What You Will Do
Mt. Hood is the highest summit in Oregon, and the fourth highest in the Cascades. It features waterfalls, glaciers, and historic Timberline Lodge, built by local artisans during the Great Depression, and featuring the longest ski season in the US. To the north of Mt. Hood is the Hood River Valley and Columbia Gorge American Viticultural Area (AVA), the lovechild of the Columbia Valley and Willamette Valley AVAs. You will get intimate with this area through the opportunity to enjoy the local wine, cider, and beer, a visit to Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood, and a stop at Multnomah Falls, the tallest waterfall in Oregon and most visited site in the Pacific Northwest. Your expert guide will teach you about the natural history, cultural history, and wine background of the area, as you drive the Mt. Hood and Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byways. You'll visit 2 vineyards. We cover lunch, and a glass of wine at one vineyard, *you cover beverages at a second vineyard, at your leisure*.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
1
Mount Hood
2 hours
Mt. Hood is a potentially active stratovolcano, the highest peak in Oregon, and the fourth highest in the Cascades. Not only is it known for its beauty, visible on the skyline of much of northern Oregon and southern Washington, but it is also the most climbed stratovolcano in the Cascades, easily accessible from Timberline Lodge, which is the only ski resort in the US that is open every month of the year.
2
Timberline Lodge
1 hour
This Works Progress Administration project was dedicated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1937. It is one of the most unique, and expansive buildings in the State of Oregon, sitting on Mt. Hood above timberline, for utterly sublime views. You can divide your time among interpretive displays, food & drink venues, hiking in summer and snowplay in winter, as you like. The lodge is a National Historic Landmark, and the only ski resort in the US that is open every month of the year.
3
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
3 hours
The 85-mile (137-km) long Columbia Gorge NSA features waterfalls, mountains, monoliths, terraces, resort towns, vineyards, orchards, the Columbia River, a plethora of birds, and a plant community that changes dramatically between the west and east ends.
4
Bridge of the Gods
Columbia River crossing for the Pacific Crest Trail, and lowest point on that trail. Named for a Native American legend that explains the local geology.
5
Bonneville Lock & Dam
Another National Historic Landmark, Bonneville Dam was the first Public Works Administration dam on the Columbia River, completed in 1938.
6
Bonneville Hatchery
Largest hatchery in the state of Oregon.
7
Elowah Falls
A hidden beauty...watch quickly, or you might miss it!
8
Beacon Rock
The fifth largest free-standing monolith in the world. It is an 848-ft (258-m) volcanic plug, composed of columnar basalt, so similar in size and composition to Devil's Tower, Wyoming.
9
Horsetail Falls- Columbia River Gorge
Don't miss this quirky waterfall as we pass by!
10
Multnomah Falls
30 minutes
The tallest waterfall in the state, with a combined height of 620 feet.
11
Wahkeena Falls
Another cute waterfall to watch closely for!
12
Crown Point State Park
Once known as Thor's Hammer, this geological feature towers above, with a crown-shaped building sitting atop, and a waterfall coming down the side.
13
Rooster Rock State Park
As we pass by, view the rock that inspired North America's oldest continuously running nudist beach!
14
Sandy River
We'll cross the Sandy River between the Columbia Gorge and Willamette Valley. The Sandy's headwaters is a glacier on Mt. Hood, and the river is known for its Steelhead and Chinook runs. As a result, the Sandy is one of three tributaries of the Columbia who's dams have been removed since 2007.
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