Columbia River Highway State Trail

Columbia River Highway State Trail
Name	Columbia River Highway State Trail
Location	Hood River County, Oregon, Multnomah County, Oregon, Wasco County, Oregon
Length	~30 miles
Established	2015
Trailheads	Hood River, Oregon, Mosier, Oregon, The Dalles, Oregon, Bonneville, Oregon
Use	Hiking, Bicycling, Equestrianism
Surface	paved, crushed stone

Columbia River Highway State Trail is a linear recreational corridor that follows a historic roadway along the Columbia River in Oregon. The trail connects a sequence of scenic landmarks, engineered structures, and communities from the eastern Gorge near The Dalles, Oregon west toward Cascade Locks, Oregon and Hood River, Oregon. Managed through partnerships among Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, local municipalities, and federal agencies, the route preserves transportation heritage while supporting outdoor recreation, wildlife viewing, and river access.

Overview

The State Trail occupies sections of the original Historic Columbia River Highway corridor, threading between features such as Rowena Crest, Mosier Twin Tunnels, Horsethief Lake State Recreation Area, and the Cascade Locks Historic District. It links to regional networks including the Sacramento River Trail-era analogs and connects with the Pacific Crest Trail via spur routes and regional trail systems near Guy W. Talbot State Park and Punchbowl Falls State Scenic Area. The trail is notable for its engineered elements from the 1910s and 1920s associated with figures like Samuel C. Lancaster and for its proximity to transportation hubs such as Interstate 84 and historic rail lines like the Union Pacific Railroad.

History

Construction of the original highway involved designers and advocates including Samuel C. Lancaster, Samuel Hill, and engineers from the Oregon State Highway Department. The corridor witnessed events tied to regional development: the completion of the Bonneville Dam project, the heyday of Columbia River steamboats, and the growth of communities like Hood River, Oregon and The Dalles, Oregon. The route’s mid-20th-century replacement by Interstate 84 and the Bonneville Cut led to sections being bypassed, later prompting preservation efforts by organizations such as the Oregon State Parks Foundation, National Trust for Historic Preservation, and local Historic Columbia River Highway Advisory Committee-style groups. Federal and state initiatives including the National Scenic Byways Program and Oregon transportation planning guided adaptive reuse into a multiuse trail throughout the early 21st century.

Route and Description

Beginning near The Dalles, Oregon and extending west into Multnomah County, Oregon, the trail traverses basalt cliffs, talus slopes, and riparian terraces adjacent to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, created under the auspices of the Columbia River Gorge Commission and the U.S. Forest Service. Key structures include the Mosier Twin Tunnels and historic viaducts designed under the influence of Lancaster’s vision. The alignment affords views of landmarks such as Beacon Rock, Crown Point, Multnomah Falls, and Mount Hood, with connections to cultural nodes like Celilo Falls (site) and Fort Dalles (historic). Elevation changes are moderate, and surface conditions vary from paved segments near urban centers like Hood River, Oregon to compacted gravel across preserved corridor sections.

Recreation and Use

The trail supports bicycling tourism, day hiking, birdwatching tied to species seen at Mitchell Point and Rowena Plateau, and equestrian use in designated zones near Horsethief Lake State Recreation Area. Event organizers from Travel Oregon-affiliated groups and community nonprofits stage endurance rides, historical tours, and eco-education programs in partnership with entities such as Friends of the Columbia Gorge. Recreational usage interacts with river activities on the Columbia River including windsurfing in Hood River, Oregon and recreational fishing regulated by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Winter conditions and seasonal wildflower displays draw visitors from the Portland metropolitan area, Salem, Oregon, and Bend, Oregon.

Conservation and Management

Management involves coordination among the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, the U.S. Forest Service, the Columbia River Gorge Commission, county governments like Wasco County, Oregon, and conservation NGOs such as The Nature Conservancy. Conservation priorities address erosion control on basalt benches, invasive species management including treatment programs coordinated with Oregon Invasive Species Council, and habitat protection for native flora and fauna like species monitored by the Oregon Biodiversity Information Center. Funding has come from state transportation allocations, grants from agencies like the Federal Highway Administration and stewardship by foundations including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and regionally focused philanthropic entities.

Access and Facilities

Trailheads and parking are established at municipalities and parks including Hood River, Oregon, Mosier, Oregon, The Dalles, Oregon, Bonneville, Oregon, and park facilities at Crown Point State Park and Shepperd's Dell State Park. Amenities include interpretive signage developed in cooperation with the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, restrooms, bike repair stations installed by local chambers of commerce, and shuttle services operated seasonally by regional transit providers such as Columbia Area Transit and private outfitters. Emergency services coordination involves Oregon State Police and county sheriffs, while visitor information is distributed through Travel Oregon and local visitor bureaus.

Cultural and Historical Sites

The corridor abuts multiple cultural and historic places: viewpoints at Crown Point and Rowena Crest, historic engineering works attributed to Samuel C. Lancaster, and communities with heritage museums like the Hood River County Museum and The Dalles Chronicle archives. Indigenous cultural landscapes connected to tribes including the Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon, Warm Springs Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, and the Yakama Nation are integral to interpretation and consultations. The trail provides access to historic towns such as Cascade Locks, Oregon and sites associated with navigation and trade along the Columbia River, with interpretive collaborations involving the Oregon Historical Society and tribal cultural programs.

Category:Trails in Oregon Category:Transport in the Columbia River Gorge