From CLNP North to Columbia River B4 heading East

We have 2 nights %26amp; 3 days once we depart Trail Oregon before we MUST head home (SE). We plan on seeing CLNP the day we depart Trail and then head towards the Columbia river area. Very short trails are all we can handle now. I%26#39;m at a loss as to where we should head North from the NP. Any suggestions on which route to take North to the river and what are must see%26#39;s along the routes and places to stay. We would like to see Mt. Hood from the Eastern side so it looks like 97 to 26 then 35 if I%26#39;m not mistaking. How long a drive would that be and should we plan on stopping in say Bend overnight then make the next leg or head farther North? We would take I-84 East so what are the ';must see'; items along that route and what time element should we plan into this area? I hope this is clear.

Thanks

From CLNP North to Columbia River B4 heading East

You can easily drive from Crater Lake to Bend and still have most of the day to sightsee around the Bend area. Newberry Crater is interesting, also the High Desert Museum. Sisters is a nice little town about 20 miles west of Bend--lots of cute little shops, a %26#39;mecca%26#39; for quilters.

Next day, continue on 97/26/35 to see Mt. Hood (take a short side trip up to Timberline. Continue on to Hood River and overnight there. Hopefully, you will have enough time in the afternoon and evening to drive west to Bonneville Dam and some of the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Hiway (at least to Multnomah Falls).

Heading east on I-84, the Discovery Center Museum in The Dalles is excellent. (It%26#39;s about 20 minutes from Hood River). Further east, the city of Pendleton has an Underground Tour, the Pendleton Woolen Mills (outstanding tour and shopping) www.pendleton-usa.com.

I%26#39;ve heard that the Tamastslikt Cultural Institute is excellent. If it is anything like the rest of the Native American museums in the Pacific NW, it is outstanding. www.tamastslikt.org

Further SE on I-84 is the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center at Baker City is very interesting. www.blm.gov/or/oregontrail

Just before you get to the Idaho border, the Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario OR is fascinating. www.4rcc.com

From CLNP North to Columbia River B4 heading East

After about June 15th?

Right now it looks like we should depart Trail on Saturday July 25th, taking in CLNP enroute North. I figure several hours to see the park then hit the road. One thing that bothers me is whether we can find lodging that evening, where and should I make a reservation ahead of time since it is a weekend.

Would the drive from Trail through the park and then continuing towards Bend be an entire day with the additional stops mentioned?

Thanks.

CLNP does not need several hours. You can stop at Rim Village are then drive along west side to north entrance making two or three stops. Be sure you make stop just before you head north out of Park.

Bend is a good night stop and I would make reservation, then on way into town you can drive up to newberry Crater Nat Vol Mon. Also a crater. this on has two lakes.

97/26/35 is good route to Col Riv.

However you miss the best of the Col Riv Gorge. You could take 26 on in to Gresham and go north to I-84 to head east, then at Troutdale or Corbett get on Hist Col Riv Hwy. One of best drives in country.

You do not say how much else you plan to see of oreg before Trail. If you have already been to Gorge. then I would choose 97 all the way to i-84 The Umatilla Indian Museum in Pendleton and Oregon Trail Museum are both excellent. I have not seen one in Ontario. One in The Dalles is quite good too if you do go north to Hood river, but if you have already been to Gorge not really worth the longer trip through Hood River.

The Warm Springs Indians have a museum along 26 but I don%26#39;t put it in same class as other 3 above.

phirl,

Why do you say to stop just before heading North out of the park? Lack of facilities?

I have been in %26amp; through Oregon before but my wife has not. Trail OR is a stopover for the night enroute to see CLNP. From there, given tight scheduling, I wanted her to see the Columbia River but we then have to head East for home. Just the drive from Biggs OR (a point of reference only) we%26#39;ll be looking at 3 days of 11+ hour driving to get home. We only have 5 day total left, leaving us 1 or 2 nights in Oregon not including Trail. I would prefer one day so I could cut the 11+ days a little shorter but.....

The route into Gresham looks like it could work as we would still avoid most of the Portland/Vancouver metro area. Is the Columbia River Historic Highway on the North or South side of the river hwys. 30 or 14? I can%26#39;t tell on my atlas but it looks like 14 in WA might be a nice drive without the interstate between 30 and the river.

If we take that route, can we make it up near Gresham in one day with CLNP included? If so, any places to stay the night along the river around that area?

The last time I was in the area was about 35 years ago. In your opinion, where is the best part of the drive along the river?

Thanks.

That last stop before you begin to head out of Park is one of best views.

It sounds like you did not see the Oreg coast or Mt St helens. I suggest you come again, then you can see the Gorge right.

The Historic Hwy is south of and parallel to I-84, in Oreg. but to enjoy it you need to stop a few times.

I suggest you plan a night in bend catch what you can of Newberry NVM and Cascade Lakes SB. Then get up next mortn and head right up US-97 to Biggs

phirl,

So stop in Bend then head directly to Biggs. We could add an extra day if you think we could see Columbia River from Gresham and head East from there. I don%26#39;t mind 3 days of 11 hour drives if she would be able to see some of what that river has to offer. Biggs was just the calculating point for the 3 day drive home. Like I said, we have 5 days total so the night in Bend would be one and then the 3 day drive so I could work the extra day into the schedule. If that%26#39;s the case, where do we stay along the river as we head East considering the drive time North to the river itself? I%26#39;m not sure what the time element is for that part.

Thanks.

If you spend night in Bend then to Gresham, you could make it to The Dalles easily with good start from Bend. Biggs has a couple motels and Arlington too if you want to push further east.

I do think if you do not got from Troutdale/Gresham up river to Hood River you will be sorry. Hood River to The Dalles is nice but surely not spectacular like troutdale to HR.

Phirl,

Sounds like that%26#39;s what we%26#39;ll do. Any good places in Bend you know of? It looks like about a 200+ mile drive from Bend through Gresham to The Dalles so I figure with stops it might be a full day. In The Dalles, any good places there or just across the river with a nice view that you know of?

Thanks

I usually stayed at the Riverhouse in Bend. in the Dalles there are 3 or 4 motels next to I84 east of town. I have styed there a couplde of times but so not remember name.

I did stay at Hood River Inn several times get a room with river view. I usually did not be cause it cost more and company would not cover the extra cost.