Small, serene park. Perfect for a lunch after hiking the nearby Catherine Creek Trail or Arch Loop…read more Especially since they have clean restrooms with soap and water. 5 stars just for that! When it's windy, it is a great spot to watch the windsurfers and kites. There is launch area for small boats. I've seen people fishing, too. And people playing with their dogs, fetching their toys from the water. Lots of picnic tables, the kind where you can slide into from the side, another plus! Peaceful place to read, have a picnic or just chill. Plenty of parking. And just a minute from the downtown area of Bingen and just a few more minutes from the bridge over to Hood River. Lots of times when I'm exploring the trails and sights on the WA side of the Gorge, I stop here afterwards to use the restroom and have a snack or lunch that Ihave packed. Feels like a secret since there is hardly anyone here!

Beautiful area along the Columbia River with views of the boats in Marina and the White Salmon…read moreBridge. Lots of green space, several picnic tables, benches, and even a covered gazebo with picnic tables. The paved walking paths take you to the launch area where you can watch the always entertaining kite boarders and wind surfers, even some saleboats. It's so peaceful here! Perfect for a picnic, to gather with friends, read a book, or take a stroll. Minutes from downtown Hood River and further east along the river, away from the more crowded beach area.

If you are a wind surfer or enjoy watching wind surfers, this is one of the best spots in the…read moreColumbia Gorge because you get the winds but not the crowds! The beach is rockybso be prepared. The views of the Columbia River and the Gorge are spectacular. Look across to the basalt cliffs of Washington and the Syncline. In addition to wind surfing, you can walk the gravel trail to Mosier Creek or along the railroad tracks. The park covers 20 acres. In the parking area there is a grassy area with few picnic tables, a covered gazebo and a porta john. This is a day use park, fee is $5 a day or an annual pass for $50. Pay at the kiosk so bring cash and a pen to fill out the form. Located in Mosier (exit 69 on I-84, look for signs for the Mosier Twin Tunnels. On the way you will see a gravel parking area with an iron gateway and a sign on top that says Rock Creek Access. It's next to the water facilities. If you reach the entrance for the Mosier Twin Tunnels you have gone too far.

Who would have thought to put a hatchery as one of their stop on their vacay adventures???? WE DID…read moreand heck ya, i would recommend it. Not just information on the salmon, but the ground. In the garden, it is tucked in the woods with well manicured landscaping adorned with beautiful flowers. Inside the visitor center is a quick video of what they do. Very informative Highly recommend

We love visiting hatcheries and Bonneville did not dissapoint. We came to help celebrate Herman the…read moreSturgeon's birthday. Parking was plentiful despite the increase in people present. There were cupcakes to celebrate, birthday hats, Herman pictures to color, and a raffle. We enjoyed the coffee shop/gift store and picked up a new fridge magnet and some peanut butter fudge. Enjoyed viewing the rainbow trout and sturgeon ponds. The grounds are gorgeous and teeming with wildlife and gorgeous flowers. We would definitely go back!

A cute small park on the edge of the gorge of the Columbia River valley. There is ample parking…read more The edge is a short 50 yard walk with a view of the gorge . It a beautiful view well worth it.

Teeny, tiny park with expansive views of the magnificent Columbia River and the basalt cliffs of…read morethe Gorge. It's worth a stop just for the view, in every season. The reason I love this specific view so much is that it incorporates the rugged cliffs of the Gorge to the left, a magnificent vineyard below, and the beautiful Columbia River with the basalt cliffs of WA to the right. In the spring, everything is so green and lush! In the fall, the trees and bushes peppered amongst the cliffs are vibrant orange and gold. In the winter, on a snowy day, wow! Even in the dead of winter and early spring, it's still beautiful the neon lime green moss contrasting against the gray rocks and blue sky. The area is fenced in because the park is perched on the cliff. There is one part where the fence jets out a bit and this is perfect for the money shot. The grassy ground is uneven, lots of big rocks, so if you are unstable, like me, bring a walking stick or cane. There are a couple of picnic tables in the shade if you want to enjoy a meal, just take all the trash with you when you leave. The parking lot is very small but I've never had a problem finding a spot. Sunset is my favorite time to visit.

