Crown Point is a rock buttress rising about two hundred metres above the Columbia River, and the view from the top is among the great viewpoints of the Pacific Northwest. On the summit stands the Vista House, an octagonal stone building completed in 1918, built as a memorial to the pioneers who came west along the Oregon Trail and to serve as a rest stop for motorists. Its walls are carved stone, its dome is topped with copper, and inside there are marble floors, small exhibits and a modest cafe. From the terrace you look east along the river gorge, with the cliffs falling away on both sides and the Columbia curving into the distance.
The road that brings you here is a landmark in its own right. The Historic Columbia River Highway, built between 1913 and 1922 under the engineer Samuel Lancaster, was one of the first paved scenic roads in America and was designed to show off the gorge rather than simply cross it. Lancaster had been inspired by the mountain roads of Europe, and he built it with graceful stone bridges, masonry walls, tight bends and tunnels, taking care that the road would fit into the landscape. Parts of it were abandoned when the interstate was built along the river, and in recent decades sections have been restored, so the old road can be ridden again.
Riding it is slow and delightful. The curves are tight and well graded, the surface is generally good, and the forest closes in on either side, ferns and moss everywhere. It is a road to take at a gentle pace, with cyclists, tourists and the occasional sports car for company. In wet weather, which is common, the stone bridges and painted lines can be slippery, so ease through them. In winter ice can close the road at short notice. The famous waterfalls, Latourell, Bridal Veil and the great Multnomah Falls, are stops along the way, and the crowds at the last one can be thick on summer weekends.
Wind at Crown Point is a real force, funnelled by the gorge, and the temperature at the top is often a handful of degrees cooler than at the river. Come early or late for the best light and the fewest people. Dress for weather, and bring a lens that can capture a very wide view.