Nice park with fabulous views…read more We dropped by Sorosis this weekend, looking for somewhere new to stretch the legs. It's a lovely drive up, and you get amazing views of the gorge from the lot. There's plenty of parking around, and it appeared that the park has a little something for everyone: ball fields, play ground, disc golf, green space, and a walking path around the perimeter. You're not going to get a hike in here, but a spot to stretch it's got. The grounds looked clean and it appeared there were some improvements in the works. Nice, peaceful park. :)

With expansive views of The Dalles and the majestic Columbia River, Sorosis Park is a gem! Located…read moreat the top of the appropriately named Scenic Drive, this beautiful park has an abundance of offerings. Lots of grass and shady spots to keep you cool on a sunny day with several picnic tables, too. Even a gazebo. A large playground and sprinklers to keep the kids entertained. For those interested in a run or walk, the mile long trail provides great views along the way in every season. There is a softball field and a disc golf park plus a small rose garden. Lots of parking and there are bathrooms, too. Plan your time there so you can catch a spectacular sunset as the day comes to an end.

Great spot for families- especially if you have kids! Awesome spot for swimming in the summer as…read morewell, there's a little sandy area for easy access to the river for swimming.

A pocket park, as it states online, seems like a fitting description. We were looking for different…read moreaccess to the Riverfront Trail, and that pretty much sums up Klindt Cove. It's got a decent sized lot, as well as bathrooms. Clearly a desired resting spot for geese...watch your step...there is a bit of green space and some benches overlooking the water. There's also a handy-dandy bike repair station -- nice touch. It really is a great midpoint access point to the trail, should you just want to wander a couple miles one direction or the other. The views along the trail are nice, and bird sightings pretty common. Maybe not a park so much, but for it's obvious intended purpose, it's doing it's job.

With plenty of shaded picnic tables, a walking path, large open grass area, water access and public…read morerestrooms, this is a family friendly park. There is even a small, very small, playground area for little kids. There are beach / river access areas but I didn't see any lifeguards. If you aren't from this area, be aware of the extremely high wind speeds and currents. I'd recommend just dipping your feet, not swimming! There is plenty of parking, even on the busiest days. Located off exit 85 on I-84, just minutes from downtown The Dalles, the Riverfront Park is open Memorial Day through October 31st, Dawn til dusk.

One of the most beautiful spring landscapes in the PNW, the open slopes of the Dalles Mountain…read moreRanch section of the Columbia Hills Historic State Park turn yellow from the millions of arrow balsam root flowers that bloom. It is truly an incredible sight and the flowers cover thousands of acres. The balsam root are the first to appear followed by blue lupin. The next wave brings delicate blue bachelor buttons and bright orange California poppies. Since wildflower season is my favorite season, I visit often from March through June to watch the symphony of color that adorns the hills. The Dalles Mountain Ranch, was purchased from rancher Pat Bleakney in 1993. The 3,338 ranch includes Horsethief Lake and the many historic pictographs across SR-14 along the Columbia River. The open slopes of the old ranch attracts hikers in all seasons with a developed trail system with several loop options. The sweeping views of the Columbia River and Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams on a clear day are incredible! This area is so peaceful and serene. There is a dedicated parking area about 3.5 miles up the gravel drive past the old ranch and barn with vault toilets making it very convenient. Day pass is required and there is a kiosk in the parking area. This is the Gorge so it can get very windy! I've been there in the wind and have had days with no wind at all. Just be prepared for either end of the spectrum! No real shade so wear a hat and sunscreen. The trails are dirt and rock so I always brink walking sticks because I need the support. And yes, there are signs warning about rattlesnakes, part of the high dessert ecosystem so pay attention.

