The Essential Guide to the Columbia River Gorge

For travelers heading to Portland, Oregon, the two-drop, 620-foot-tall Multnomah Falls in the nearby Columbia River Gorge is usually a must-see. But while the gorge is home to North America’s greatest concentration of waterfalls, they’re just a drop in the bucket of everything this river canyon has to offer.

Stretching over 80 miles in length and reaching depths of up to 4,000 feet, the Columbia River Gorge—a designated National Scenic Area since 1986—is a geological wonder. Formed by volcanoes and carved by Ice Age floods, it’s a land of contrasts, where rainforests and woodlands coexist alongside semi-arid grasslands and rugged bluffs. Framed by looming basalt cliffs, the Columbia River cuts through the landscape, marking the boundary between Oregon to the south and Washington to the north.

“The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is the largest and most ecologically diverse scenic area in the nation,” says Krystyna Wolniakowski, the executive director of the Columbia River Gorge Commission, an organization that protects the National Scenic Area.

As well as being an outdoorsmen's paradise thanks to its diversity of landscapes, gorge-goers will also find the area is a food haven, with farms, orchards, and an American Viticultural Area wine region that supports “gorge-to-table” dining.

Here's what you need to know before planning a trip to the Columbia River Gorge.

Best Hotels & Resorts

Skamania Lodge

Surrounded by 175 acres of woodlands, the grand Skamania Lodge offers a choose-your-own-adventure style of stay with traditional lodge rooms, cabins, glamping tents, and elevated tree houses. After hiking in nearby Beacon Rock State Park or trying onsite activities like golf, the spa awaits with restorative massages or hot tub soaks before dinner.

Sakura Ridge Farm & Lodge

Located on a working farm and organic apple and pear orchard roughly eight miles from Hood River, Oregon, the five-bedroom, log cabin-style Sakura Ridge has everything you'll need for a romantic getaway: cozily-appointed rooms, soaking tubs, and dreamy views of Mount Hood. Start each day with a breakfast of seasonal, fresh-from-the-farm goodies, and enjoy additional culinary delights like bento boxes and chef-led private dinners.

Society Hotel

The boutique Society Hotel is set in an old schoolhouse and has the complete traveler accommodation toolkit: bunk rooms, private rooms, and cutesy cabins. Easy on the eyes with its sleek, Scandinavian-style design, the spa and bathhouse is a stand-out perk with a saltwater soaking pool, al-fresco hot pool, cedar sauna, and cold plunge.

Under Canvas Columbia River Gorge

Open seasonally from late spring to late October, Under Canvas's newest property fully immerses you in the gorge’s outdoor splendor with its stylish glamping tents. Glampers can enjoy views of Mount Hood from the site’s hilltop perch near White Salmon, Washington, as well as on-site amenities like locally-sourced grub, nightly s’mores, and fun programming, like live music.

Best Things to Do

Chasing waterfalls here is a given, but there’s so much more to see and do, outdoorsy or otherwise. “We encourage people to recreate responsibly when visiting these fragile and beautiful ecosystems,” says a U.S. Forest Service spokesperson, reminding visitors to follow Leave No Trace principles and acquire any necessary permits.

Hit the trails, roads, and waterways.

Adventure abounds here, both on land and in the water. Hiking is huge, with over 200 trails that delve deep into the woods to lush canyons like Eagle Creek, or head skyward on leg-busting routes with worth-the-pain vistas. “My personal favorites are hiking up Dog Mountain … for the wildflower bonanza in May, and to Rowena Crest viewpoint,” says Wolniakowski. Cyclists can bike through cliffside tunnels and along car-free sections of Oregon’s Historic Columbia River Highway and State Trail, and the gorge has watersports-lovers covered with kiteboarding, windsurfing, paddleboarding, whitewater rafting, and kayaking.

Get fishy.

The Columbia River and its tributaries have anglers firmly on the hook as renowned fishing spots. The spring salmon run brings over a million Chinook, sockeye, and coho, but there’s plenty of year-round catches like walleye. If you’re lucky, you may get a sturgeon on the line—these prehistoric “living fossils” are the biggest fish in North America and reach up to 800 pounds. In the fall, head to the Bonneville Fish Hatchery to see spawning coho and Chinook.

Go bananas along the Hood River Fruit Loop.

Okay, you can’t find bananas here, but you can find apples, pears, cherries, blueberries, strawberries, and much more growing in abundance, thanks to the Hood River Valley’s unique soil composition. Taste the bounty for yourself along the Hood River Fruit Loop, a collection of 32 farmstands, wineries, and eateries spread throughout the valley, and pluck your own seasonal goodies at “U-Pick” farms around the area.

Whet your whistle at wineries, breweries, cideries, and distilleries.

