Columbia River Gorge

Get Out

19 Great Swimming Holes within 3 Hours of Portland

Drive to Hagg Lake, the Wilson River, Rooster Rock State Park, and more swimming holes near Portland, Oregon.

06/29/2022 By Benjamin Tepler, Rachel Ritchie, Margaret Seiler, Caleb Diehl, and Kasey Cordell

Swimming Holes

Columbia River Swim Spots and Beaches Under 90 Minutes from Portland

From Jones Beach to Rooster Rock to the Hood River waterfront, the Columbia River is big enough for everyone to find a beach and take a dip.

05/31/2022 By Margaret Seiler, Katherine Chew Hamilton, and Julia Silverman

Camping

5 Places to Camp within an Hour of Portland

Pitch a tent at Milo McIver, rent a cabin at Stub Stewart, book a yurt at Champoeg—so many Oregon State Parks are close to the city.

05/06/2022 By Michelle Harris

Columbia River Gorge

Heading for the Gorge’s Waterfall Corridor This Summer? You’ll Need a Permit.

The pilot project runs May 24 to September 5 for Wahkeena, Oneonta, Horsetail, and Multnomah Falls. Permits required spring weekends at Dog Mountain, too.

04/18/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Travel

The Ultimate Guide to the Columbia River Gorge

Waterfalls, hikes, history, breweries, wineries, great food, a historic post office, and views galore

03/17/2022 Edited by Gabriel Granillo By Katherine Chew Hamilton, Conner Reed, Margaret Seiler, Julia Silverman, and Matt Wastradowski

Public Transit

CAT vs. Cars

Traffic, packed parking lots, and new permit requirements make driving in the Gorge tough. Take the CAT bus to Multnomah Falls and Hood River instead.

03/17/2022 By Margaret Seiler

Checklist

I Spy! Look for These Landmarks in the Columbia River Gorge

The Oregon and Washington sides of the Gorge are home to huge dams, towering wind turbines, tall waterfalls, a wild art museum, and a ‘spooky’ pizza place.

03/17/2022 By Gabriel Granillo and Margaret Seiler

Gorge Guide

Where to Eat, Stay & Play in Hood River, White Salmon & Bingen

Windsurfing, cherry-picking, and rafting await in these Oregon and Washington towns in the Columbia River Gorge.

03/17/2022 By Gabriel Granillo and Julia Silverman

Recovery

What We Can Learn 5 Years After the Eagle Creek Fire

The 2017 fire changed the landscape of the Columbia River Gorge, especially on the Oregon side of the river.

03/17/2022 By Gabriel Granillo

Gorge Guide

Check Out the Closest Attractions in the Columbia River Gorge

Zip lines and treehouse suites at Skamania Lodge, classic soft serve in Cascade Locks, and hiking trails and waterfalls galore!

03/17/2022 By Katherine Chew Hamilton, Conner Reed, and Julia Silverman

Love

The Bridal Veil Post Office Celebrates 135 Years

Every year this Oregon ghost town post office sees a flood of wedding invitations from couples hoping to secure a Bridal Veil postmark.

03/17/2022 By Gabriel Granillo

Shopping Road Trip

Shop Stops in the Columbia River Gorge

Hood River’s Oak Street and its counterparts in Bingen and White Salmon make these connected Gorge towns a stealth shopping destination for clothes, gifts, and more.

03/11/2022 By Gabriel Granillo, Margaret Seiler, and Julia Silverman