Getting Here and Around

Air Travel.

Portland International Airport is the only nearby airport receiving commercial flights. 877/739-4636. www.portofportland.com/PDX_Home.aspx.

Blue Star Transportation (541/249-1837. www.bluestarbus.com.)

Green Shuttle (541/252-4422. www.greentrans.com.)

Rates vary by destination, but a one-way trip to Hood River runs $80-$90. If you're heading to Hood, ski resorts like Mt. Hood Skibowl and Mt. Hood Meadows offer Portland shuttles in season.

Bus Travel.

Greyhound. There's a service from Portland to Hood River and The Dalles. 800/231-2222. www.greyhound.com.

Columbia Area Transit. On Thursdays a fixed-route bus runs between The Dalles and Portland via Hood River. 541/386-4202. community.gorge.net/hrctd.

Car Travel. I-84 is the main east-west route into the Columbia River Gorge. U.S. 26, heading east from Portland and northwest from Prineville, is the main route into the Mt. Hood area. Portions of I-84 and U.S. 26 that pass through the mountains pose winter-travel difficulties, though the state plows these roadways regularly. The gorge is closed frequently during harsh winters due to ice and mudslides. Extreme winds can also make driving hazardous, and potentially result in highway closures.

The Historic Columbia River Highway (U.S. 30) from Troutdale to just east of Oneonta Gorge passes Crown Point State Park and Multnomah Falls. I-84/U.S. 30 continues on to The Dalles. Highway 35 heads south from The Dalles to the Mt. Hood area, intersecting with U.S. 26 at Government Camp. From Portland, the Columbia Gorge-Mt. Hood Scenic Loop is the easiest way to see the gorge and the mountain. Take I-84 east to Troutdale and follow U.S. 26 to Bennett Pass (near Timberline), where Highway 35 heads north to Hood River; then follow I-84 back to Portland. Or make the loop in reverse.

Major rental car agencies are available in Gresham (3 mi west of Troutdale); Enterprise is also in Hood River and The Dalles.