Columbia River Gorge Going East or West?
 

Lots of great info already posted re: Columbia River Gorge. My guess, from all I've read, is that heading East from Portland to see the Gorge is the more common route. We will likely be coming up from Crater Lake directly to Mt Hood (not on route 5 through Portland), staying at Timberline, and then seeing the Gorge heading West into Portland. Wondering if the drive west-bound is any less spectacular than going east-bound? In other words, would be be looking in our rear-view mirror the whole day wishing we were going in ther reverse direction??

The only difference eastbound vs. westbound is the width of a traffic lane. Well, that and the fact that the Historic Highway is quite narrow and windy, and you'll be on the downhill lane going westbound. You're not a white-knuckle driver are you?

You will be fine doing the drive west bound. It is not a scary or hard drive at all, as long as you aren't trying to go 55mph on the old scenic highway;) There are lots of great places to stop and take in the sights.

BTW, the drive up from Crater Lake to Timberline is nice. The high desert and then the forest and of course Mt. Hood. While it will be a long drive, it is enjoyable.

From Timberline over to Hood River, that is where you might be looking in your rearview mirror at the views. Pull over every so often to take a look.

Thanks! Appreciate the feedback.

Some additional points -

IMO it depends partly on time of day. In general the best views of the Gorge from higher elevations tend to be toward the east. In the morning, the sun in the (south)east can tend to increase haze; here's a picture I took this weekend of the Crown Point visitor center (taken from Chanticleer Point) and you can see how blue the haze makes the distant hills (this with a UV/haze filter as it is.) http://gardyloo.us/20100509_5a.JPG

The waterfalls on the Oregon side also can he harder to view in the late morning/noon times as the sun can be directly above the tops of the falls, making for some heavy glare. Only if you hike down into some shadows can you avoid this, e.g. Latourelle Falls (my fave) taken an hour after the previous picture. http://gardyloo.us/latourellefallshdr1.jpg

I'd stick to your route, but dally in the Hood River Valley as we did on Sunday until noon or later. Even though the weather had rolled in on the mountain (still skiing at Timberline, lots of roadside snow - maybe 5 feet) the valley floor was its usual gorgeous self, with some remaining blossoms on the fruit trees and lots of recently shorn sheep and llamas. http://gardyloo.us/20100509_85a.JPG http://gardyloo.us/20100509_90a.JPG

You are absolutly fine coming from Timberline to the Gorge. If you are coming from Crater Lake to Mt. Hood-expect a drive of four hours, and you will go right through Bend. If time allows, be sure to stop at The High Desert Museum-at least 2-3 hours here will give you a great overview of wildlife, desert and western life all in one location. Either stay in Bend one night, or go straigt to Mt. Hood. Be sure to make dinner reservations for Timberline Lodge and get there before sunset as the views to the south are spectacular. Likewise, get up early and enjoy the sunrise on Mt. Hood.

The drive from Timberline to Hood River is very nice with lots of picture views of Mt. Hood, especially from Parkdale. Hope it is clear for you. Once you get to Hood River, there are a number of waterfalls, the biggest is Multnomah-good easy hike and easy back into Portland. 1/2 day is enough time for the Gorge, so enjoy Timberline and be sure to watch the program about building this monument.

Enjoy!