Getting there is half the fun!

Cascade Locks, 45 miles east of Portland on I-84, is a great destination in itself.  It is surrounded by the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area  Driving up the Gorge to get there is an experience one will never forget regardless of time of year although Spring, Summer and Fall are optimum. Each season Multnomah Falls and the lesser known falls along the way sport  new colors and  plant life along their shores.  Veer off the Interstate onto the  old highway (Hwy.30); all the waterfalls along the way are a photographer’s delight while the trails challenge any hiker. The hundreds of shades of green  encountered on the drive are more than any artist could duplicate on his canvas.  The area surrounding Cascade Locks in known as “the Lake Garda of North America.  (Lake Garda is in Italy.)  The Columbia Gorge Racing Association (CGRA) takes pride in producing regattas, and community events in Cascade Locks and Hood River throughout the year.  See website www.CGRA.com for details.

Arriving in town you will find a playland of activities that could keep you busy for days.  The adventurer will find world class hiking,(The Pacific Crest Trail or www.pcta,org )which starts in Mexico and ends in Canada, transiting California, Oregon, Washington and boasting the greatest elevation changes of any of America’s National Scenic Trails  crossing  six out of seven ecozones.  Biking,fishing and sailboating and other outdoor sports make this a nature lover’s paradise.

For those interested in history, The Cascade Locks Historical Museum in Marine Park gives visitors a taste of what brought this town into prominence —the fishwheels, Native Americans, sternwheelers, railroads and much more to make this a crutial point of transportation in the Gorge. The ‘Oregon Pony’ next to the museum is the first steam engine used in the Oregon Territory and is also the first of its kind to be built in the Pacific Northwest.

The Bridge of the Gods connects Oregon and Washington at this point on the river. The bridge, the very first to span the Columbia connects the two states and was named to honor the once natural land crossing. Myths and legends find their way into this story telling how Manito the Great Spirit dealt with the situation to protect the people.  The story unwinds like a Greek drama; romance, wars, and jealousies.  Great rivalries developed between the Great Spirit’s three sons and  Loo-Wit, the guardian of the bridge.  A war ensued and the crossing fell in, Loo-Wit with it. Because of her faithfulness to the Great Spirit he granted  Loo-Wit’s wish to be made young and beautiful  once again but to live alone since she was old in spirit.  He turned her into the most beautiful of all the mountains and allowed her to settle by herself far to the west.  She is now known as the youngest mountain in the Cascades, Mt. St. Helens.  In 1926 a manmade bridge was built to accommodate the traffic between the Oregon and Washington sides of the river.

Follow the route  of Lewis and Clark  directly through Cascade Locks while you explore over 300 miles of Oregon Trail which was designated a National Historic Trail in 1978.  There are still discernible ruts on some parts of the route and 125 historic sites  along the way from Independence, MO, to Oregon City, OR. Today the trail is managed by the National Park Service in partnership with  The Bureau of Land Management.the Forest Service, state and local governmental agencies.

A close up of the Gorge’s scenic vistas can be had May-October by cruising the Columbia River Gorge sternwheeler, docked at the Marine Park, Cascade Locks.  Get a first hand glimpse and experience the history while cruising on this authentic triple decked paddle wheeler which offers breathtaking views of Native American’s fishing from legendary platforms as they have done for centuries.

Directly under the Bridge of the Gods, in the CharBurger parking lot, you will often find Native Americans selling their fresh catch of salmon.  It doesn’t get any fresher or better.  The CharBurger is an institution in Cascade Locks.  This cafeteria style restaurant offers great home cooking including hamburgers and pies, along with a sweeping view of the river and Bridge (free of charge) while you eat.

Don’t overlook a visit to this historic town and area.  You will come away with a deeper appreciation of our national history and an understanding of Oregon that should not be overlooked.

Should you go:

www.cascadelocks.net
www.cgra.org
www.pcta.org

Photos courtesy Port of Cascade Locks

2011
2012

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