Multnomah Falls

The next stop on our Pacific Northwest road trip to remember was Portland, Oregon. Our plan was to drive up from Angels Camp and spend two nights at the WorldMark Portland Waterfront overlooking the Willamette River before continuing north to Canada.

After a homemade breakfast in our room, we packed up the car again and headed out from Angels Camp, making our way back to Interstate 5 heading north. The drive was beautiful, especially north of Redding, as it wound through the Shasta-Trinity National Forest into the Klamath National Forest and up into the state of Oregon. After about eight hours of driving, we stopped in Salem, Oregon’s capital, for ramen and a bio break, then continued to Portland.

I had been through Portland on a couple occasions but had not the time to appreciate the city up until this trip. I guess the best way I can describe Portland is that it does have a rather eclectic vibe. In some ways it feels a bit like San Francisco- near the water with a sort of free-spirited, hipster atmosphere- but without the cable cars and California charm. That said, Portland does have a charm of its own and there are some wonderful opportunities for fun and adventure in the Portland area. Though we only had one full day in Oregon, we took advantage of the time and headed out to Multnomah Falls.

At 620 feet, Multnomah Falls is the highest waterfall in Oregon and a famous landmark. It is located along the Multnomah Creek in the Columbia River Gorge just east of Portland. The area is extraordinarily scenic and the falls are easily accessible off exit 31 off Interstate 84.

The hike to the base of the falls is accessible, however the famous Benson bridge above the lower falls requires a short hike a quarter-mile up a steep trail. We hiked up and took photos at the bridge, like many an Instagram. We then continued up the trail, in hope of completing the 1.1 mile hike up to the top of the falls.

Unfortunately, this was not realized. The unusual heat of a northwestern heat event along with stifling humidity did not bode well for our cranky campers. We ended up turning around just past switchback 3 of 11. We did stop at the bridge again for more photos and to enjoy the cold spray from the falls. After cooling off, we walked over to the lodge. We decided to have lunch there as we were all still a bit hot and by this point, hungry. The food was rather mediocre, but it was really nice to get out of the heat.

Though it was warm, the adventure was not over yet. We backtracked west to the Portland Women’s Forum Scenic Overlook. The Portland Women’s Forum had been active in preserving the area of the Columbia River Gorge since 1946 and gifted the land to the Oregon State Parks a couple decades later. Today, the overlook offers lovely views of the gorge and the Vista House- which was our next stop.

The Vista House at Crown Point is a century-old museum and visitor center. The Vista House was built in 1917 to provide a place for visitors to the Columbia River to rest. It is a lovely structure, and we were able to peek inside, however the museum is open only from Friday through Monday and we were there on a Tuesday. When it is open, there is a cafe and gift shop run by the Friends of the Vista House nonprofit.

After walking around Crown Point a bit, we drove back down the hill and back to Portland. It would have been nice to spend more time outdoors and exploring the many waterfall hikes along the scenic river route, but we did have to bear in mind the heat and possible effects on our health and moods.

As evening approached and the day started to cool, we did walk around Portland a bit to grab some delicious Middle Eastern food for dinner and to explore. Our lodgings were right across from the Battleship Oregon memorial. The monument was the old mast from the ship which was commissioned from 1896 until 1942. It was eventually scrapped for parts, but the mast is on display in Tom McCall Waterfront Park, a green space along the Willamette. It has some graffiti, but still stands as a testament to the Oregon’s history.

There is much to see in the beautiful forests and rivers of the Columbia River Gorge as well as throughout the state of Oregon. I hope to be able to return and hike more of Oregon’s trails and maybe even visit its Crater Lake National Park along with other federal and state lands. There is much nature to enjoy for many a cranky camper- especially when the weather cooperates.

More adventures to come… north of the border!

References:
“Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area : Recreation Site – Multnomah Falls.” Forest Service, http://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/columbiarivergorge/recreation/multnomah-falls.

Vista House, vistahouse.com/about/.