Columbia River Gorge & Hood River
Rugged beauty and serenity are both experienced in the Columbia River Gorge, which forms the border between Oregon and Washington. Transitioning into a new ecosystem with increased rainfall, we see Douglass fir, western red cedar, and the big-leaf maple, showing off its brilliant fall colors.
This morning we left the National Geographic Sea Bird and drove to explore the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, a wonderful museum where we learned about the natural history of the area as well as over 10,000 years of cultural history.
We then followed the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway to the Mosier Tunnels. Construction for the highway started in 1913 and was completed in 1922. Today, only pedestrians are allowed to use this restored section of highway. Excited to stretch our legs and enjoy the crisp fall air, some of us walked and biked this 4.5 mile scenic roadway. Others chose to stroll around the quaint town of Hood River, the windsurfing capital of the United States.
After lunch we visited the spectacular Multnomah Falls. At 620 feet high, it is the highest waterfall in the gorge. Some ambitious hikers made the steep trek to the top of the waterfall.
Next we visited the Bonneville Dam which was named after Army Captain Benjamin Bonneville, an early visionary who charted extensive sections of what became the Oregon Trail. Completed in 1938, the dam was the first federal lock and dam of the Columbia and Snake rivers, costing over $88 million! We were treated to a tour of the inside of the dam and also saw how the fish navigate through the elaborate fish ladder built for them.
Back aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird we made our way through our sixteenth and final lockage of the trip. Yes, you guessed it, the Bonneville Lock!
