72 Hours in the Columbia River Gorge

Eons of spewing volcanoes and cataclysmic floods created the Columbia River Gorge, where Oregon’s grandest river rolls through towering cliffs of basalt. Even Congress agreed this place was special. Twenty-five years ago, it named the Columbia River Gorge the country’s first National Scenic Area, protecting the Columbia’s most dramatic stretch, the eighty-five miles between the Sandy and Deschutes rivers.

The Gorge is a natural wallop of waterfalls, wildflowers, rainforest, high desert, wildlife, snow-capped mountain views—essentially a microcosm of the West. Appealing riverside towns add to the mix—especially sporty Hood River, which makes the perfect base camp.

From the central Gorge, recreation fans out in all directions. Hike to waterfalls, then soak in a mineral bath. Take a kiteboarding lesson, then settle down to a couple of local microbrews. Mountain bike through a fir forest or sagebrush, then sample wines or eat sushi. Come for the sports, come for the scenery, come for the aweinspiring geology.