Grab a post-hike pint of craft beer or glass of gorge-grown wine; there are roughly 12 craft breweries and over 30 wineries to choose from, plus cideries and distilleries. Sip on high-altitude pinot gris paired with Mount Hood views at Loop de Loop Wines, watch windsurfers as you sample beers made with locally foraged botanicals at Ferment Brewing Company, or enjoy zero-proof cocktails and flights at Wilderton Aperitivo Co., the U.S.’s first non-alcoholic distillery and tasting room.

Go beyond the gorge highlights.

Head to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum to learn more about the area’s human history, from ancestral Indigenous residents to Lewis and Clark’s voyage. It’s also worth making the 45-minute drive from Hood River to Mount Hood for summertime paddleboarding or wintertime skiing.

Nightlife

Stay up late for stellar stargazing from lookouts like the Vista House at Crown Point, a popular waystop among motorists since the early 1900s, who come to bask in the gorge’s grandeur. On rare occasions, the northern lights have made appearances.

Best Restaurants

Sugarpine Drive-In

Kick off your trip at Sugarpine Drive-In in Troutdale, Oregon, at the gorge’s western entrance. Housed in a refurbished 1920s gas station, pull up to the drive-through window to order sumptuous sundaes, simple soft-serves, or hearty soups and sandwiches like waffle-ironed grilled cheese with tomato soup.

Grasslands Barbecue

This Hood River barbecue truck is only open a couple of days a week, but it’s worth planning your day around; the Texas-style barbecue is some of the best in the Pacific Northwest. Load up trays with oak-smoked brisket, hatch chile, cheddar sausages, and pulled pork, plus sides like mac and cheese. Go early, though—they sell out fast.

Hiyu Wine Farm

Recognized by the James Beard Awards for its outstanding wine program, Hiyu Wine Farm’s culinary events are among the Gorge’s most coveted seatings. Experience “sense of place” meals made with seasonal goods grown or foraged on the property, paired with boundary-pushing natural wines.

White Salmon Baking Company

Fuel up for a day of hikes, bike rides, or winery-hopping with breakfast at White Salmon Baking Company. Satisfy savory or sweet cravings with avocado toast or pastries, and grab a Reuben panini for the road. Leavened with wild yeast, the breads are divine, with rotating flavors and varieties.

Solstice Wood Fire Pizza & Bar

If you think fruit doesn’t belong on pizza, this spot for wood-fired pies along the Hood River waterfront may convince you otherwise. Local pears complement blue cheese and caramelized onions, and cherries sing alongside chorizo sausage and goat cheese. For the pizza purists, there are plenty of other options, which also make full use of local ingredients like mushrooms and Columbia River salmon.

Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit the Columbia River Gorge is late spring through early fall to take full advantage of long, balmy summer days, perfect for being outdoors. At the height of summer, popular sites like Multnomah Falls can get crowded, especially on weekends, so plan your sightseeing accordingly. Springtime is a favorite of locals thanks to vibrant wildflower blooms like lupine and balsamroot, and autumn brings leaf-peeping in the forests and vineyards.

How to Get There

With Portland and the Portland International Airport (PDX) being just a 10-minute drive away, the western entrance to the gorge is the best point of access. Traveling by car along Oregon’s Highway 84 or Washington’s State Route 14 is worth it for the views alone, and it takes about an hour to drive from Portland to Hood River or White Salmon at the gorge’s eastern terminus.

Cities To Visit

Hood River

Known as the windsurfing capital of the world, Hood River is also one of the gorge’s main hubs for dining, shopping, and stays. After a Scandinavian breakfast at Broder Øst, spend the day cycling through the surrounding farmlands or riding the Mount Hood Railroad before winding down over beers and ‘za at the Waterfront Park.

White Salmon

Surrounded by wineries, hiking areas, and rivers with world-class whitewater rafting, Washington’s White Salmon sits across the Columbia from Hood River. Even though the great outdoors calls very persistently here, be sure to spend time in town checking out its thriving art scene at galleries and workshops.

Cascade Locks

Situated about halfway through the gorge, this tiny town is worth a stopover. Grab burgers and soft-serve at the retro Eastwind Drive-in, chow down on smoked salmon quesadillas and Columbia-caught fish at the Indigenous-owned Brigham Fish Market, and snap a picture on the Bridge of the Gods.

How to Get Around

Renting a car gives you the greatest ease of access, but there are ways to go without. The Columbia Gorge Express links Portland, Troutdale, Multnomah Falls, Cascade Locks, and Hood River on the Oregon side, with select Washington routes during spring and summer. Shuttle services like Sasquatch Shuttle also relieve congestion at popular sites like Multnomah Falls.