A day on the Mt. Hood Scenic Loop

There were four trips we especially desired to make when we moved into our RV in 2010. Three had been accomplished, so we were determined to complete the list with an adventure to Oregon.

After hours of driving through Washington wilderness, we headed west along the Columbia River to Portland, Oregon. There we reconnected with friends we had not seen in person for over thirty years. It was quite a reunion!

On our first day of exploring, they took us on the Mt. Hood Scenic Loop.

Our first stop was a viewpoint overlooking the Sandy River. This river also flowed past the campground where we stayed. The marker claimed it to be the location of “the first house west of the Cascades”. Whatever the reason, it was a beautiful spot.

Heading further down the loop, we took a short side trip to Mt. Hood, the highest point in Oregon and the location of Timberline Lodge. This beautiful stone and timber building was built 75 years ago. It boasts of 70 guest rooms and 34,000 sq. ft. of space, including restaurant, lounge areas, gift shop, etc. It is used as a ski lodge, hotel, and mountain retreat. We wandered through some of the Lodge and admired the craftsmanship.

 

The road then took us through an area of orchards. We stopped at a fruit stand to look around, then continued to Hood River, where we had lunch. Turning back toward Portland, we next explored the Bonnyville Fish Hatchery. Though the hatchery was between seasons of full operation at the time, we did see the feeding pond stocked with rainbow trout, rearing ponds, and a walk-through display of sturgeon.

From there, we followed Hwy 30, “Historic Highway”, a narrow paved road with many sharp turns featuring several waterfalls, the highest of which is Multnomah Falls at 611 feet. We did not venture up to Benson Bridge, a walkway that spans the falls between the upper and lower cascades. But the view left one in awe of the beauty and force of nature.

 

The final stop of the day was Crown Point, a unique viewpoint. The highway winds around the focal point, a large stone structure named Vista House.

 Within Vista House one can climb stairs and view the majestic scenery of the area. It would not be difficult to spend hours at that place, taking in the features of each direction, watching the boats on the Columbia River, and enjoying the light breeze.

 We did not have hours to spend, so after admiring the views briefly we returned to “headquarters”.

**Stay tuned for part 2 of the trip, discovering Portland, city of roses.