Columbia River Gorge Hikes Along the Historic Columbia River Highway

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Columbia River Gorge Kid Hikes — Women’s Forum Viewpoint [by Kelsey Ivey]

by Kelsey Ivey – In a day’s trip by car from Portland, Oregon, travel along the Historic Columbia River Highway to the deep, magical beauty of this lush region, and the Columbia River Gorge. Whether you have an afternoon, a day, or a week, you can take this journey amid trails once traveled by the early pioneers, see amazing modern engineering feats and spot wildlife in a place that can still be described as wild, all in one place. Driving just seconds off I-84 from Portland, you’ll trade concrete and asphalt for bright-green ferns, crawling maple vines, towering evergreens and tumbling waterfalls, begging for family adventure. But I warn you: don’t be surprised by day’s end if you’re jumping in creek beds and splashing in the spray of waterfalls just like your kids.

Along the Historic Columbia River Gorge highway, there are dozens of scenic road trip stops to savor the adventure, including more than 70 waterfalls in only 30 miles.

Click through to reveal all eight of my family’s top favorite scenic stops.

#1 Best Columbia River Gorge View Point: Portland Women’s Forum Viewpoint

If you’ve ever seen a photograph of the Columbia River Gorge, this is likely where the photographer was standing (pictured above). Shaped 15,000 years ago at the close of the last ice age when enough water to fill modern-day Lake Erie carved the dramatic, basalt cliffs travelers see today, this viewpoint is the perfect place to break in your camera. And the gorgeous photo opportunities only continue as you drive deeper into the gorge.