Our Trip to Oregon - Columbia River Gorge Section
August 2, 2000
By Dan Hyde

Image of Vista House, Crown Point

Vista House, Crown Point

As we drive along the Historic Columbia River Highway, we stop at the Vista House. My sister-in-law Jan discovers the gift shop at the Vista House. The best on the trip she says!

Image of  Falls on Columbia River Highway

Falls on Columbia River Highway

We had a neat half-mile hike up to the bridge across the Falls. On the way we saw a spotted leopard.

Image of Scott in tree

Spotted Leopard in tree.

Image of Falls on Columbia River Highway

Multnomah Falls on Columbia River Highway

We hiked up to this distant bridge across the Multnomah Falls to gain a closeup view of the falls. After our return hike, it was lunch time and we ate lunch in the Lodge at Multnomah Falls.

Image of Dan and Scott
outside Discovery Center

Dan and Scott outside the Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles, Oregon

Stopped at the Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles, Oregon, to explore the history of the area especially the Oregon Trail.

Image of Scott on life size sturgeon at
Gorge Discovery Center

Scott on wooden, life size model of sturgeon at Gorge Discovery Center

For those who have not seen a sturgeon, they are big! They live in the Columbia River and grow to be twelve feet long!

Image of Scoot in old car

Scott dressed up for touring in his old car at Gorge Discovery Center

Image of wind surfers on Columbia River

Wind Surfers on Columbia River
Taken from parking lot of Gorge Discovery Center

Image of Scott wind surfing

Scott wind surfing

At the Gorge Discovery Center, you can stand in front of a video camera and pretend to be wind surfing as your image is composited with a video of wind surfing on the Columbia River.

Image of Fish Ladder at Bonneville Dam

Fish Ladders at Bonneville Dam

At the Bonneville Dam Visitors' Center one can take an elevator downstairs and watched the fish climb the fish ladders. Visitors can view the fish swim by within inches of you. We had great views of salmon and trout several feet long as they swam upstream.

Image of Boat Locks at Bonneville Dam

Barges Being Pushed by Tug into Boat Locks at Bonneville Dam

Since the Bonneville Dam raises the Columbia River 72 feet on the eastern side, boat locks are needed for commercial as well as pleasure craft. We were lucky to be at the Visitor Center just as a tug with four barges was entering the locks going down stream.

Image of open gates of the lock

Opened gates of the lock after water let out

Since Scott had never seen a lock, he said it was awesome to watch the tug and 4 barges rapidly lower in the water. Before the gates were opened, the water level was at the yellow paint line above the brown wet area on the sides.


Page maintained by Dan Hyde, hyde at bucknell.edu Last update August 18, 2000

Copyright © 2000
Daniel C. Hyde