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COLUMBIA
RIVER GORGE
HOOD RIVER AREA HOTELS RECREATION |
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Adjacent to the Columbia River, north of Mount Hood,
charming little
HOOD RIVER
is a gusty center for river windsurfing and mountain biking,
with outfitters' shops lining the streets and a riverfront park to take
in the local sporting scene. It's a good base for exploring the gorge;
one of the most exquisite places to stay in the entire region is
the
Columbia Gorge Hotel
, 3000 Westcliff Drive, whose impressive rooms
and garden overlook the gorge just off I-84 at the far west end of town.
Skamania Lodge is one of my personal favorite settled in the
mountains
but is a drive from Hood River area Located in Stevens, WA across the
bridge
betweeen Oregon and Washigton. Take The Bridge of Gods at Cascade Locks.
More central, and less expensive options include the
Hood River Hotel ,
and the
Comfort Suites Hood River
Located in The Dalles
Shilo Inn
The Full Sail Brewing Co , 506 Columbia St (tel 541/386-2247), is
a popular spot in the evening, and there are several inexpensive places
to
eat , the best bet being the 6th Street Bistro , at Sixth
and Cascade streets (tel 541/386-5737), whose flavorful burgers are the
main draw. The town's visitors center is by the river in Port
Marina Park (tel 1-800/366-3530, ).
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The Columbia River Highway,
later renamed the Historic Columbia River Highway (HCRH), was a technical
and civic achievement of its time, successfully mixing ambitious
engineering with sensitivity to the magnificent landscape. The Highway
has gained national significance because it represents one of the
earliest applications of cliff-face road building applied to modern
highway construction. It is also the oldest scenic highway in the United
States. The Highway's design and execution were the products of two
visionaries, Samuel Hill, lawyer, entrepreneur, and good roads' promoter;
and Samuel C. Lancaster, engineer and landscape architect. Many citizens
provided strong leadership and advocacy for construction of what they
called "The King of Roads." |
| The Historic
Columbia River Highway project focused on the rehabilitation of the
roadway itself and the repair of contributing landscape features, such as
masonry guard walls, dry masonry retaining walls, guard rocks, bridges,
viaducts, and tunnels. Engineer and landscape architect Samuel C.
Lancaster (1864-1941) artfully created an engineering achievement
sympathetic to the natural landscape that made the Columbia River Gorge's
idyllic natural setting accessible to tourists without unduly marring its
beauty. The HRCH is owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation and
was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. The
American Society of Civil Engineers declared the road a National Historic
Civil Engineering Landmark in 1984. Associated pedestrian trails are
owned by the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and the USDA Forest
Service. The highway runs from Troutdale, just east of Portland, to The
Dalles, about 74 miles in total distance. Of this, 55 miles of the
roadway are extant; and nearly 40 miles are drivable. At this time, work
is now complete on those segments open to motor vehicles and ODOT is
currently rehabilitating abandoned segments for non-motorized use as the
Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. Destruction of the
Highway's Hood River Bridge in 1982 sparked a groundswell of support for
saving and restoring the HCRH. In 1986, the Columbia River Gorge National
Scenic Area Act called for restoring the highway and for creating trails
to connect intact and abandoned segments for recreational use. Historic
preservation work began in 1986 and is ongoing. The route was designated
an All-American Road in 1998. |
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