The Historic Columbia River Highway
Long Live the "King of Roads." When the highway first opened in 1916, Teddy Roosevelt praised its scenic grandeur and remarkable engineering. And The Illustrated London News went on to call it "the king of roads." With its mossy stone walls and graceful viaducts winding past dozens of waterfalls, this All-American Road still reigns as one of the world's most glorious drives.
1.
Travel from Troutdale
This magical history tour begins in Troutdale, a suburb 17 miles east of downtown Portland. From Interstate 84, take Exit 17, follow the signs south to the Historic Columbia River Highway, and prepare yourself for some unforgettable scenery.
2.
Views and Vistas
The highway climbs to the rural towns of Springdale and Corbett, offering dazzling peeks at Mt. Hood. Your first view of the gorge comes at the Portland Women's Forum State Park at Chanticleer Point. This is the former site of the Chanticleer Inn, where the highway's masterminds met in 1913 to plan construction. Here's the place to shoot your "gorgeous" calendar photo of Crown Point. A mile farther east, Vista House (1918) at Crown Point State Park serves as a rest stop, an observatory and a memorial to Oregon's early pioneers.
3.
Unforgettable Falls
Heading into a mossy rain forest, a series of graceful figure-eight loops gently drops you 600 feet. Within five miles of each other, you'll encounter four dramatic cataracts _ Latourell, Shepperd's Dell, Bridal Veil and Wahkeena falls. Each has a misty footpath to offer you a closer look.
Next is two-tiered Multnomah Falls, the grandaddy of them all. At 620 feet, only three falls in the nation are higher, and none are more beautiful. It attracts large crowds on summer weekends, so plan accordingly. A trail from famous Multnomah Falls Lodge (1925) climbs to the Simon Benson Bridge across the lower cascade, then zigzags to the top.