Scenic Drives
Being a Scenic Area, we are home to an abundance of scenic drives. Two epic roads trace the Columbia River’s pathway through the Cascade Mountains -- Oregon's Historic Columbia River Highway and Washington's Lewis and Clark Trail Scenic Byway. Drivers can also experience the nearby Mt. Hood Scenic Byway.
Scenic Driving
Share the road respectfully
- Watch for bikers along the side of the road.
- Park in designated areas only to ensure emergency vehicles can respond and alleviate congestion.
- Avoid blocking driving lanes.
- Avoid idling your car and blocking trailheads for long periods of time.
- Park within the white lines of road shoulders.
Search for Scenic Drives Opportunities
HCRH (US 30) - Hood River
Site Open
This remaining section of the Historic Columbia River Highway (HCRH) can be explored from I-84 exits 62 and 64. It heads past historic hotels and quaint shops and restaurants of downtown Hood…
HCRH (US 30) - Mosier to The Dalles
Site Open
Full of outstanding panoramas, this section of the Historic Columbia River Highway (HCRH) is a delightful drive. The world-famous loops that descend from the Rowena plateau to The Dalles is even…
HCRH (US 30) - Waterfall Corridor
Site Open
By far the most popular segment of the Historic Columbia River Highway, the waterfall corridor runs from Troutdale to Ainsworth. It can be extremely congested on weekends (think: bumper to bumper)…
Historic Columbia River Highway
Site Open
Constructed between 1913 and 1922, the original Columbia River Highway was designed to bring travelers to the most breathtaking sights and scenes in the Gorge. From the amazing loops at Rowena…
Mt. Hood Scenic Byway
Visit two amazing Forest Service sites in one day on this scenic byway, which runs through Mt. Hood National Forest and ends in the Scenic Area. Explore the route with this printable map or visit…