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| Columbia
River Highway Scenic Route |
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State:
Oregon
Submitted
By: Sly Chang
Date Submitted: Oct 99
Motorcycle Type: 99 Honda CBR F3
Motorcycle Road Length: 130 Miles
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Motorcycle
Road Scenery: 
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This
world-class route takes you just outside the city of Portland
and around awe-inspiring Mt. Hood (Oregon’s highest peak),
through the Mount Hood National Forest and along the mighty
Columbia River. This route offers not only incredible scenery
but also a wide variety of activities and a large number
of historical points of interest based on its Lewis and
Clark and Oregon Trail connections. It is one of the 25
elite “All-American Roads” designated by the US Dept. of
Transportation and is described in the Reader’s Digest guide
to the Most Scenic Drives in America. On this route you
start out by driving through the Mt Hood National Forest
that consist of over a million acres of fertile mountain
forests. There you may see a variety of animals such as
bears or mountain cats and see beautiful displays of waterfalls
and wildflowers. You will also make your way through different
mountain passes and have many fantastic photo opportunities
to catch the majesty of 11,235 ft dormant volcano Mount
Hood, Oregon’s highest point. Next the focus of you attention
will turn to the rivers and canyons along the way. You
will see the Hood, Salmon and Columbia rivers and the canyons
that some of them have carved. You may even be able to
observe the recent growth of windsurfers working their way
across the Columbia. You will see historical buildings
in the town of The Dalles and travel some of the same areas
as Lewis and Clark did when the arrived in the area around
1805. Along the Columbia, near the Bonneville Dam you will
see a series of fish ladders that Salmon use to leap up
and back to the waters where they were hatched. These Salmon
are returning from as far as Alaska to spawn in their native
waters.
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Motorcycle
Road Quality: 
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The
roads along this route are outstanding for motorcycles because
of the mountains and rivers they tend to follow. The have
ample twists, turns, accents and descents. One of the nicer
sections is found when you get on Rte 30 heading west after
returning from The Dalles (Note: you will be taking I-84
to The Dalles yet when returning you will take the older
and more exciting Rte 30). This section offers some real
“driving excitement” for those of you who love when the
road gets really twisted up. Also make sure you remember
to exit I-84 and get on Rte 30 again at exit 35. This will
take you to and past the Ainsworth State Park to the very
end of the route.
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Motorcycle
Roadside Amenities:
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At
the start of your trip you will want to checkout the Mount
Hood Info center that you will find on US 26 about 15 miles
after passing the town of Sandy. Next you will be able
to stop at the Wildwood Recreation Site for hiking along
its many trails. Two miles up the road the Zig Zag Ranger
Station offers Rhododendron Gardens that will show you the
plants that are found blanketing much of the grounds of
the northwestern Pacific mountain forests. You will also
pass a few key points along the historic Oregon trail that
are interesting to see and try to think back to the struggles
the pioneers must have had traversing such a hazardous part
of the country. Make sure and check out the Timberline Lodge.
You’ll have to watch for the signs and take a 6-mile detour
to the North of Rte 26. Here you will see the Timberline
Lodge built by the WPA during the Great Depression at the
base of Mount Hood. In addition to the impressive structure
you will find a series of hiking trails that meander through
the fields of flowers or you can take a chairlift up onto
Mount Hood. As you continue along the route you will travel
towards the Columbia River (now on Rte 35, see directions/map
below) and getting closer to I-84 make sure you stop at
Panorama Point and take in one of the best views of the
entire route. At the town of Hood River you can take the
Mount Hood Railroad on a scenic 44-mile journey through
the Hood River valley. When you get to the Cascade locks
you can take the bridge that crosses the Columbia into Washington
state or climb onboard the Columbia George. This boat is
a “stern-wheeler” that travels the river throughout the
summer. Further up the route you will want to stop and
see the 620 ft Maltnomah Falls … bring plenty of film for
this part. Next you need to stop at Crown Point State Park
and take in the incredible views this park offers from it
unique vantage point upon a immense volcanic rock. The
rock is 700 ft above see level and gives you more opportunities
to take some of the best photos of your life or kick yourself
for not bringing that extra role of film you thought about.
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I
recommend you start your route in Sandy
Oregon just southeast of Portland. Take US Rte 26 southeast
out of Sandy towards the town of Government Camp. Soon
you will want to get on State Rte 35 heading north towards
the town of Hood River. If you want to visit the town of
The Dalles, head east on I-84. In the town of Mosier, you
can get off the Interstate and continue to The Dalles on
State Route 30 which passes through a couple state parks.
Take SR 30 all the way into The Dalles. On the way back,
I suggest you cross the river into Washington state and
take State Route 14 East alll the way back to The Hood River
bridge where you can cross back into Hood River Oregon and
head back the same way you came.
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Additional
Information:
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