Columbia River Gorge

START:  St. Paul, OR        TODAY:     139 Miles
END:     Stevenson, WA    TOTAL:   5,046  Miles

Leaving  Champoeg State Park was bittersweet.  We wished we had another day to enjoy this beautiful park and also wished we had seen the inside of one of the yurts. 

As we bypassed Portland, we sighted the bright white snow-capped Mt. Hood in the distance.  Rich farmland surrounded us on each side of the highway; rows of vegetables, grains and ornamental trees.  

When we turned east, I-84 ran directly on the edge of the Columbia River Gorge.  Crossing The Bridge of the Gods, we passed into the state of Washington then climbed the mountain to The Timberlake Campground.

On the advice of the manager, Ron gunned it climbing the steep gravel road to our site.  Backing the camper uphill was difficult, but he managed to get into our site and level the trailer sufficiently.   After a quick lunch we headed to Cascade Locks back on the Oregon side of the gorge. 

  Boarding the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler we learned that the Columbia River originates in the Canadian Rockies and Lewis and Clark arrived in the gorge in 1805.

The boat ride afforded us perfect views of the Columbia Gorge and The Bridge of the Gods from a different perspective.  

When Lewis and Clark were at this spot they wrote about the massive rocks and rapids which forced them to portage downstream.  Due to the dam, the water depth is now 110 feet, so the rocks no longer affect river traffic.  The canyon is 4,000 ft deep stretching 80 miles through The Cascade mountain range. 

 Paddle wheelers were a common method of travel in the 1850’s carrying gold prospectors through the gorge.  Today barges still transport lumber down the river.  

The Multnomah Native People taught the early settlers to use fishing platforms and hoop nets to trap salmon which are plentiful in the river.  

An afternoon driving excursion forced us over this extremely narrow bridge.  Ron was worried about our wide mirrors hitting a passing truck on one side and the light post on the other side. 

On the way back to camp we purchased all the required ingredients for s’more’s including the firewood and kindling.  .   Dinner will be grilled outside and there will be no need for AC or heat tonight – perfect!