There are only 5 previous reviews and mine was one. Guess cuz everybody enjoys the showy wildflower…read morehike - too busy looking at all the incredible photos to post on Yelp. I'll be short. Go to "wildflowersoregon.org" and find out when and where flowers are blooming in the Columbia River Gorge. We started the trail at Dalles Mountain Ranch and hiked 5.5 miles (elevation gain 800 feet) on a figure 8 loop carpeted with Balsamroot and lupine over the hills after hills as far as you can see. Showy wildflower display! The huge pedal Balsamroot are a bit past prime but the lupine are stellar now along with Phlox, Tretelia, Buckwheat and more. Put on a good pair of hiking shoes. Bring a smart phone or digital camera for breath-taking views. Whew! With the clouds yesterday - 5 stars *****

Lovely park in The Dalles, easy walk from downtown area just follow the Riverfront Trail. The…read moreLewis & Clark Park is right before the Union Street Underpass. Lots of green space, some water features, a covered area with lots of tables to picnic, a paved walking path, and most important, clean bathrooms! There entrance to the park is beautiful, a long and wide sidewalk leads you to the Pavillion designed in a mid century mod style with a wall of glass windows and doors so you can see right through to the gorgeous view beyond. The building is stunning! Lewis & Clark Festival Park is open to the public and it's also available for private events like weddings, reunions, business functions, etc. Visit their website for fees and requirements. In warmer weather there are also concerts that are well attended. They have their own parking lot which makes it convenient. If there is an event and the lot is full, plenty of street parking nearby. Oh, and the park is dog friendly!

Railroad ......been waiting 45 minutes to Cross into park!! From out of town. So disappointed in…read morethe city and the rr!!! Got to pee !!!

For sweeping views of The Dalles, Columbia River below, and surrounding landscape stop at Kelly…read morePoint View. Located along East Scenic Drive across the street from Sorosis Park, the views are spectacular, especially at sunset when the entire sky is illuminated in vibrant colors. For those that enjoy history, Kelly Point is dedicated to the memory of Virgil Kelly who made many contributions during his years of service city councilor (1939 -1961) Kelly View Point is also the site of several veterans' memorials honoring those that served our country in various wars, and who gave the greatest sacrifice. Take the time to visit each memorial, read the inscriptions and honor those that selflessly served. The memorials are: the Loren R. Kaufman Monument, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Veterans Memorial, and the Desert Shield-Storm Memorial. This area has its own parking strip so you can pull right up. Perched overlooking the expansive landscape of The Dalles below, it's a beautiful spot. There is a great walking path across the street if you want to enjoy a one mile walk and really take in the sweeping views. There are always people walking and jogging along the path. Across the street is Sorosis Park with a playground for the kids, picnic tables, covered gathering areas and restroom facilities.

A lush, beautiful state park located off I-84 near Rowena. After passing by more times than I can…read morecount, I decided to venture off the highway to check it out. Was so surprised and delighted by the incredible views of the basalt cliffs across the way, and of course, close up views of the magnificent Columbia River. There is an area under the trees with picnic tables, a perfect spot to gather for a meal after a nice walk or hike. Plenty of parking, great views, peaceful and serene - a gem.

We pulled off recently to check out Mayer. In our camper van, it was a lovely, quiet spot to enjoy…read morea stretch and a meal. It seemed to be more like a county park in feel, with plenty of parking, some picnic tables, and toilets. They had a recycle bin alongside the trash cans...loved to see that. Albeit a cold December day, we only saw a couple of cars come and go while we were there. From signage it appears to be a good windsurfing area at other times of the year, so I'm sure it gets much busier. Nice little stop-off along the gorge for a view, a stretch, or a picnic.

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.

A great small area to let your dog run off leash. However, they are closed for the winter. There is…read morea baseball field across from there. You must pick up after your dog if you let them run there.

This is a decent size off leash dog park. Lots of space for the dogs to run and play. My grand…read moredogs love it here, they get so excited. It gets busy around 4-5, you will find all different kind of dogs that frequent this park. There is a bucket there for people to donate toys for all the dogs, such a great idea. They have two picnic tables for seating. Great place, remember to pick up after your dogs!!