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    Recommended Reviews - Rowena Crest

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    Hairpin loop ;)
    Ben C.

    Magnificent view of the Columbia River Gorge. Gear grinder ~ another stop for cyclists to peddle up to this elevation. Many are shuttled up to the top to enjoy a hairpin downhill that is not for the faint of heart. Oncoming traffic makes either driver or biker nervous. Dirt hiking pathways through a nature preserve around this historic trail. One of the best views from atop of the Gorge.

    Sunflower and lupine
    Kim G.

    Expansive views of the Columbia River Gorge, even more spectacular when the wild flowers are in bloom. It's truly magnificent! There is plenty of free parking and if you don't plan on hiking a trail, you can still enjoy fabulous views of the river and the famous curved road from the perimeter of the parking lot which is walled for safety. My goal was to visit when the wild flowers were in bloom so I kept logging into all trails dot com to see recent pics to make sure flowers were in abundance. Last week the winds were 32 miles an hour so I patiently waited and it paid off. Yesterday there were no winds at all! It was a sunny 72 degree day and the entire area was dotted with purple broadleaf lupine, bright yellow beach sunflowers and pink Columbia dessert parsley with some orange California poppy sprinkled in. Love! The Rowena Plateau Hike is an easy 1 mile hike through meadows of wildflowers, if you go between May and July. Mid April to mid June seems to be best. It's a lovely walk for a family or those who prefer even elevation and well worn paths. If you are hiking, do wear appropriate shoes as the trail is uneven in parts with some rocks. Often there are strong winds in the Columbia Gorge (hence the wind sailers on the river!) so plan accordingly, wear layers. There is no shade so wear a hat, put on sunscreen and bring plenty of water. As tempting as it may be, do NOT pick the wild flowers or step on them. This is a fragile ecosystem and part of a preservation system. Leave the trails as you found them! Dogs allowed here but must remain on leash. Gets very crowded on weekends when the wild flowers are in bloom. I was there on a sunny Tuesday and only encountered a handful of people along the trail.

    Kim R.

    Fabulous spot for amazing views and fun hiking. It was a cold 40 last Saturday morning when we wound our way up to the Crest Overlook. Even with the leaves off the trees it is a pretty drive. We happened upon deer near the top on our way up and down. The overlook itself has a decent amount of parking, as well as a few spots at the Plateau trailhead. There were only a couple other people visiting on this clear morning, so we had full access to the panoramic gorge views. We moved on to take the mile hike from there. It's a fun, easy plateau trail with a couple of off-shoot trails enabling cliff edge views along the way. At this time of year it was a chilly, windy hike. The sun was shining, but we were still hit with a bit of very light sprinkles that luckily resulted in a full arch rainbow across the gorge. A few minutes later we spotted some soaring eagles...YAY for good timing! I would most definitely love to return to take the other trail accessible from the overlook, especially next spring to see the wildflowers. Beautiful views and wildlife, and a gorgeous rolling hills hike, yes please!

    Standing  at the top
    Jessy M.

    We made a anniversary date day and drove out here from Newberg and then after this viewpoint continued on to Bend. My husband loves to drive so it was all about the drive and amazing views and sites to see along the way. Pretty view and nice drive.

    Long exposure of the hairpin turn
    Tom S.

    Rowena crest is an overlook area on the eastern end of the Columbia River Gorge. The overlook faces to the east and you can do long exposure shots of the road below. Across the Columbia River, you can see a bridge going over the Klickitat River. A great place to see Bald Eagles in winter time when the salmon are running. While I haven't been here in the spring, I understand that it's a great place to see wildflowers.

    Is-30
    Jack G.

    The view from the parking lot provides a phenomenal vista of the Columbia River gorge and the extremely winding US-30. This is worth a stop just for that view alone. The trail is a pleasant walk thru wildflowers (but watch out for the large amounts of poison oak).

    Stella L.

    Gorgeous view from rowena crest viewpoint! Drove from Portland and on the way back to LA, decided to stop by! Brrrr....it was reallyyyy cold and windy when we were up there. Wear warm clothes, gloves and scarfs before you stepped out of the car. We took our dog and she loves the view too!

    Doris W.

