Mt. Hood and Columbia River Gorge: Great Outdoors

Join Olympic hopefuls on the slopes for North America’s longest ski season at historic Timberline Lodge and Ski Area. Come summertime, kids young and old will enjoy the Mt. Hood Adventure Park at Skibowl. And golfers are sure to love The Resort at The Mountain’s beautiful 27-hole course. Trek out on a guided snowmobile tour or summertime alpine lake kayaking trip. Hike in the wheel ruts of Oregon Trail pioneers on historic Barlow Road and experience pioneer life at Philip Foster Farm. Adrenaline lovers are sure to enjoy rafting the Upper Clackamas River, the closest whitewater to Portland, or speeding down the Sandy Ridge Trail System, home to world-class mountain biking.

“The gateway to the Gorge,” Troutdale boasts a historic downtown with restaurants, antiques, art galleries, two historic museums and specialty shops. Grab ice cream at the Troutdale General Store before you continue east to Crown Point, eleven waterfalls including the famous Multnomah Falls and the Oneonta Gorge. Say “hi” to Herman the Sturgeon at Bonneville Dam. Learn about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and see Native Americans fish from their legendary platforms, all from the deck of a historic Sternwheeler in Cascade Locks, or simply set sail amid the area’s world-famous winds

Thrill seekers know Hood River as the windsurfing/kiteboarding capital of the world. The biking isn’t bad, either. Foodies revere it as a central player in the local foods movement and the home of craft brewers, winemakers and the Hood River Country Fruit Loop … not to mention part of the nation’s largest pear-producing region. Take a scenic ride aboard the Mount Hood Railroad. Add in a charming downtown with shops and restaurants galore and jaw-dropping views wherever you look, and you’ll see why Hood River is such an attractive destination.

Visit The Dalles, a slice of the Wild West and gateway to Oregon’s high desert country. Once an important gathering area for Native American tribes and later for Oregon Trail pioneers, it now attracts visitors with its sunshine – 300-plus days a year. Long known for its bountiful sweet cherry harvest, The Dalles is a hub for cyclists, hikers, rafters, anglers, history buffs and wine aficionados. Make sure to bike the Riverfront Trail for a visit to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and wine tasting at the Sunshine Mill. You can’t spend a day touring Mt. Hood and the Columbia River Gorge and claim to know the area, but give it a week, and you’ll get a month’s worth of adventure!