Columbia River Gorge - Waterfalls, Vista House, Bonneville Lock, Dam & Fish Ladder, Cascade Locks

July 11th, 2016

We decided to drive through the Columbia River Gorge stopping at various scenic views along the way.  There are many waterfalls here and we were going to look at the ones that we were able to walk too easily.  We have heard that the car parks get full very quickly and so we started out earlier than we usually do but it was still about 10am before we left.

                           

                           

The first was Horsetail Falls.   You can see this from the road and there is a car park on the opposite side of the road.  Success, there were only 2 other cars in the parking lot.  There are walking trails that take you to the Upper Falls but we were content to just look from the road level.  We knew we had a lot more to see and so had to conserve our legs!!!!

Next stop was the Oneonta Tunnel, Gorge and Creek

Interesting rock formations with the moss and flowers growing on them.

Walking through the tunnel.  There was a lot of graffiti in here, peoples names and when they were here.

Bryan went down the steps to the creek bed.  There is a walk to a waterfall from here but we didn't do it.

I stood on the bridge and looked down.

Bryan took the following pictures while down in the creek/gorge.

The railroad ran nearby.

Our next stop was Multnomah Falls.  This is the most popular stopping point in the Gorge and the car parks have been full every time we have driven through.  This time we were early enough that we got one of the few remaining spots. This bridge is the roadway through.  The car park on the opposite side was already full.

The railway bridge showing mileage to different towns from here.

You can walk to the top of these falls but we decided to just walk up to the middle bridge.

The Upper falls from the middle bridge

Looking down

Here's a VIDEO of the waterfall taken from this bridge.

looking down at the first bridge

Looking up from that first bridge to the middle bridge where the picture before was taken

Here is a very short VIDEO from the bottom of the falls.

The lodge

Next we stopped at the Bridal Falls Viewpoint and Falls.  We walked to a viewpoint and looked out along the gorge and then we started the walk to the falls but it got steeper and steeper and we decided against it.  We still have a lot to do today and so we skipped this one.

Next stop was Latourell Falls.
                                             

The rails on the bridge near the falls was covered in moss.

                                               

Looking over the bridge or was I resting!!

Looking down through a drain hole in the bridge at the stream below.

Bryan took some pictures of the falls from close to the bridge.

Then I walked up a short but steep path to another viewpoint and got these pictures.

Again you could walk to the top of the falls, see the people up there.  We really wish our bodies would allow us to do longer walks but we just can't and know our limitations.  We are fortunate that we can see as much as we have been able too.

A view of the moss covered bridge from below.

and walking back across it to the car.

Vista House is the best place to get views of the gorge.  The Columbia River Highway is 100 years old this year.

You can see for miles around.

Further along the road is another viewpoint where you can get a good picture of Vista House with the Gorge in the background.

Love this picture

We drove back along the gorge, past the campground and on to Bonneville Lock and Dam.

                           
Unfortunately no boats were going through the lock while we were there.

There was a lot to see here and we drove over to the Visitor Centre on Bradford Island

                            

We saw the spillway.  The force of the water going through here was remarkable.  Here's a VIDEO showing the water going through the spillway and the spray and mist that is caused.  I have been to many dams and locks but don't remember seeing anything like this before.  It was fascinating.

There was a rose bed by the viewpoint and one of the roses here was "Peace" which happened to be one of my parents' favorites, we had it in our garden when I was growing up.  I had a smile on my face when I saw it.
                            
There is a fish ladder here as well.  The fish go up river to spawn and it is an uphill climb.  Maybe it's my age but it seems a bit too much hard work to me!!!!  We could see the fish jumping up the ladder, and often looking as though they were getting one fin(step) forward and two back!!

They climb up this ladder and then go through a narrow channel where they are seen through a glass window and a volunteer identifies and counts them.

Not sure if you can see the fish in this picture but he just jumped up that ledge.

Inside the center there is a board with the numbers and types of fish counted last year and the 10 year average.  We also saw into the room where a lady was sat and counting the fish as they went through.

There were other windows so that visitors could watch the fish swimming through on their journey upstream.

This window had a lot of Pacific Lamprey with their mouths stuck on the glass.

Here's a fish going past the window, and a VIDEO showing the fish struggling against the flow to go upstream.  See how hard they have to work.

                            

This is the view from outside.  The windows are below us. The fish swim through the maze, all the while going against the flow of the water.  The ladder is at the top right hand side of this picture and they come up that before going through the channel in front of the windows to be counted and then out through the maze.  This is designed in a way that it enables the fish to rest between stages.  The walls are built to stop some of the force of the water, although you could still see the fish struggling to get upstream against the current.  

Here is a VIDEO taken outside showing the force of the water going through the maze and down the ladder.  Remember the fish start at the bottom of the ladder and jump up the ladder and then through the maze against the flow of the water to get to their mating grounds upstream.  

This was the view from the car park at the Visitor Centre.

We were really feeling worn out by now but I wanted to see Cascade Locks and knew we wouldn't have another opportunity and it was close by, so off we went.

There were some bronze sculptures in the park by the locks.

They have paddleboat cruises along the river from here.

The locks here were replaced by the Bonneville Lock.

Bridge across the former lock

The old lock with Bridge of Gods in the background.

A fishermans platform made on the side of the old lock.  There was a ladder to get down to it.

Back at the park, Bryan took some pictures of our site.

These pretty flowers were in the bushes at our site.

Whew!!! Well that's it for today, hope you enjoyed it.  The waterfalls were magnificent and only a small sampling of what is here and the locks, dam and fish ladder were really interesting.  Another great day.