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#1
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Columbia River Gorge waterfalls
Hi all,
next weekend I'll have a two/three days trip from Seattle to the Coulmbia River Gorge and back passing through Mt Rainier. Since time is anyway limited, I'm trying to write down a list of "not to be missed" spots/short hikes along the Gorge. Can anyone give me his/her personal Top-10 things to see along the Gorge? One more question: I was browsing the internet for info about the best falls to see along the Gorge and came out with a list (which I basically copied and pasted from http://www.gorgeexplorer.com/hiking_waterfalls.htm ). Could anybody tell me which of these fall are likely to be dry in this period? Washington Dog Creek Falls Falls Creek Falls Hardy Falls Oregon Latourell Falls Bridal Veil Falls Sheppard's Dell Horsetail Falls Ponytail Falls Triple Falls Metlako Falls Punchbowl Falls Tunnel Falls Wah-kee-na Falls Fairy Falls Elowah Falls, McCord Creek Falls Wahclella Falls Multnomah Falls Thanks a lot to everyone. Ciao, Giulio |
#2
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adjgiulio wrote:
the Coulmbia River Gorge At the far end, on the Washington side near The Bridge of the Gods, is the world-class Maryhill Museum of Art. Also in Maryhill is a full-size Stonehenge. A town or two to the West has the world's largest collection of rosaries that I also recommend highly. __________________________________________________ ___________ A San Franciscan who's visited 49 of 50 US states http://geocities.com/dancefest/ http://geocities.com/iconoc/ ICQ: http://wwp.mirabilis.com/19098103 IClast at SFbay Net |
#3
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"adjgiulio" wrote in message ... Hi all, next weekend I'll have a two/three days trip from Seattle to the Coulmbia River Gorge and back passing through Mt Rainier. Since time is anyway limited, I'm trying to write down a list of "not to be missed" spots/short hikes along the Gorge. Can anyone give me his/her personal Top-10 things to see along the Gorge? One more question: I was browsing the internet for info about the best falls to see along the Gorge and came out with a list (which I basically copied and pasted from http://www.gorgeexplorer.com/hiking_waterfalls.htm ). Could anybody tell me which of these fall are likely to be dry in this period? Oregon Latourell Falls Bridal Veil Falls Sheppard's Dell etc. I remember seeing a photo of Oneonta Falls, which is on the Oregon side and only reachable in dry weather because it's in a narrow gorge of its own. The walls of the gorge were lined with green moss. Since you're going in a low water time, you might want to check this out. It looked unique. Marianne |
#4
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"adjgiulio" wrote in message ... Hi all, next weekend I'll have a two/three days trip from Seattle to the Coulmbia River Gorge and back passing through Mt Rainier. Since time is anyway limited, I'm trying to write down a list of "not to be missed" spots/short hikes along the Gorge. Can anyone give me his/her personal Top-10 things to see along the Gorge? One more question: I was browsing the internet for info about the best falls to see along the Gorge and came out with a list (which I basically copied and pasted from http://www.gorgeexplorer.com/hiking_waterfalls.htm ). Could anybody tell me which of these fall are likely to be dry in this period? Oregon Latourell Falls Bridal Veil Falls Sheppard's Dell etc. I remember seeing a photo of Oneonta Falls, which is on the Oregon side and only reachable in dry weather because it's in a narrow gorge of its own. The walls of the gorge were lined with green moss. Since you're going in a low water time, you might want to check this out. It looked unique. Marianne |
#5
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It rained a lot last week (over two inches) and is raining here now (just south of Portland). The flow should be pretty good on all waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge this weekend. Weather is supposed to be nicer, too, after tomorrow. I was up in the gorge last month after a pretty dry summer. There is no danger of any of the waterfalls being absolutely dry, but many are certainly more spectacular in the fall or after a good rain. It should be no problem to hit a minimum of seven or eight waterfalls in a four hour stretch (and check off several on your list), but a lot will depend on how much you want to get in and out of the car. There are waterfalls you can see from the window of your car, but I would also suggest walking to a few of the others. Most of the waterfalls are on the Oregon side, so I would start there for your first visit and save the Washington side and some of the longer gorge hikes for future exploratory trips. Here is the introductory gorge trip I usually do with first-time visitors (twice in the last year): -- Head east on I-84 and take the Corbett exit. This puts you on the old Columbia River highway. -- First stop (about 10 miles after exiting the freeway) is the Women's Forum overlook. This will present you with the first postcard picture of the gorge with Vista house in the foreground. -- Continue