Historic Columbia River Highway: what to know before you drive it
The Historic Columbia River Highway is the original scenic road through the Columbia River Gorge east of Portland, Oregon, built in the 1910s and designed around the gorge's views and waterfalls. Its western section passes Vista House at Crown Point and Multnomah Falls in a run of gentle curves, stone walls and old bridges.
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What it's like
This is a road to savour, not to push: narrow, curving and lined with the original stone guard walls, with waterfall after waterfall on the western stretch. Vista House at Crown Point has one of the best views of the gorge.
It is busy on summer weekends, and some sites — Multnomah Falls among them — have used seasonal timed-entry permits in recent years. Check the current rules before you go.
When to go
Spring for the waterfalls at full flow, autumn for colour, and early weekday mornings for an empty road. Winter can bring ice storms that close parts of the gorge.
More near Portland
Climb toward Mount Hood on the roads south of the gorge, or head west into the hills for shorter loops. The routes below are mapped by Road & Rally drivers, with measured corners.
Mapped routes near the Gorge
Curated drives first, then by how much they bend.
- Historic Columbia River Highway + ExtrasNear Troutdale47 mi455 corners9.6 / mi
- Mount Hood WildernessNear Troutdale239 mi1,702 corners7.1 / mi
- Yale Lake + Sister RocksNear Randle173 mi1,601 corners9.3 / mi
- Beginner: Basic Bald Peak LoopNear Tualatin37 mi224 corners6 / mi
- Windy Ridge ViewpointNear Carson16 mi223 corners13.9 / mi
Questions
- Where does the Historic Columbia River Highway start?
- The western scenic section starts at Troutdale, east of Portland, and runs through Corbett to Crown Point and the waterfalls.
- Do you need a permit to drive the Historic Columbia River Highway?
- Not to drive it, but some stops in the gorge have used seasonal timed-entry permits. Check the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Forest Service before you go.
Keep reading
- North Cascades Highway: what to know before you drive itWashington State Route 20 crosses the North Cascades over Washington Pass and Rainy Pass. When it opens and closes for winter, what it's like, where to fuel, and the loop drivers make of it.
- How do I find twisty roads near me?How to find the best curvy driving roads near you: what makes a road good to drive, how to measure it, and how Road Finder scores every road in an area on curvature and flow.