    Did a big Oregon road trip last weekend and had Rowena Crest on the to see list. Stopped by here on our drive from Smith Rock State Park to Portland. This place isn't too far from Portland. The drive up is through windy mountain roads. When we got to the top, there were quite a few motorcycles. I think the horseshoe road is more famous than the Gorge view lol. But the view of the river is a good one too! Definitely stop by here to check out the views.

    Looking east from the main viewpoint
    Steve A.

    We've been here before for the spring wildflower bloom and maybe this time we came to soon because blooms were not what we hoped. beautiful views for sure both east and west. we've not experienced the crowds but maybe because we came in the middle of April. There are no rest room facilities so plan accordingly if you do decide to take one of the very nice trail opportunities.

    Lori H.

    Husband and I stopped here after a day spent on the Hood River Fruit Loop. So glad we did...such a gorgeous view! It was pretty windy, but so worth it. It wasn't busy while we were there, so we lucked out on parking. The drive up to the viewpoint was pretty windy, but that made it more fun :-D The Fall colors are beautiful this time of year...makes for beautiful photos. Highly recommend a stop if you're in the Hood River area!

    Frank W.

    I requested read several brochures in the process of planning our trip to Oregon and was impressed by the photos of Rowena Crest Viewpoint to such a degree that I made stopping there a priority. We were staying in Hood River and I combined the drive to the Crest with a visit to Maryhill Museum of Art in Goldendale, WA and The Dalles. To get to the viewpoint you drive up a long and winding road which overlooks the winding road you just drove, but it also offers another excellent vantage point to enjoy the Columbia Gorge.

    Nhina Y.

    It's gorgeous at Rowena Crest. I took my family on this crazy one week roadtrip and they loved it when we stopped at Rowena. We were the only family up there for a quick bit and it was phenomenal. The view is gorgeous and I would highly recommend it! I promised my fam that we could travel cheaply and see this beautiful world in so many places, Rowena is definitely a gem. The road gets a little crazy but its well worth the drive. Go at sunset, it'll take your breath away!

    Jennie T.

    Extremely cold up here. Temperatures reached a low of 28 degrees when we went. It might not be that cold to some people but for a California girl, I couldn't handle it. Be sure to bring scarves, hats, gloves, earmuffs, and whatever snow gear you have if you come during snow season. You are going to freaking need it. I was so cold that I had to go back into the car several times and turn on the heater to warm up. On a brighter note, this view is absolutely gorgeous and liberating. It really makes you stop and think about how small you and your problems are in this world. The drive up here was not bad, though it was very windy. So windy that your car will swerve. Kinda scary but totally worth it.

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    2 years ago

    Beautiful and accessible. A number of hikes all in walking distance and an essential Spring destination for the Gorge.

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    Ask the Community - Rowena Crest

    Review Highlights - Rowena Crest

    The view from the parking lot provides a phenomenal vista of the Columbia River gorge and the extremely winding US-30.

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    Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area - Wahkeena Falls

    Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

    (99 reviews)

    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.

    This area is an absolute must see if you are in the Portland area. It is really gorgeous. We drove…read moreto the visitor center and from there hiked up toward Multnomah Falls. It is a great way to get your steps in while surrounded by nature at its finest. There a number of waterfalls in this area and if you don't have time to get out and hike, there are some that can be seen from your car while driving by. We spent most of a day driving and hiking to the waterfalls using a map we got from the visitor center. It was raining during our visit, but we still got to see some beautiful scenery. There's a restaurant at Multnomah Falls Lodge in case you are looking for a place for lunch while in the area.

    Dufur Historical Society - Tractor

    Dufur Historical Society

    (1 review)

