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Portland Itineraries
- Mix-and-match Itinerary
- Portland's Quirky Attractions
- Wine Country/Evergreen Aviation Museum
- Northern Oregon Coast
- Columbia River Gorge and Mt. Hood National Scenic Byways
If you’re traveling during the winter months, check road conditions before leaving Portland. The highways are normally accessible year-round, but snow conditions around Mount Hood often require tire chains and familiarity with winter driving.
Pick up your rental car and head for the hills. Take Interstate 84 East to Troutdale, Ore., and follow signs for the Historic Columbia River Highway in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (the first such designated area in the United States). Stop for photos at Vista House at Crown Point and take the short paths to explore both Latourell Falls and Multnomah Falls (the lodge at Multnomah Falls is a good place for a coffee break).
Continue east on the Historic Highway and return to Interstate 84. Take the exit for the Bonneville Dam and Fish Hatchery. Head for the main visitor center to learn about the dam and see the underwater fish ladders. Then go to the fish hatchery to see how salmon are raised – you can even feed the fingerlings (baby fish).
Return to Interstate 84 East and travel on to the charming town of Hood River, known for world-class windsurfing, fruit orchards, Full Sail Brewing Company (tours available), and more. This town features many excellent restaurants – perfect for a lunch stop. Hood River is also home to the Mount Hood Railroad, which offers scenic train trips through this spectacular region.
Fruit orchards and vistas of Mount Hood give way to evergreen forests along Highway 35, as you head south from Hood River. Join Highway 26 West and follow the signs to Timberline Lodge on the flanks of Oregon’s tallest peak, Mount Hood (11,235 feet/3,424 meters). Visit the exhibit on Timberline’s ground floor to discover how this beautiful lodge was built as a government project during America’s Great Depression. Then, head upstairs to the Ram’s Head Bar for refreshments.
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