Never disappoints. Winter is less touristy but the water Colin is much better to make more and…read morebetter waterfalls. There are spots with warnings of slides, beware and respect them - don't risk your safety. I even found still maturing blackberries that are bright red in mid December! And a bunch of cute looking mushrooms. The air is amazing. The gorge view is breathtaking and never gets old. Love it.

Extremely short, ADA-accessible path leading to the spectacular Starvation Creek falls. The day-use…read morearea boasts a couple of picnic tables, clean restrooms, a short looping trail connected to the parking lot, as well as the paths leading to the aforementioned falls, as well as a longer one leading to Viento Creek park a little over a mile away. Overall, this is a romantic little destination , as well as the paths leading to the aforementioned falls, as well as a longer one leading to Viento Creek park a little over a mile away. Overall, this is a romantic little destination great for a picnic, or for mobility-challenged waterfall-gazers.

Great hike good views to get to the punch bowl water fall took about a hour and a hour to get back…read morebut you can keep walking after that fall if you like longer hikes o recommend going early to find parking

Eagle Creek is now on my top 10 of hikes of all time…read more SO many waterfalls on one trail :') AND I didn't even get to see all of them! I did the 10 miles round trip to Tunnel Falls, and boy, was it well worth it. It was mostly flat with some twists and turns, gradual inclines, and narrow walkways. Good thing I had snacks, a lunch wrap, and a smoothie because that helped me get through! If you're up for it, this is a MUST! Btw it's salmon spawning season, and you can see all of the salmon swimming upstream at the very start of the trail. So cool!

With plenty of shaded picnic tables, a walking path, large open grass area, water access and public…read morerestrooms, this is a family friendly park. There is even a small, very small, playground area for little kids. There are beach / river access areas but I didn't see any lifeguards. If you aren't from this area, be aware of the extremely high wind speeds and currents. I'd recommend just dipping your feet, not swimming! There is plenty of parking, even on the busiest days. Located off exit 85 on I-84, just minutes from downtown The Dalles, the Riverfront Park is open Memorial Day through October 31st, Dawn til dusk.

Nice park with fabulous views…read more We dropped by Sorosis this weekend, looking for somewhere new to stretch the legs. It's a lovely drive up, and you get amazing views of the gorge from the lot. There's plenty of parking around, and it appeared that the park has a little something for everyone: ball fields, play ground, disc golf, green space, and a walking path around the perimeter. You're not going to get a hike in here, but a spot to stretch it's got. The grounds looked clean and it appeared there were some improvements in the works. Nice, peaceful park. :)

With expansive views of The Dalles and the majestic Columbia River, Sorosis Park is a gem! Located…read moreat the top of the appropriately named Scenic Drive, this beautiful park has an abundance of offerings. Lots of grass and shady spots to keep you cool on a sunny day with several picnic tables, too. Even a gazebo. A large playground and sprinklers to keep the kids entertained. For those interested in a run or walk, the mile long trail provides great views along the way in every season. There is a softball field and a disc golf park plus a small rose garden. Lots of parking and there are bathrooms, too. Plan your time there so you can catch a spectacular sunset as the day comes to an end.

With Horsethief Butte as the scenic backdrop, this lake is a relaxing spot for fishing & kayaking…read more Equipped with bathrooms & showers, a popular place for camping & RV sleepovers. Not naturally formed, flooded into existence by the Dalles Dam. Without a natural circulation of water, the summer creates toxic algae harmful to humans and fish. Warning signs are posted. A petroglyph trail is a highlight for all; in depth tour guide available by reservation. Boat launch access to the Columbia River.

Lovely piece of the Gorge. We've stopped by the lake portion and checked out the Petroglyphs before…read morewhile passing through, as well as briefly jumping onto a trail at the Butte. This weekend we got around to investing more time in the trails of Butte and it was pretty fun. The trails don't allow for a complete loop around the rock, as there's a block for restoration on the east side. But you can wander most of the way around the water side...up and around the rocks is really where's it at though. There are 3 access points to the top from the trails, and the bouldering up is loads of fun. Once atop you can roam all about and enjoy fabulous views from every angle. While the remainder of the trails at Butte are average, we found it pretty entertaining to climb around the rock portion. There's a decent amount of parking...Discover Pass required...as well at a vault toilet at the trailhead.

