Juldie

There's a wedding in Portland in mid June and there will be many out of town guests from the east coast. Some are coming just for the wedding and will only have about 6 hours on a weekend day to "experience" driving through the gorge.

I want to give people a guide of sorts with a suggested driving route and options of things to stop at along the way. Essentially, the most bang for their buck time wise and beauty wise. What stops along the way are highly suggested? I imagine they will want to get out and see some water falls, not sure the best ones to recommend that don't require real hiking in to.

Of course i realize they won't be able to do the Gorge justice but it seems to me it is still worth their while. Any help you have I would appreciate. From research I did on line, I came up with the following links. Are these any good or can you give me a link that's best? Thank you.

http://traveloregon.com/trip-ideas/i...er-gorge-loop/

http://gorgelodging.com/about-the-area/travel-planner/

http://www.historicthedalles.org/col...waterfalls.htm

http://www.columbiariverhighway.com

Tomsd

I didn't check these links but just head East from Portland on 84 and take the turn to the frontage road for the 7 main waterfalls, Multnomah being the one with the day lodge and it's the highest.

The turnoff - assuming no major traffic - is what - a half an hour or so from Portland?

Juldie

Tomsd, appreciate it but I do want to send people a link to orient them and give them more guidance in where they are going.

Gardyloo

Try this - http://goo.gl/maps/hhuWD - the historic Columbia Gorge Hwy from Troutdale to just past the Oneonta Gorge, then back on the freeway. Stop at the Portland Women's Forum and Vista House turnouts, then Latourelle and Multnomah Falls. If they're interested, they can go another mile or two to the Bonneville fish hatchery, maybe to visit Herman the Sturgeon, a 90+ year old fish that's been delighting people (especially kids) for decades.

Fodorite018

Head east on I-84 out of Portland, then take either exit 17 which is Troutdale or exit 22 which is Corbett. Get on the old scenic highway from either of those locations. The 2 main stops are Portland Woman's Forum (odd name, great views), Crown Point Vista House, and Multnomah Falls. There are other stops, but these are the main ones for first time visitors. After this, they can head back towards Portland but I would suggest to keep going to Hood River. Have lunch there or hit a winery, and then head back to Portland.

Juldie

Mms, is there definitely not enough time for folks to go all the way to Mt, Hood?

Tomsd

If it were me - I would not really stop at other than the waterfalls - and not at Hood river - but rather continue south from Hood River - to Mt. Hood (45+ minutes) - and then drive up to Timberline Lodge and have lunch there - at the pub on the 2nd floor - looking out/up through the big picture window at the glacier/mountain.

From there back to Portland - an hour plus - assuming not a lot of traffic.

There is also a great little park just off the hiway/26 by Welches (a mile or so west of the 2nd? traffic light) - which has a window on the salmon river (below the water line) and you can see fish from that sometimes. It also has covered bridges/walkways thru the marshy reeds, etc.

Tomsd

Uno mas - here is how I would use the six hours.

Driving along 84 to the exit to the frontage road for the waterfalls - pretty well marked as I recall - half an hour or so to get there.

Doddle at Multnomah Falls - the main one - and a couple of the others - but you should be able to do that in two hours or so.

Then on to Hood River and down/south to Timerline Lodge - say an hour and a half - or three and a half/four hours by this time to get to Mt. Hood.

Yes, it's moving a bit fast but the bonus is seeing beautiful Mt. Hood up close and personal.

Lunch/snack/frosty one at Timberline - an hour? - and then head back to Portland - and stop by the great park at Welches (Wildwood Recreation site) - if you have time.

Juldie

Tomsd, this is very helpful and just what i want to provide the guests. I think I will explain for those people who will in fact have less than 6 hours or want to go on a slower pace to just go as far as Hood River and unfortunately they will miss Mt. Hood and Timberline. Thank you for the great little park tip also.

Fodorite018

Juldie--I live here and we do this drive a lot as we have family in that area. Drive times are this, about an hour from Portland to Hood River (not counting stops) and then another hour from Hood River to Timberline Lodge. Then from Timberline Lodge back to Portland (on why 26, not backtracking), is about 1 hr 15 minutes or so. So yes, there is time for your guests to do the loop and to make plenty of stops to see things

Daniel_Williams

To give you a sense of timing, I took a Gray Line tour, beginning at 8:30 in downtown Portland and ending at 12:30 downtown Portland and we stopped at Vista House, Latourell Falls, Multnomah Falls, Shepperd Falls, as well as the dam and fish hatchery. I thought each stop we made was worthwhile. Despite the tour being excellent, it's $49 per person, so I'd only recommend Gray Line if there, say, aren't enough private cars for everyone. We went the scenic highway out and I-84 back; I-84 was pleasant enough but the scenic highway was just fantastic (I'm recommending the scenic highway). I want to add that mms offered suggestions prior to my trip and I think she (I've always thought mms a she but could I be wrong?) is a terrific Portland advisor.

Gardyloo-- As to the fish hatchery, it's not just kids, I too was delighted by Herman the Sturgeon , although they told me he was only 70 in 2013.

tomfuller

Reported Jennifer to the moderators.
Depending on the time of day some could go out US 26 east first and go to Timberline. Leaving Timberline (6 miles off 26) go back to US 26 and go a short distance east to Rt. 35 for some great views of the Columbia Gorge on the way down to Hood River.
Take the Loop road (Old US 30) back west toward PDX to see all the waterfalls including Multnomah.
This route can be covered in less than 4 hours of driving time with about 2 hours worth of stops.

Fodorite018

tomfuller--True, but the views are better going the other way of the loop. Then you can see some of the best views of Mt Hood going from Hood River to Timberline, etc.

Juldie

Thank you all for your input. I am putting together the information to email out o the guests and I think it will be helpful, along with additional information in a few of the links. I want to add in about the fruit loop.

Tomsd

Good way to do it Juldie. So much depends on the type of drivers they are, how they like to see stuff, etc. Moi - am the driving scenery type to see as much as possible the first time - but others like to stop and soak it in.