OREGON. WE LOVE DREAMERS.® Photo: Larry Andreasen S CENIC BYWAYS & T OUR R OUTES A DRIVING GUIDE Mt. Hood Steve Terrill 2 OREGON SCENIC BYWAYS DISCOVER Oregon S CENIC B YWAYS & T OUR R OUTES Oregon’s Scenic Byways offer a rich taste of all the grandeur and diversity the Pacific Northwest has to offer. Outstanding natural beauty and many sites of historical and cultural significance have earned Oregon more designated scenic byways and tour routes than any other state. On some Byways, you’ll drive from the high desert to snowcapped peaks to fertile valleys in a matter of just a few hours! There are the rugged rock formations of Hell’s Canyon, world famous Crater Lake, and mile after mile of breathtaking vistas along the Columbia Gorge and the Pacific coastline. Almost anywhere you turn, there’s a backdrop of mountains beckoning. You can stand in the spot where Lewis & Clark weathered out the cold, rainy winter of 1806 at Fort Clatsop, and view real ruts from the Oregon Trail near Baker City. All of these wonders are easily accessible from Oregon’s 26 scenic byways and tour routes. Each Byway description in this guide highlights natural, historical and cultural attractions along the route. Maps and information regarding availability of services, time needed to drive and enjoy each byway, and best times of year to travel are also included. The routes are categorized by their designation: All American Roads come first, fol- lowed by National Scenic Byways, State Scenic Byways and State Tour Routes. Routes are introduced in each category from the northwestern part of the state, and then move clockwise around the state. You will find contact information for each Byway starting on page 62. Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, a history buff or merely enjoy a relaxing drive in the country, Oregon’s Scenic Byways will take you there. We hope this guide will help you discover the many wonders that await you along Oregon’s Scenic Byways. Cover Photo: Cannon Beach just north of Tolovana State Recreation Site. Photo: (opposite page) Oregon Dunes near Florence. Robert Potts T RAVELO REGON.COM 3 CONTENTS AND LEGEND INTRODUCTION ...........................................3 Lewis and Clark NWR Lewis & Clark National Historical Park ....................6 Umatilla NWR Cold Springs NWR ....................10 Arlington ..............14 Hillsboro McKay Creek ...................18 NWR Cape Meares NWR Three Arch Rocks NWR 18 Tualatin Tualatin River NWR Nestucca ..................22 Bay NWR Seasonal 19 Road .........................................25 Baskett Seasonal Siletz Bay Slough ...................28 NWR NWR 17 Road Ankeny ..............31 NWR .................34 ........................37 William L. Finley NWR Seasonal Road .........................................40 Seasonal Road .................42 ..................44 26 Deer Flat NWR ......46 Elkton ...................48 16 Oakland Sutherlin .......................50 20 25 22 Oregon Bandon Islands Marsh 17 .......................52 NWR Seasonal Road NWR NTY U CO R O A D 1 23 Klamath 18 24 Marsh NWR Malheur NWR ........................................53 19 .............................54 21 Upper Klamath 20 .......................55 NWR Rocky Point Hart Mountain National 21 ......................56 Antelope Refuge 22 ..................57 23 .........................................58 Lower Klamath NWR Bear Valley NWR 161 24 .........................59 Tulelake To Lava Beds 139 25 National Monument .........................................60 26 ...............................61 VISITOR INFORMATION .................................62 Only Byway seasonal roads are depicted here; check locally or go to www.TripCheck.com for seasonal road conditions and closures. 