heading east another five minutes and stop at Vista house (another Gorge overlook). -- Drive for another 10 minutes and you are at the Latourell Falls parking lot. I would recommend pulling off for this one. Here you have a choice: 1) Walk a few hundred yards up a small hill for an overlook of the falls, 2) walk a paved trail about .5 mile back to the falls itself. Nothing gruelling here. -- After leaving Latourell, you'll have an opportunity to see several waterfalls in sequence, but most will require parking and walking short distances (as I said, a lot depends on how much you want to get in and out of the car). I usually blow by Bridal Veil Falls and Sheppard's Dell because I've been to both of them before, and opt for stopping at Wahkeena Falls as my next stop. However, if you've planned your day so that you arrive around lunch, all of these spots have picnic tables and are good places for a lunch break. -- At Wahkeena, take the short (1/2 mile) walk up to the bridge, which puts you at the base of Wahkeena Falls. Very nice. Be sure to look at the falls from both ends of the bridge. Also, take a look at the cave behind the rock. -- At Wahkeena, you'll need to make a decision about Multnomah Falls. It can be hard to find parking at Multnomah Falls on the weekend, especially from the old highway approach. You can either leave you car at Wakeena, but it is about a 1/2 mile walk down to Multnomah and another 1/2 mile back. Multnomah is where all the people are and very touristy but, as the highest waterfall in Oregon (over 600 feet), you should definitely make it a point to stop. Or, you can take your chances and drive down to Multnomah and hope to find a parking space. After spending some time at Multnomah Falls, it has been about two hours (maybe three if you did Bridal Veil and Sheppard's Dell) since you first exited the freeway. It is now time to look at your watch. Do I want to see quantity, or go for a longer hike with fewer people? As you head east out of Multnomah Falls and begin driving on the old highway, you'll be able to see Horsetail Falls from the passenger side window. It will be up to you whether to pull off for a closer look. At this point, although very pretty, Horsetail Falls becomes just another waterfall you can see from the car and I usually slow down to give my visitors a look, but don't stop. Next up is Oneta Gorge. Again, if you want to stop, it will be about a 1/2 to 1 mile walk back to the falls. I usually don't stop, but continue on and merge back up with I-84. Here I make a choice between Waclella Falls and Punch Bowl Falls. Wahclella is one of my favorite short hikes in the gorge. It is about 1 3/4 miles round trip and will take you about 1 1/2 hours to hike (allowing for a long stop at the falls and river) and has a lot of interesting scenery along the way (a smaller quantity of everything you would see on the other hike). Punch Bowl Falls (on the Eagle Creek trail) is a longer hike of five miles round trip and will take you about two to three hours to hike, allowing you more time to soak in the natural beauty of the hike. Both trails lead you to a very nice waterfall as the end result, so the choice is yours. Eagle Creek trail tends to have more hikers than Wahclella, but both trails get you away from the highway and into the woods for a more backcountry and solitary feel than some of the earlier waterfalls you visited. Both trailheads require a national forest pass, which hasn't yet been required up to this point. There are self-pay stations in each parking lot, but be sure you carry five dollars in your wallet for the pass fee. To get to the Wahclella Falls trail head, take the Bonneville Dam exit and turn right. The Eagle Creek trailhead has it's own freeway exit. An advantage of doing Wahclella Falls is that you are right next to the Bonneville Dam and fish hatchery, both of which have very nice visitor centers. After your final waterfall visit, you need to check your watch and decide: -- Do I turn around and go straight back into Portland via I-84 (fastest)? -- Do I go across to Washington at Cacade Locks and visit the Washington waterfalls/parks/attractions? -- Do I drive finish "The Loop" by driving up to Hood River and then back to Portland over Mount Hood? But, then, each of these is an additional subject of its own. adjgiulio wrote: Hi all, next weekend I'll have a two/three days trip from Seattle to the Coulmbia River Gorge and back passing through Mt Rainier. Since time is anyway limited, I'm trying to write down a list of "not to be missed" spots/short hikes along the Gorge. Can anyone give me his/her personal Top-10 things to see along the Gorge? One more question: I was browsing the internet for info about the best falls to see along the Gorge and came out with a list (which I basically copied and pasted from http://www.gorgeexplorer.com/hiking_waterfalls.htm ). Could anybody tell me which of these fall are likely to be dry in this period? Washington Dog Creek Falls Falls Creek Falls Hardy Falls Oregon Latourell Falls Bridal Veil Falls Sheppard's Dell Horsetail Falls Ponytail Falls Triple Falls Metlako Falls Punchbowl Falls Tunnel Falls Wah-kee-na Falls Fairy Falls Elowah Falls, McCord Creek Falls Wahclella Falls Multnomah Falls Thanks a lot to everyone. Ciao, Giulio |
