Columbia River Gorge
 

We will be driving from Seatlle and and want to visit the Columbia River Gorge before our 2 night stay in Portland. My proposed route is
I-5 to Portland down the Historic Columbia River Hwy to Multnomah Falls. From there on to I-85 with an overnight in Hood River. Next morning down 35 to 26 with a side trip to Timberline Lodge and then back on 26 to Portland.
Does this sound like a good plan? I would love any further suggestions.

My favorite route is this - https://goo.gl/maps/kzQukha2H3C2

It avoids trafficky and boring I-5 altogether; and instead crosses the Cascades on I-90 and then follows US 97 through terrific "old west" scenery south to the Columbia. At Maryhill you can visit the great little Maryhill Museum and nearby Stonehenge replica, then head west on the Washington side of the river to Hood River for the night.

I'd then drive up the Hood River Valley (gorgeous through most of the year) to Timberline, then back down, so you can see Mt. Adams instead of Mt. Hood. Then take the historic Gorge highway from Cascade Locks all the way to Troutdale, passing the many waterfalls and vista points. It's a terrific route.

http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/
http://hoodriverfruitloop.com/

This sounds like a great option, but I'm not sure I understand. You say to drive up the Hood River Valley after the night at Hood River to Timberline, but isn't that south of Hood River? I also don't know where Mt Adams is. Can you clarify?

Yes, the Hood River valley is south of Hood River and Timberline. Mt Adams is in WA, across the river.

The route that Gardyoo talked about is nice AFTER you get past Toppenish, IMO. Highway 97 from there to Maryhill is pretty desolate, but pretty in its own way. There is nothing at all between Toppenish and Goldendale, but it is not boring like being on an interstate, if that makes sense. I used to live in that area so have made that drive way more times than I care to count;)

As a recent visitor to Multnomah Falls, I learned that the parking lot on the historic hwy fills up quickly- however, there is additional parking but you can only access from I-84. Weird but true!

<i>Yes, the Hood River valley is south of Hood River and Timberline. Mt Adams is in WA, across the river.

The route that Gardyoo talked about is nice AFTER you get past Toppenish, IMO...</i>

Right, the Hood River Valley runs uphill to the south (towards the pointy-topped volcano) so when I say go "up" the Hood River Valley I'm talking about going south.

Mount Adams is in Washington, across the Columbia (and then some distance) from Hood River and its valley. The way the mountains line up, you see Mt. Hood as you drive south up the Hood River Valley, then you see Mt. Adams centered on the horizon as you come back down.

I like pretty much the whole I-90/I-82/US97 route, even the bits north of Toppenish. It's a real tour-de-force of Washington geography - from the "wet" side of the Cascades through sub-alpine scenery, then descending through gorgeous ranch country to Ellensburg. From there I-82 starts climbing into high desert - rocks and sagebrush and rattlesnakes - before dropping into the vineyard and orchard country of the Yakima Valley.

After Toppenish, the road climbs again into more desert-y landscapes, quite desolate, then falls as you transit dry rangeland - cottonwoods and little creeks, very atmospheric and cowboy-ish. Then you pass through dry pine forest around Satus Pass, then down to more ranch land around Goldendale, with Mount Adams occasionally in view to the west.

Finally US 97 does a long zigzag down to the Columbia River. This part of the Columbia Gorge is in very arid country; the rock walls down to the river are VERY impressive; the Maryhill Museum sits on top of a bluff with a marvelous panoramic view. By now you're in vineyard country; this part of the Gorge (and the Hood River Valley later) is a rapidly developing wine area.

As you travel west along the gorge you start seeing more trees and evidence of more moisture getting past the Cascades, so that by the time you're west of Hood River you're back in the "wet" west side - waterfalls and all. It's a very sudden and dramatic change from sagebrush and red rocks to waterfalls and green. And this is all in the space of five hours; it's pretty amazing. It's one of my favorite drives in all of the west, actually.

Gardyloo, your love of the land shines through your description.

Gardyloo--I know you love the area. I have lived in both Yakima and Toppenish so am biased against it.

Is this part of your trip from TN west into the Canadian Rockies? If so, it's going to be a long but wonderful trip.

I totally agree with gardyloo's suggestion. It you use her suggestion, watch for some roadside rest areas in the dry mountains between between Ellensburg and Yakima ... they give great views (depending on the weather you can see 3, possibly 4 snow-capped peaks.)