It is such a beautiful and scenic drive each and every time going through the Columbia River Gorge!…read moreIt's something I never tire of and there are so many things to go see both on the Oregon and Washington side of the Gorge. One of the most notable places to stop is Multnomah Falls. It's a highly popular place and it is certainly understandable as to why but it is best to go early. You may even need to look into getting a reservation in order to get a parking space as well... because yes... it is actually that popular all year round. There are so many cute little towns through the Gorge as well. Hood River is a favorite of ours and I believe it's a favorite for a lot of people but Cascade Locks is nice as well and the Washington side has cute towns as well. On the Oregon side is Interstate 84 but don't explore this Interstate or route as a quick, brisk route to get east to west (or vice versa) as you cannot go typical Interstate speed through the Gorge. The curvature of the road and through this long stretch simply doesn't allow you to do that so it would be worth looking into alternate routes as possible if quickness is the only thing in mind otherwise you kind of just have to endure the reduced speeds. The Columbia River itself one doesn't have to repeat how beautiful it is but it's understandable if you do. River activities never fail to mesmerize. Like the group of people we once saw sailing down the river with boogie boards ( perhaps there's another name for it I'm not in the know with that) and the almost other worldly appearance of numerous fisherman on boats once fishing season was in full swig in the early morning. It's something one can never get tired of, The Columbia Gorge and I enjoy it each and every time I drive through it. It's breathtaking and truly one of essential drives to partake if visiting Oregon.

Very scenic drive throughout the Columbia River Gorge. We didn't know that the parking exit off the…read more84 for Multnomah Falls has timed-entry to let you cross underneath the bridge and over to see. When we ended up looping back around on one of the inner roads, we saw another paid parking lot that isn't timed but was quite expensive (~$20), so we skipped Multnomah Falls and went to a couple of others with free parking that were easy to get to as well (Horsetail Falls + Wahkeena Falls), then drove up to Vista House before the weather got bad in the afternoon. Vista House has great panoramic views of the gorge, and a restroom!

Came here for the first hike '26. The hike started at the Guy Talbot park area. Got confused as I…read morewas up at the Latourell Falls parking lot. It's a short hike from the park area to the waterfall. The Ranger had a lot of info on the family that started the area. It was cold and a little misty. Not a lot of views of the Columbia or the waterfall from the park but it's secluded and would be fun to picnic at.

This park includes Latourell Falls, which is/are such a gem (you can see my 2018 rotd for deets) --…read moreI'll even say it again: BETTER than Multnomah! There's a small lot off hwy 30 with pathways up and down to two different loop hikes (long and short, respectively) and all also a lower picnic area with street parking if the top lot is full. Did not see that a $5 state park day use pass was required, and there was no place to purchase one anyway. Restrooms currently closed (Jan 2021).

This review is for Tamanawas Falls Trail which was a ~3.4 miles round trip that took ~2 hours to…read morecomplete. This was a short and easy hike towards another stunning waterfall in the Mt Hood, Oregon. Trail was mostly a narrow dirt path that becomes a little more rocky with a steady incline in the second half of the trail. Most of the trail was next to a running creek. Furthermore, there were a bit of flies in the last 0.25 miles to the waterfall. Limited parking area at the trailhead. Restroom available at the parking lot. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/vRrwqvR6rJo

What a beautiful hike! I'd say it's pretty family-friendly overall. There is some uphill hiking and…read moretwo short sections that are a little questionable to get up and over, but we were able to do it with a 9-month-old strapped to one parent, a 3-year-old strapped to the other, a 12-year-old, a 14-year-old, and two grandparents. We loved that most of the trail is shaded by trees, though enough sun still comes through that sunscreen is recommended. Definitely bring water. One of the coolest parts is that you can go up behind the waterfall, but be prepared to climb rocks to get there--it's not an easy walk-up-and-around situation. The hike is about 3.5-3.6 miles. There were a decent number of people there, but it never felt overwhelmingly crowded. Amenities include restrooms, picnic tables, an information kiosk, and dogs are allowed on leash. A $5 day pass, Northwest Forest Pass, or Interagency Pass is required from May 15 to October 1.