and I go there at least once in each season. This…read moreFall the water was so powerful and it was pouring outside which was a lot of fun because we like outings in the rain! We were the only ones there but there is plenty of parking even when it's busy. Just make sure you have a "Discover Pass". You can swim there in the summer too. It's just a peaceful beautiful place to be and the drive up the Washougal River is beautiful too.

East to access (not wheelchair accessible tho for going down into the water). There is a restroom…read moreand a garbage bin. I enjoyed my visit but do bring a spare trash bag and help keep it clean. Few bad apples leaving food to rot on the rocks and cans/bottles and doggie bags left behind. Could use more visits for the trash service as the bin was overflowing and folks were not packing out their trash as they should have.

Crown point is the highest spot in the Columbia scenic driveway. There are plenty of parking lots…read moreall around the Vista house building. From the lot, you get to see a stunning view of the Columbia River and its surrounding landscape. The Vista house is a dome like structure, mostly made of stone like material. It is closed during middle of the week. The interior is a small space. To me, the view of the landscape much superior than the building itself.

A beautiful observation point on the Historic Columbia River Highway with stunning views of the…read moreColumbia River Gorge and the mountains. It's a great place to stop and enjoy the scenery. There's no entrance fee, but parking fee needed. I've visited in both winter and summer, and the experience was quite different. In winter, it was extremely windy, while the summer (mid June) visit was pleasantly cool with almost no wind, making it much more comfortable to explore. The upper level was closed during our visit, but we still able to visit the basement, there's a small museum, souvenir shop and a café. The staffs were very friendly, welcoming, and knowledgeable, making the visit even more enjoyable. Definitely worth a stop if you're driving along the Historic Columbia River Highway.

Portlandia...I actually think I have heard of the TV show of the same name before hearing the…read moreexistence of this statue. But the statue definitely came prior to the show. The trident wielding woman is enormous and is awe inspiring and beautiful and perhaps to a certain kind of man perhaps intimidating but that isn't necessarily a problem there. This statue is on the Portland Building and if you simply wall by or near it's nearly impossible to miss. This is also an attraction where there is no fee to take a look at it as it can literally be seen quite easily from the public sidewalk. Yet another iconic downtown Portland landmark that is not to missed!

Nice statue. I believe this is the second largest copper statue in the United States after the…read moreStatue of Liberty. I'm impressed by the vexillology that is also used here, since there's a flag of Cascadia along with the flag of the city of Portland, OR.

I found this popular overlook while driving by the Columbia River Gorge in Corbett. It's known for…read moreits panoramic views of the gorge and a beautiful view of the Crown Point Vista House. I learned that The Portland Women's Forum purchased the land to prevent development & to preserve the natural beauty along the gorge & then later donated it to the state in 1963. The names of all the women are listed. I love the location of this overlook as it's easy to view from the roadside which makes it an easy stop for travelers on the Historic Columbia River Highway. This is also located right next to Chanticleer Point.

Ah! The last free viewpoint on the historic hiway 30 going east.As of yet still no parking fee…read moreunlike Vista House and others. Been coming here for decades and the view never disappoints. Plenty of hikes nearby. No amenities. And the viewfinder is gone. Needs a lil TLC but a lovely stop on Larch.

The Bridge of the Gods... now that's a name that carries some weight…read more And it should because long before this steel beauty ever stretched across the Columbia River Gorge, there was something else here. A real, honest-to-God land bridge. A massive landslide hundreds of years ago choked the river and let people cross on foot until the river fought back and tore it apart. The Native legends say the gods themselves had a hand in building it... and destroying it. Fast forward, and now you've got this 1926 cantilever bridge about 1,800 feet of steel hanging out over the Columbia, standing roughly 140 feet above the water like it's got something to prove. Now here's where it gets personal. Years back little younger, little dumber, definitely more ambitious I ran a marathon. And by "ran," I mean I survived it with forward motion and questionable decision-making. But the moment I remember? Crossing this bridge. No crazy wind that day. Just... calm. Which is rare out there. You're up high enough to feel it, but not fighting it. Just steady. You look out, and it's cliffs, rock, river, and sky all layered together like somebody took their time building the view. And that's the thing about this bridge it sneaks up on you. From a distance, it's all structure. Steel, angles, purpose. But when you're on it? It's exposure. You feel the height. You feel the space. You realize real quick this isn't just a crossing it's a moment suspended out over something much bigger than you. There's history under your feet. Legends in the rocks. And yeah... maybe a little bit of your own story tied into it too. It's not flashy. It's not trying to be

Amazing views over this famous bridge. Worth the $3 (cash or card) to cross in either direction -…read morethe views are spectacular in this part of the gorge.

This is a climb! Especially with my two bad knees. I'm glad I took the challenge because the views…read moreof The Columbia River are so gorgeous from above, but it's a one and done for me! Start the climb at the Horse Brew Pub and catch the first of six steep, cement steps. I was there on a sunny day but if you do the stairs in rainy weather, make sure you have appropriate shoes. no flip flops in any weather! The stairs - with hand rails - climb up to the neighborhoods with houses on the bluff overlooking the river. Lucky people! You wind up then gradually loop your way back down. There are some little, and I mean little, neighborhood parks and some have a bench to rest on while enjoying the view and stillness. I definitely had a rest. Once back in Hood River there are countless things to do! So many breweries that also serve hard cider, shops, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, wine tasting, ice cream - all walking distance and concentrated on three main streets, Oak and Cascade the most popular.

What a blast we had going up and down these stairs!! Other folks were friendly. Quite the workout…read moreand the view is wonderful! Can't miss this when you come into town. Makes the shopping or a coffee break all the more worth it

Came out early (7:30) on a Sunday morning and there was ample parking and it wasn't crowded. That…read moreleft the stairs and trails open for a wake up "run". The stairs killed me, lol, but it's what I came for. After reaching the top, we veered to the right and got a great view of the reservoir... which led to more stairs. Looped around the park and made my way back to the car. Best parking is near 69th and Yamhill/Tabor. Will be back to check out other trails at the park.

The origin of stairclimbers. Up or down the workout is real ~ trails paved or unpaved, playground…read morefor little ones or sports courts, horseshoe pit, picnic tables everywhere and off leash area for pups. Street park at the bottom of limited lot at the top. Bathrooms at the summit as your reward. This volcanic cinder cone is an awesome bicycle hill climb and fun descent. One of Portland's best parks.