For sweeping views of The Dalles, Columbia River below, and surrounding landscape stop at Kelly…read morePoint View. Located along East Scenic Drive across the street from Sorosis Park, the views are spectacular, especially at sunset when the entire sky is illuminated in vibrant colors. For those that enjoy history, Kelly Point is dedicated to the memory of Virgil Kelly who made many contributions during his years of service city councilor (1939 -1961) Kelly View Point is also the site of several veterans' memorials honoring those that served our country in various wars, and who gave the greatest sacrifice. Take the time to visit each memorial, read the inscriptions and honor those that selflessly served. The memorials are: the Loren R. Kaufman Monument, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Veterans Memorial, and the Desert Shield-Storm Memorial. This area has its own parking strip so you can pull right up. Perched overlooking the expansive landscape of The Dalles below, it's a beautiful spot. There is a great walking path across the street if you want to enjoy a one mile walk and really take in the sweeping views. There are always people walking and jogging along the path. Across the street is Sorosis Park with a playground for the kids, picnic tables, covered gathering areas and restroom facilities.

Lovely park in The Dalles, easy walk from downtown area just follow the Riverfront Trail. The…read moreLewis & Clark Park is right before the Union Street Underpass. Lots of green space, some water features, a covered area with lots of tables to picnic, a paved walking path, and most important, clean bathrooms! There entrance to the park is beautiful, a long and wide sidewalk leads you to the Pavillion designed in a mid century mod style with a wall of glass windows and doors so you can see right through to the gorgeous view beyond. The building is stunning! Lewis & Clark Festival Park is open to the public and it's also available for private events like weddings, reunions, business functions, etc. Visit their website for fees and requirements. In warmer weather there are also concerts that are well attended. They have their own parking lot which makes it convenient. If there is an event and the lot is full, plenty of street parking nearby. Oh, and the park is dog friendly!

My father-in-law is an avid fisherman from Nevada who wanted to fish for walleye in the Columbia…read moreRiver, so we chartered a guide boat in Rufus (26 or so miles from The Dalles) for our adventure. First off, if you're staying in Rufus (pop: 210), be forewarned: there isn't much there. Two motels, one restaurant/bar, a gas station, an RV park and a few homes. But since your destination isn't likely to be the town itself, that hardly matters. Our guide, an affable old guy by the name of Touché (well, it's a nickname, but he insisted we call him that), met us for breakfast at the local restaurant-slash-lounge at 6 AM on a Saturday morning. I thought it was odd that we'd sit down and share a meal with a stranger, but he's a great guy - real easy to get along with - and since we were at his mercy for the next 8 hours, it served as a nice little icebreaker. During breakfast he'll go over details of the fishing trip, and you'll order lunch. Fly By Nite provides a sack lunch, and it's a generous one: a good-sized sandwich of your choice, side (chips/coleslaw/potato/macaroni salad), fresh fruit, and a cookie or slice of pie. The pie, I should point out, is to die for. After breakfast, you'll walk across the street to pick up licenses from the bait shop, then follow Touché the 1/2 mile or so to the boat launch area. You're on the water by 8 AM. The boat itself is comfortable and fully decked out. It's got a covered cabin with bench seats, and four additional swivel chairs where you do the actual fishing. All rods and reels are provided, as well as bait. If it's cold out, the boat is heated. We lucked out and had sunshine and warm temps. Touché is a great guide; he knows all the best places to catch fish, and is not afraid to abandon a spot if the fishing doesn't pan out. We made several trips up and down a good portion of the river, from the John Day Dam to the Dalles Dam. When bathroom breaks were needed, he pulled to the shore. Throughout the excursion he regaled us with stories, and shared tips on proper trolling and baiting techniques. At one point we stopped for lunch, and he pointed out some Native American drawings on a rocky hillside; these would have gone completely unnoticed if not for his expertise. 8 hours (and six fish - it was a slow day) later, we docked where we had started, then followed Touché to his shop in town, where he cleaned, filleted and vacuum-packed our fish for us. I highly recommend Fly By Nyte if you are in the mood for a fishing excursion. Whether you're a novice like me or a pro like my father-in-law, you're sure to have a good time!

