Historic Columbia River Highway
Troutdale → The Dalles, OR · ~75 miles · 1 day
Stylized illustration, not a photo — the real place looks different (and that’s half the fun).
America’s first scenic highway winds along the Columbia River Gorge past a string of waterfalls — including the 620-foot Multnomah — with the river cliffs on one side and forest on the other.
Updated July 2026.
A corridor of waterfalls.
No drive packs more waterfalls per mile, and the Vista House perch over the gorge is unforgettable. (Some falls use a timed-entry permit in summer.)
States on this route
The signature stops
What to pull over for.
The best stops on the Historic Columbia River Highway are the places that define the drive, not just the nearest towns. Roamward orders them for the road: start with Vista House at Crown Point, Latourell Falls, Multnomah Falls, Horsetail Falls, then open each stop guide for the pull-over context.
01Vista House at Crown Pointa stone rotunda 700 feet above the river — open the stop guideOR
02Latourell Fallsa 249-foot plunge over columnar basalt — open the stop guideOR
03Multnomah FallsOregon’s tallest, with the iconic Benson footbridge — open the stop guideOR
04Horsetail Fallsa roadside falls you can loop behind — open the stop guideOR
05Hood Rivera windsurf-and-orchard town to end the drive — open the stop guideOR
Where to eat
Restaurants along this route.
Restaurants on the Historic Columbia River Highway are chosen for trip usefulness: gateway-town location, a clear reason to stop, and enough quality to make a traveler save the pick. Start with Earth and Sea, The Horse Radish, Thunder Island Brewing Co., Multnomah Falls Lodge Restaurant.
A curated set of trip-useful meals near the route — enough to anchor driving days without turning the guide into a phone book.
- Earth and Sea
Chef-driven Carlton fine-dining room spotlighting fresh seafood from around the globe alongside Yamhill-Carlton AVA wines.
- The Horse Radish
Downtown Carlton wine-and-cheese bar with made-to-order sandwiches, a changing local dinner menu and live music on Saturday nights year round.
- Thunder Island Brewing Co.
A Cascade Locks brewpub with Gorge views, useful at the eastern end of the waterfall-heavy Columbia River Highway day.
- Multnomah Falls Lodge Restaurant
The historic lodge meal at the Gorge waterfall icon, perfect when the Columbia River Highway day is built around Multnomah Falls.
- Block 15
Corvallis craft-beer landmark since 2008 pouring adventurous house brews alongside burgers, vegan plates and pub fare in a laid-back downtown room.
- del Alma
Riverfront Corvallis favorite serving refined pan-Latin small plates and a strong cocktail list, a longtime special-occasion institution.
- Nearly Normals
Longtime Corvallis vegetarian and vegan institution known locally as the Gonzo Cuisine cafe, serving hearty meatless plates on a leafy patio.
- Joel Palmer House
Romantic farm-to-table institution in an 1857 historic home famous for its wild mushrooms and one of Oregon's deepest pinot lists.
Build a trip around Columbia Gorge drive.
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Stay & experience
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Things to do near Historic Columbia River Highway
Browse guided tours and bookable activities that fit this stop.
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