#6
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"Walt Tucker" wrote in message
... Thank you all guys for the info. Let's hope to have a sunny weekend! Ciao, Giulio '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''' Travellers http://www.travellersonline.net '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''' Partecipa alle Open-FAQ sui Natural Parks USA "Regala una risposta, aiuta un turista" |
#7
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"Walt Tucker" wrote in message
... Walt, I had a great time at the Gorge. I'd like to thank you again. I arrived from the East side of Mt St Helens to the Gorge's Washington side and drove till The Dalles where I passed the night. Then I drove all the south part of the Gorge, hiking the Wahclella Falls (wonderful!), and stopping at Multnomah Falls, Wahkeena Falls, Lautorell, Larch Mountain viewpoint, Crow Point and Women Forum overlook. I also stopped at the Bridal Veil but the trail was closed for repairing. I loved the Gorge and I'd like to come back to see the autumn colors. When do you think it's the best period? Last weekend few leaves were already yellow. I'd like to thank you again and I hope this gallery that I put online can help someone. http://www.travellersonline.net/USA/...mbiaGorge1.htm Ciao, Giulio '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''' Travellers http://www.travellersonline.net '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''' Partecipa alle Open-FAQ sui Natural Parks USA "Regala una risposta, aiuta un turista" |
#8
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"adjgiulio" wrote in message ...
I'd like to thank you again and I hope this gallery that I put online can help someone. http://www.travellersonline.net/USA/...mbiaGorge1.htm Ciao, Giulio Just for your information: The falls that you have labelled as Wahkeena is actually Horsetail Falls, and what you've got labelled as Latourell Falls is actually Wahkeena Falls. It sounds like you had a great time. I wish that I lived close enough to drive to the Gorge for a weekend. Just out of curiousity, how crowded was it? I saw your post earlier and was wondering if the holiday weekend would be a problem. |
#9
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"MadHatter" wrote in message
om... "adjgiulio" wrote in message ... I'd like to thank you again and I hope this gallery that I put online can help someone. http://www.travellersonline.net/USA/...mbiaGorge1.htm Ciao, Giulio Just for your information: The falls that you have labelled as Wahkeena is actually Horsetail Falls, and what you've got labelled as Latourell Falls is actually Wahkeena Falls. Thank you a lot for the info. I took a lot of photo and didn't remember exactly what was what. It sounds like you had a great time. I wish that I lived close enough to drive to the Gorge for a weekend. Just out of curiousity, how crowded was it? I saw your post earlier and was wondering if the holiday weekend would be a problem. Well, I was quite surprised. I moved from the Dalles at 8am. I met no one on the Wahclella Falls Trail. Along the other part of the Gorge there were people but I never had problems to find a parking. Of course, the Multhnomah Falls were the most crowded but, also in that condition, I always had good conditions to set my tripod and take my photos. I found definitely less people than I expected and it was a nice surprise. Ciao, Giulio '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''' Travellers http://www.travellersonline.net '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''' Partecipa alle Open-FAQ sui Natural Parks USA "Regala una risposta, aiuta un turista" |
#10
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"MadHatter" wrote in message
om... "adjgiulio" wrote in message ... I'd like to thank you again and I hope this gallery that I put online can help someone. http://www.travellersonline.net/USA/...mbiaGorge1.htm Ciao, Giulio Just for your information: The falls that you have labelled as Wahkeena is actually Horsetail Falls, and what you've got labelled as Latourell Falls is actually Wahkeena Falls. Thank you a lot for the info. I took a lot of photo and didn't remember exactly what was what. It sounds like you had a great time. I wish that I lived close enough to drive to the Gorge for a weekend. Just out of curiousity, how crowded was it? I saw your post earlier and was wondering if the holiday weekend would be a problem. Well, I was quite surprised. I moved from the Dalles at 8am. I met no one on the Wahclella Falls Trail. Along the other part of the Gorge there were people but I never had problems to find a parking. Of course, the Multhnomah Falls were the most crowded but, also in that condition, I always had good conditions to set my tripod and take my photos. I found definitely less people than I expected and it was a nice surprise. Ciao, Giulio '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''' Travellers http://www.travellersonline.net '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' '''''''''''''' Partecipa alle Open-FAQ sui Natural Parks USA "Regala una risposta, aiuta un turista" |
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