Horsetail Falls
Old Route 30 Tunnel
We stopped in Troutdale, Oregon and visited the Columbia River Gorge. We drove historic Oregon Route 30 and visited the 7 waterfalls and trails along this route. Near the start of the scenic drive is the Crown Point State Park which is 700+ feet above the Gorge and offers on a good day a 30 mile view. The Vista House is an octagonal building built in 1916 where the Columbia River Gorge Highway was dedicated. It is a visitor's center, restrooms and of course the always there gift shop.
The are 7 natural waterfalls within a 15 mile route. The most popular is Multnomah Falls. This waterfall is some 700 feet high and is 2 tiered with a pond at the 620 feet drop mark. There is a trail about 2/10 of a mile to the pedestrian bridge view point. A few years ago when a wedding party having pictures taken a rock from the face of the falls fell and landed in the pond sending a large wave over the bridge with such force that several people were injured.
When the road was built around 1916 the construction crews had to dig out the road and create some tunnels thru the base of the mountains. As time past and traffic got heavier the road needed some revamping and most of the tunnels have gone by the way. There is only one tunnel that has been saved and is now used as trail path to a waterfall, no vehicle traffic is allowed thru it.
We drove down to Bonneville Power Plant and Dam and Cascade Locks, and to the Bridge of Gods. This area like before is another spot that calls for a repeat visit, but for a longer stay. A very beautiful part of the USA.
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