Portland · Columbia Gorge and Mount Hood

Waterfalls, gorge wind and a mountain backdrop.

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Why this ride

Waterfalls, gorge wind and a mountain backdrop. 249 km round from Washougal - plan on about 4 h 47 of riding. The stops in between: Hood River and Sandy. The climb of the day is Mount Hood Timberline. It tops out at about 1,250 m. The passes are the reason to go.

Roadbook

1. Crown Point photo

   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.

2. Hood River food food

   Hood River is where the Columbia Gorge turns into a playground. The town sits on the Oregon bank of the Columbia River, about ninety kilometres east of Portland, at the point where the river squeezes between high basalt walls and the wind funnels through with almost reliable force. That wind made Hood River one of the windsurfing and kiteboarding capitals of the world, and from summer afternoons through early autumn the water is dotted with colourful sails. Across the river, the Washington side climbs into green hills, and on a clear day the white cone of Mount Hood rises to the south over the orchards.

   The valley behind the town is also fruit country. Pears, apples and cherries grow in the volcanic soil, and in spring the blossom is a sight, while roadside stands in late summer sell fruit, cider and jam. A loop of farm roads known locally as the Fruit Loop links orchards, tasting rooms and a lavender farm, and it is a pleasant ride for a relaxed afternoon. The surfaces are good, the bends gentle, and the traffic light outside the weekend.

   Downtown, the streets slope toward the river, with a mix of old brick buildings and more recent cafés, shops and breweries. It has a young, outdoorsy feel, with cyclists and kiteboarders in the cafés and a good selection of food. Fresh salmon, local cheese and fruit pies are easy to find, and the breweries, many of which have outdoor tables, serve a variety of beers with burgers and pizza. If you are riding, one pint is about the limit, and a coffee afterwards is wiser.

   The Historic Columbia River Highway, an early scenic road built in the 1910s with stone bridges and viaducts, passes close by, and parts of it are open to traffic, offering a slower and prettier alternative to the interstate. Waterfalls, including the famous Multnomah Falls, lie to the west along it.

   Fuel is easy, with stations along the main road, and the town has about seven and a half thousand people. Parking for motorcycles is available near the waterfront, but weekends and summer are busy. Across the bridge to White Salmon, a small toll applies, so keep some change handy.

   Expect wind. A gust off the river can push a bike sideways on the bridge or on exposed stretches of the interstate, so grip the bars and lean into it. The best time is early morning or evening, when the wind drops and the light is gentle on the cliffs.

3. Mount Hood Timberline high

   Mount Hood is Oregon's highest peak at 3,426 metres, a glaciated volcano that can be seen from Portland on a clear day, and the road to Timberline Lodge takes you right up onto its flank. The lodge sits at about 1,800 metres, above the treeline, where the forest gives way to open slopes of ash and snow, and it is a remarkable building. It was constructed in the 1930s as a Works Progress Administration project during the Depression, with local craftsmen carving the timbers, forging the ironwork and weaving the rugs, and President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated it in 1937. Its exterior was later used in the film The Shining, which is why you will see visitors taking photographs of the front door with slightly worried expressions.

   The ride up starts at Government Camp, a small ski village on US 26, and follows a spur road of several kilometres that climbs through noble fir and mountain hemlock. The road is paved and well maintained, with moderate bends and good views opening as the trees thin. Snow can fall early and linger late, so the road may be closed or require chains in winter, and even in summer fog can fill the upper slopes. Expect temperatures far cooler than in the valley, and wind that cuts straight through a mesh jacket.

   Skiing continues at Timberline long after most resorts have closed, thanks to the Palmer snowfield, and you may see skiers carrying their gear across snow in July. The mountain's glaciers are shrinking, but the upper slopes are still white, and the contrast with the green forest below is striking. In summer, wildflowers bloom in the meadows, and hikers follow the Timberline Trail around the mountain. The old Barlow Road, the last stage of the Oregon Trail, passed nearby, and pioneers hauled their wagons over these slopes in the 1840s.

   Mount Hood Village, about twenty kilometres away, and Sandy lower down are the places to fill up, and Government Camp has limited services. The lodge has restaurants and a café where you can warm up with a hot drink, though it can be crowded in peak season. Bring layers, gloves and a rain shell, even on a bright day.

   The view from the terrace, with the cone of the mountain above and the forested ridges falling away below, is worth the ride. Late afternoon light is lovely, and the air is thin and clean.

4. Sandy return fuel

   Sandy is a small city on the road between Portland and Mount Hood, and it does the job of a gateway very well. It sits at the point where US 26 leaves the suburbs and heads into forest, with the Sandy River running nearby, and for a rider coming down off the mountain it is the first place where fuel, food and flat ground come together. It has about ten thousand people, and the main street, with its murals, shops and bakeries, has the air of a town that knows most of its visitors are passing through and has decided to be friendly about it.

   History runs through here in a quiet way. The Barlow Road, which opened in 1846, was the final overland route of the Oregon Trail, built by Sam Barlow to let pioneers avoid the dangerous rafting of the Columbia River. It crossed the shoulder of Mount Hood and came down to the valley near here, and the settlers who made it often arrived exhausted, with a few belongings and a lot of nerve. A toll was charged, and the road made its builder some money. Markers and museums in the area tell the story, and the old route still exists in places as trails and back roads.

   On a ride, Sandy marks the return from the mountain. The road from Government Camp descends in long, gentle curves through forest, with the traffic building as you approach the city. The run down is relaxed after the climb, with good surface and clear lines, but it can be busy on Sunday evenings when skiers and hikers head home. Deer and elk occasionally cross at dusk, so keep your eyes open.

   Fuel is plentiful, with several stations along the highway, and there are fast food outlets, cafés and a few local restaurants for a proper meal. Parking is easy, and the town has a grocery store if you need supplies. Bakeries are a good choice for a pastry and a coffee. Estacada and Damascus are close alternatives if Sandy is crowded.

   Check your gear before you continue. The temperature in Sandy can be ten degrees warmer than at Timberline, and it is worth taking off a layer. The ride on toward Portland is straightforward, but the traffic grows heavier, so settle in, and keep the mountain in your mirror as long as you can.

5. Back to Crown Point finish

   Back at Crown Point. That is the ride.

Where this sits

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