Day Trips: Columbia River Gorge

The Columbia River Gorge is one of the Northwest's most magnificent and fascinating natural wonders, beginning at Washougal in Clark County and stretching 90 miles to the eastern, dry side of the Cascade Range. This spectacular river canyon is up to 4,000 feet deep, creating what is a sea-level route through the mountains. In 1986 Congress and President Ronald Reagan designated it a National Scenic Area, preserving its rural areas from future development. Key attractions include 848-foot-high Beacon Rock, the Bonneville Dam visitors center, restaurants and lodges, trails, 620-foot-high Multnomah Falls ,the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, and the Maryhill Museum of Art, Bonneville Dam, and visitors centers and Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, WA. Even though the Columbia River Gorge is an easy day trip, it is a popular weekend getaway for Clark County residents. Two first-rate overnight facilities, both on the Washington side, are the Bonneville Hot Springs Resort & Spa and, just west of the town of Stevenson, Skamania Lodge.