    Even though I visited on a day when they were closed, meaning I could not go into the schoolhouse…read moreor other buildings, I still enjoyed walking around this outdoor museum and marveling at the buildings and farm equipment. It totally transports you back in time to the days when pioneers followed the Oregon Trail and settled in communities to farm and build a new life. Still a farming community, at this outdoor museum in Dufur, you can see several wagons that were used back in the late 1800s and early 1900s by pioneers embarking on the Lewis & Clark Trail. Even a Studebaker wagon! Who knew? The wagons were vastly different than I imagined or had seen depicted in movies. They are much, much narrower and very long. With their wooden wheels and rickety structure, it's absolutely amazing that they carried so many on such a long journey. And underscores how risky the journey was with so many breaking down along the way. The farm equipment and tools were equally amazing. The John Deere tractor, the logo still prominent, was clearly groundbreaking in its day. Pun intended! Each of the buildings, like where the horses were kept and well cared for, the school building, the mercantile, and barns are there to explore. Loved the 2 story, hand built log cabin built by the Schreiber family, completed in 1901. Family members lived in the cabin until 1973 and then, the following year, donated it to the Dufur Histirical Society. All of the buildings and landmarks have information about the history and function. I learned quite a lot and now want to research more. Located right next to the Post Office, you can't miss this outdoor museum. As I was driving through this part of Oregon on a one day drive adventure, I'm so glad I stopped to explore! While in Dufur, have lunch at the historic and beautifully restored Balch Hotel, stop at the market that has lots of curated goods, the coffee shop, and of course, just take a ride and marvel at the unobstructed views of Mt. Hood, whose presence is so grand from this vantage point. Still a dry, wheat farming community, the words "amber waves of grain" come to mind as you drive through miles and miles of golden fields.

    Bull Run Watershed - Reservoir #2

    Bull Run Watershed

    (5 reviews)

    It's a spectacular tour if you're interested in where Portland Water Bureau get their water. Run…read moreby the Bureau themselves, it's more of a community outreach than anything else. I doubt our $10 tour fee covers their cost of the nice mini bus (fits about 26 people), the driver and the guide. Both our driver & guide are retired employees. They were VERY knowledgeable about how the system works. It's a very protected piece of land (with an interesting history) which is restricted to the public. There's a 9 mile section of the 2000+ mi PCT that cuts through it, but no one else is allowed to trespass.... except for us :) We even get to walk inside the service tunnel of the dam. We started with a short hike to a water spring, followed by lunch at the cabins next to Bull Run Lake and then visited the Chief Engineer's house near biggest Reservoir #1 and the Hoover Dam-like Dam #1. I can't recommend this tour enough. The only downside is that it's quite popular and the weekend tours will be sold out within a day - you can ask to be added on their mailing list though, then they'll send you an email when they posted new tours.

    This is a review of a watershed. Or rather visiting a watershed. Which you can do too. And you…read moremight want to, because it's an educational tour of where and how Portland, Oregon gets its water, its ultra pure water. It is also one of the reasons our microbrews are epic. It all started with citizen volunteers in the 1890's to find a clean supply of water for the City. Think we have a lot of pollution from cars now? Back then it was horses. Horses eat and " ". All that " " runs downhill. To where? The river. So not such a great idea to get your drinking water from the Willamette, or any stream with horses nearby. They found a completely isolated watershed near Mt Hood. It gets three times Portland's annual rainfall, but is independent of Mt Hood glaciers, which someday may be no more. They built pipes and dams, and the rest is history. Recently the Portland Water Bureau started bus tours of Bull Run. (By the way, on the bus they have a small scrapbook of historical photos, including horses used for logging in Bull Run, wearing diapers. I kid you not. They are very serious about keeping that water clean! No " " in those waters!) Leaving from Portland, we traveled toward Zigzag then onto Forest Service roads. Through a secure gate we dropped down into the watershed's steep terrain. We visited the source of the Bull Run River, a substantial spring. Bull Run lake with some very old cabins where original builders lived. The we visited the reservoirs and dams and a beautifully restored home where the dam's chief engineer lived. Throughout the tour, you'll hear about the area's natural history, the unique legal history protecting the watershed, including some presidential proclamations, how the water is treated, and the best thinking on future developments. The trip leaves 8:30 or 9AM and you are back by about 4. Bring a lunch. The bus is very comfy, not your childhood school bus. There are two lunch spots used. Because of the rain we chose indoors at the chief engineer's house which is up to date with a microwave. So if you prefer that to the other lunch outdoor picnic table spot, discuss it with the tour organizers in advance. I recommend the engineer's house for lunch. It is a geeky outing, but because the watershed is closed to campers, hikers and visitors, and guarded, the tour is your only opportunity to see this virgin forest, catching 140 inches a year of pure Cascade rain, connected directly to your tap. The City has 3 videos, with this first, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10wrNwyXmmk, made in 1959!

    Rowena Crest - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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