Much windier here. Stopped by after having lunch nearby. There's plenty of parking. Saw many…read morefamilies and people flying kites & a surfing. There are restrooms. Nice park to just enjoy the water & people watch.

Known as the 'Windsurfing Capital of the World', Hood River is a small city in Oregon, on the banks…read moreof the Columbia River. It is known for its concentration of craft breweries in the downtown area, and the ability to consume alcohol publicly on open sidewalks and parks. My wife, mother-in-law, and I drove intentionally to see the city during our visit to the Gorge, and stopped by the famous Park next to the River. It was drizzling and cold this day, so finding free street parking was easy. We found a place to sit, and admire the brave souls surfing. There is a small beach area, and children life jackets to share. And a nice grassy area with playground equipment.

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.

It is such a beautiful and scenic drive each and every time going through the Columbia River Gorge!…read moreIt's something I never tire of and there are so many things to go see both on the Oregon and Washington side of the Gorge. One of the most notable places to stop is Multnomah Falls. It's a highly popular place and it is certainly understandable as to why but it is best to go early. You may even need to look into getting a reservation in order to get a parking space as well... because yes... it is actually that popular all year round. There are so many cute little towns through the Gorge as well. Hood River is a favorite of ours and I believe it's a favorite for a lot of people but Cascade Locks is nice as well and the Washington side has cute towns as well. On the Oregon side is Interstate 84 but don't explore this Interstate or route as a quick, brisk route to get east to west (or vice versa) as you cannot go typical Interstate speed through the Gorge. The curvature of the road and through this long stretch simply doesn't allow you to do that so it would be worth looking into alternate routes as possible if quickness is the only thing in mind otherwise you kind of just have to endure the reduced speeds. The Columbia River itself one doesn't have to repeat how beautiful it is but it's understandable if you do. River activities never fail to mesmerize. Like the group of people we once saw sailing down the river with boogie boards ( perhaps there's another name for it I'm not in the know with that) and the almost other worldly appearance of numerous fisherman on boats once fishing season was in full swig in the early morning. It's something one can never get tired of, The Columbia Gorge and I enjoy it each and every time I drive through it. It's breathtaking and truly one of essential drives to partake if visiting Oregon.

This area is an absolute must see if you are in the Portland area. It is really gorgeous. We drove…read moreto the visitor center and from there hiked up toward Multnomah Falls. It is a great way to get your steps in while surrounded by nature at its finest. There a number of waterfalls in this area and if you don't have time to get out and hike, there are some that can be seen from your car while driving by. We spent most of a day driving and hiking to the waterfalls using a map we got from the visitor center. It was raining during our visit, but we still got to see some beautiful scenery. There's a restaurant at Multnomah Falls Lodge in case you are looking for a place for lunch while in the area.

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 small little park outside of Hood River . The view was amazing . Mount Hood towering over the…read moremany orchards and wineries was breathtaking. Well worth a small side trip.

A surprising gem in the middle of nowhere! While on a drive through Hood River, this was an…read moreexcellent stop, not just for a bathroom but also to stretch legs, take some photos, and enjoy the quiet.

Great hike good views to get to the punch bowl water fall took about a hour and a hour to get back…read morebut you can keep walking after that fall if you like longer hikes o recommend going early to find parking

Eagle Creek is now on my top 10 of hikes of all time…read more SO many waterfalls on one trail :') AND I didn't even get to see all of them! I did the 10 miles round trip to Tunnel Falls, and boy, was it well worth it. It was mostly flat with some twists and turns, gradual inclines, and narrow walkways. Good thing I had snacks, a lunch wrap, and a smoothie because that helped me get through! If you're up for it, this is a MUST! Btw it's salmon spawning season, and you can see all of the salmon swimming upstream at the very start of the trail. So cool!

A short, but pretty cool trail in BZ Corner along the White Salmon to a waterfall…read more We noticed this falls mentioned in an online article. Since we were hiking nearby, we decided to drop by and check it out. Clearly a popular drop-in site for rafters and kayakers, the day-use site has plenty of parking, as well as toilets. From the lot the trail starts off with a rail system to assist in sliding crafts down to the water. Pretty cool setup, I'd actually never seen this type of system. Once you reach the base of the cliffs, the hiking trail takes off to the left while the rails continue to the right and down to the water. The trail is an out and back about a 1/2 mile with various types of footing...planks, a boardwalk, rocks, and dirt...all fairly muddy right now. We also had to hopscotch through running water a couple times, nothing huge though. The trail runs between the cliffs and the river all the way, and with the waters running fast right now the sound was fabulous. It comes to an end on a platform overlooking a small falls in the river, as well as one coming over the cliff...the latter of which was pretty hidden in the brush and trees currently, but you can get a peek of it. There's actually a gate on the platform that allows you a bit more access to get a closer view of the falls. We got a bit muddy last weekend, but to be expected this time of year. The trail is quite pretty, with one exception at the end. Unfortunately someone has dumped a couple old tires over the cliff that settled just below the partially hidden falls off to the left of the viewing platform. Such a shame... Overall it's a short and easy hike for most any ability in a pretty river setting. Not too shabby... besides those tires. Grrrr.

Moderately challenging, the "non-launch" trail is a neat walk. A good view of the power of the…read moreriver, the trail was dry on this spring day. It's less groomed though so shoes with decent grip would be well-advised.

A cute small park on the edge of the gorge of the Columbia River valley. There is ample parking…read more The edge is a short 50 yard walk with a view of the gorge . It a beautiful view well worth it.

Teeny, tiny park with expansive views of the magnificent Columbia River and the basalt cliffs of…read morethe Gorge. It's worth a stop just for the view, in every season. The reason I love this specific view so much is that it incorporates the rugged cliffs of the Gorge to the left, a magnificent vineyard below, and the beautiful Columbia River with the basalt cliffs of WA to the right. In the spring, everything is so green and lush! In the fall, the trees and bushes peppered amongst the cliffs are vibrant orange and gold. In the winter, on a snowy day, wow! Even in the dead of winter and early spring, it's still beautiful the neon lime green moss contrasting against the gray rocks and blue sky. The area is fenced in because the park is perched on the cliff. There is one part where the fence jets out a bit and this is perfect for the money shot. The grassy ground is uneven, lots of big rocks, so if you are unstable, like me, bring a walking stick or cane. There are a couple of picnic tables in the shade if you want to enjoy a meal, just take all the trash with you when you leave. The parking lot is very small but I've never had a problem finding a spot. Sunset is my favorite time to visit.