TLDR: Mostly great trail except it passes directly by the dump and has terrible signage…read more I had read somewhere that there was a 7.5 mile trail from Riverfront Park to The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. From Downtown The Dalles, I had an easy time finding the trail, and finding my way to Riverfront Park. According to the map, the dam is only an additional 2.5 miles east of the park. But, the unpaved section of trail about a mile past the park had a lot of glass and other debris in it, so I decided to turn around. Heading west of Riverfront Park, I had a hard time figuring out where to pick up the trail. There is little to no signage. I kept riding past the dump, thinking, "This can't be right," and turning around. Turns out that the trail is just past this. So, ride until it smells really, really bad. Ride until it smells like death, and then turn right when the road runs into the Google data center. This is where a small aux trail runs from the wide paved Industry trail to the real Riverfront trail. The section from Google to the Gorge Discovery Center is by far the best section of trail. If I only had an hour or two to do this trail and knew everything I know now, I would park at the Discovery Center, and ride from there. Between Google and the river, there is a mini bike park with tables for snacking and stretching, a water bottle refill station, and a bike repair station. There were a lot of older couples and children walking along the trail, so this is not necessarily a great trail for riding fast, but it is very pretty. The views of the volcanic bluffs and basalt deposits along the river are unique and distinct from the rest of the Gorge. Due to the recent fires, a lot of the trees and shrubs on the east side of the trail are currently missing. Even though that's obviously sad, it's resulted in amazing views of the river from the trail. The very last section of trail climbing up to the Discovery Center is a kind of brutal switchback. Coming back down the other way, I got hit by a strong gust of wind that I swear almost blew me straight into the river. I would be very cautious about riding with small children in this area. From the bike trail, you can see so many things that you can't see from the road. There are lots of little inlets full of moss and birds that you would never notice from the freeway. Overall a very pretty trail except for the ride by the dump.

Located in the Columbia River's edge, the Riverfront Trail in The Dalles offers expansive views of…read morethe Columbia River, the basalt cliffs along the Washington side, and The Dalles Bridge and powerful dam with lots of wildlife to see along the way! The ten mile trail goes from The Discovery Center to The Dalles Dam Visitor center winding along the southern bank of the Columbia River. The path is paved, which is why I like it, and it's about 10 feet wide. Plenty of room for those walking, biking, pushing strollers or walking with pets. There are often eagles soaring above, especially from November through January when migrating eagles stay here to feast on the fish and critters. If you go at dusk, there are 50+ nesting in the trees in front of the dam. During the summer, there are hundreds and hundreds of pelicans. They are fascinating to watch, their fishing skills just incredible. They stay together in their flock and when they are hunting, it's a sea of these big white birds diving in and out of the river. Winds can be fierce in this area, which means the current on the river is equally fierce so be aware! And careful. There are also deer in this area which means ticks so wear socks, long pants and stay in the trail. Make sure to check yourself and your dogs after walking especially if you are your pets wander through the grasses. Located off exit 85 on I-8, it's easy access while driving through this area or staying in The Dalles. It's part of Riverplace Park so there are shaded areas with picnic tables, public restrooms and plenty of parking.

Great spot for families- especially if you have kids! Awesome spot for swimming in the summer as…read morewell, there's a little sandy area for easy access to the river for swimming.

A pocket park, as it states online, seems like a fitting description. We were looking for different…read moreaccess to the Riverfront Trail, and that pretty much sums up Klindt Cove. It's got a decent sized lot, as well as bathrooms. Clearly a desired resting spot for geese...watch your step...there is a bit of green space and some benches overlooking the water. There's also a handy-dandy bike repair station -- nice touch. It really is a great midpoint access point to the trail, should you just want to wander a couple miles one direction or the other. The views along the trail are nice, and bird sightings pretty common. Maybe not a park so much, but for it's obvious intended purpose, it's doing it's job.