There is one addition that you *could* make depending on time. Instead of taking the freeway I-90 out of Seattle, you could go a little south through Mt. Rainier National Park and stop at Sunrise Visitor Center high on Mt. Rainier's eastern flank. This would add about 1.5 hours of *driving time* plus added sightseeing time. Map: https://goo.gl/maps/RELUqCi4ugm

http://visitrainier.com/sunrise-visitor-center/ and https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...ashington.html and a video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFK5M2Yscc8

Mind you, there are so many things to see - Rainier, Maryhill Museum, Stonehenge Replica, the Gorge, Mt. Hood, Multnomah Falls you would be tempted to do it all in 3 rather than 2 days.

Absolutely stop at the Maryhill Museum overlooking the eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge. ... it's an unexpected highlight ... it even has many Rodin works (mostly studies and models he made) http://www.maryhillmuseum.org/visit/.../auguste-rodin
Nearby is a replica of Stonehenge

Absolutely get to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. It's one of the most magnificent great lodges built during the New Deal - heavy timber and stone ... most of its features are handcrafted by artists. http://www.timberlinelodge.com/plan-...ore-the-lodge/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timberline_Lodge

And the Columbia River Gorge has so many things to see and do.
http://traveloregon.com/cities-regio...a-river-gorge/
and http://crgva.org/map/shortlist-story...ate-js-master/

Just checking back and see there is new discussion on the afore mentioned route by gardyloo. If I take this route I see that I will be backtracking in the Hood River Valley rather than making a loop. Will I not be missing out on the scenery along 26 back to Portland?

As to the side trip to Mt Rainer, we may be visiting there with our friend whilst in Seattle, but if not that sounds like a great addition.

elbegewa, yes, this is part of our trip from Nashville to the Canadian Rockies, and it will be a long and hopefully wonderful trip. After Portland we will continue over to the Oregon coast, down through the Redwoods, across through Yosemite and then over through the Colorado Rockies on our way home.

Thanks for the additional comments. They are very welcome and will help make this the perfect trip.

Yes, if you take the route Gardyloo mentioned, you will miss scenery along 26 which for a good portion of it, is quite nice.

The reason I showed the up-and-back route through the Hood River Valley is because the core of the best scenery along the Columbia Gorge is <i>west</i> of Hood River toward Portland.

So to see both the Hood River Valley <i>and</i> the heart of the Gorge, you have to choose one route to "double back." By going Maryhill > Hood River > Timberline > Portland via Hwy 26, you'll miss the likes of Multnomah, Latourell and other waterfalls, the Crown Point and Portland Women's Forum vistas along the Historic Highway, Bonneville hatchery, etc. This is the above-all-don't-miss part of the gorge.

I linked to the "fruit loop" through the Hood River Valley, which is more than an up-and-back route - it meanders around.

If it were me, I'd use Gardyloo's route.

I have never found Hwy 26 between Mt Hood and Portland particularly enjoyable. The last few miles towards Mt Hood are in interesting mountains, but far less interesting than most of the mountains you will have been through on the trip. Most of the trip on 26 will be through mundane scrub forests, farms, towns, and suburbs.

I'd easily give that up Hwy 26 to see central/eastern Washington, the east end of the Columbia Gorge, and its west end (both ends are totally different).

When planning trip[s I often use Google Earth to get a feel for options, especially using its Street View and the photos various people have posted on it.

elbegewa--I agree, once you hit about Welches on into Portland it is pretty drab. But from Welches on up to the mountain it is quite pretty, IMO. I just really despise Yakima and Toppenish and that general area, having lived in both, but do enjoy the drive AFTER leaving Toppenish.

mms: agreed, but Yakima to Toppenish is a short endurable part (except the in-season fruit stands help) ... I also like the drive and views over the mountains between Ellensburg & Yakima and the drive across the Cascades

From google maps it like Welches is just 18 miles farther on 26, so if it is not scenic from there on to Portland, looks like I wouldn't be missing much. If I backtrack on 35 to Hood River, would it be worth taking 281 through Parkdale and Dee for different scenery?

<i>If I backtrack on 35 to Hood River, would it be worth taking 281 through Parkdale and Dee for different scenery?</i>

Sure, in fact do the Fruit Loop - http://hoodriverfruitloop.com/ - if you want. Detailed map - http://hoodriverfruitloop.com/images...uitloopmap.pdf

Also don't miss Panorama Point State Park, just south and east of Hood River itself - http://beautifulhoodriver.com/images...om_k9a7056.jpg

Yes, if you backtrack it is scenic. Do know that when you are on 84 (or the old scenic highway 30), and heading back to Portland, from Troutdale into Portland is not scenic. It is basic interstate.

elbegewa--I like the drive from Seattle over 90, but once around Ellensburg is where my skin starts to crawl, lol. That stretch to after Toppenish is not my cup of tea at all.