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Drives 6-11
6. Trillium LakeNamed for the three-petaled wildflower that flourishes in these woodlands, Trillium Lake lies two miles south of Rte. 26. Stands of evergreens surround the lake, whose surface forms a mirror for reflections of snowcapped Mt. Hood. Visitors come to this pleasant alpine retreat to hike, swim, fish, and boat.
7. Bennett Pass
The next leg of the journey through the Cascades follows Rte. 35, which soon climbs to 4,674 feet at Bennett Pass. Once over the crest, the road curves alongside the rushing Hood River.
8. Panorama Point
Panorama Point offers one of the most startling views to be found along the drive to the Columbia River Gorge. A short detour on East Side Road leads to the lookout, where the panorama takes in the high volcanic peaks found to the north in Washington, the river valley, the forest-covered foothills, and the omnipresent crown of Mt. Hood.
9. Hood River
The city of Hood River grew from and around the timber industry. After much of the area's old-growth forests had been felled, however, the land was given over to farming, and thousands of fruit trees were planted. Today the harvest includes apples, pears, and cherries.
In recent years the area has become a magnet for windsurfers, who find ideal conditions in the Columbia River Gorge. Winds often whip steadily through the gorge, and small waves on the river add to the excitement. For a glimpse of the windsurfers' colorful sails, stop at Columbia Gorge Sailpark, where a small sandy beach abuts the river. The sport lends a jauntily modern counterpoint to the city's many historic buildings, one of the most notable being the Columbia Gorge Hotel. Take a relaxing trip on the Mt. Hood Railroad. Leaving from the town's historic district, the train makes a scenic 44-mile tour through the Hood River valley, with ample picture opportunities.
10. The Dalles
An interstate highway, I-84, parallels the Columbia River to The Dalles, which was named by French explorers who thought the area's basaltic rocks resembled flagstones, or les dalles. As the interstate follows the generally widening gorge to the east, the road leads past tall pinnacles of volcanic rock deposited in ancient eruptions, floodplains, tablelands, and on the opposite bank, hills covered with mosses and an abundance of majestic conifers. Today wheat fields and cherry orchards edge The Dalles, and the historic district contains numerous fine examples of 19th-century homes and government buildings.
11. Historic Columbia River Highway
On the return trip west, leave the interstate for the eastern section of the Historic Columbia River Highway (Rte. 30). Constructed between 1913 and 1920, the road remains to this day a testament to the skills of its builders. Switching back and forth in search of the most scenic route, the highway is a marvel of design, with panoramic viewpoints, arched bridges, and beautifully designed stonework.
To the west of The Dalles, the historic highway soon enters a region of barren hillsides. These areas became scablands about 13,000 years ago, when they were ravaged by huge floods caused by melting ice-age glaciers. The growth that occurs today finds its nourishment in the ashes deposited by eruptions in the area.
The old highway between Rowena and Mosier passes into a transition zone -- the dividing line between the arid prairies to the east and the moister forests to the west. Here too you will find one of the most astonishing segments of the drive -- the Rowena Loops, where the road zigzags wildly up and down hillsides. The highway also passes two natural areas, the Tom McCall Preserve and Mayer State Park, both of which showcase flowers and wildlife.
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