4 OREGON SCENIC BYWAYS Lewis and Clark NWR Lewis & Clark National Historical Park Umatilla NWR Cold Springs NWR Arlington Hillsboro McKay Creek NWR Cape Meares NWR Three Arch Rocks NWR 18 Tualatin Tualatin River NWR Nestucca Bay NWR Seasonal 19 Road Baskett Seasonal Siletz Bay Slough NWR NWR 17 Road Ankeny NWR William L. Finley NWR Seasonal Road Seasonal Road 26 16 Deer Flat NWR Elkton Oakland Sutherlin 20 17 25 18 22 Oregon Bandon Islands Marsh NWR NWR Seasonal Road UNTY 19 CO R O A D 1 23 Klamath Malheur NWR 24 Marsh NWR 20 21 21 Upper Klamath 22 NWR Rocky Point Hart Mountain National 23 Antelope Refuge 24 25 Lower Klamath NWR Bear Valley NWR 161 Tulelake 26 To Lava Beds 139 National Monument State Welcome Center National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Res = reservoir Lighthouse (see page 64) Only Byway seasonal roads are depicted here; check locally or go to www.TripCheck.com for seasonal road conditions and closures. Airports (see page 64) T RAVEL O R EGON.COM 5 ALL AMERICAN ROAD AAR1 6 OREGON SCENIC BYWAYS THE Discovery traveled through the Gorge on the Columbia River on its way to the Pacific Ocean. Oregon Trail Pioneers also traveled down the Columbia River Gorge in the mid 1800s. The region’s rich his- Historic tory is preserved in several museums along the route. Troutdale and the Sandy Columbia To begin your journey from Portland, take Interstate 84 east to exit 17. Follow the signs through the quaint town of Troutdale and River Highway over the Sandy River to the Historic Columbia River Highway. SCENIC BYWAY In 1805, Lewis and Clark camped along the banks of the Sandy, which ran gritty with ash from the 1802 eruption of volcanic Any way you look at it, the Historic Columbia River Mount Hood. The road follows the Wild and Scenic Sandy River for several miles, then climbs past orchards and blueberry fields Highway Scenic Byway is a marvel—for its vision- through the communities of Springdale and Corbett, offering ary engineering, incredible scenery, and rich history. glimpses of snow-capped Mount Hood. Internationally lauded for spectacular waterfalls, Gorgeous Vistas from Crown Point architectural gems, and magnificent overlooks of the At the Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic overlook at Chanticleer Point, you get your first glance of the Columbia River Columbia River Gorge, it’s no wonder this Byway and the Gorge: this is the vista that inspired the Highway’s found- has been called “King of Roads.” ing father, Sam Hill. The stone guard walls and graceful arches are typical of the highway’s exquisite craftsmanship. The Vista House AAR1at Crown Point is an Oregon treasure, one of the most photo- graphed and recognizable in the Columbia River Gorge. Built as Construction of the Historic Columbia River Highway began in a memorial to Oregon pioneers, it offers an inspiring view of the 1913, and was considered one of the greatest engineering feats Gorge and the mountains of the Cascade Range. of the modern age. Its engineer, Samuel C. Lancaster, did “not Unforgettable Falls [want] to mar what God had put there,” and worked diligently To help motorists navigate the 600-foot vertical drop from Crown to showcase the many waterfalls and other “beauty spots” on the Point, Lancaster engineered a series of what’s known as “figure- highway’s route through the Columbia Gorge. There are numerous eight loops” that gracefully wind down toward the river. You’re historic resources along the highway. In fact, the Historic soon surrounded by mossy tree limbs, the greenery enhanced by Columbia River Highway, the first scenic highway in the U.S., is a National Historic Landmark. Samuel Lancaster certainly had a magnificent palette to work with. The Columbia River Gorge is 80 miles long and up to 4,000 feet deep, cutting the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountain WA SHINGTON Hood Range. Lava flows created the substrate and the Missoula Floods R River Mosier VE cut through this substrate much later to create the towering cliffs RI COLU M B I A of columnar basalt that make up the Gorge. The Gorge includes 84 Troutdale 16 endemic plant species (those that exist only within the Gorge) Cascade Locks Rowena Biggs 205 Multnomah Falls and over 150 rare plant species, and is rich with animal life. The Crown Point State Park The Dalles Historic Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway offers ever-shifting Portland Corbett 5 Sandy River perspectives of the Gorge, including sweeping panaromas from 900 Oregon Mt. Hood 35 Grass Valley feet above the river. Hikers will delight in the many trails along the City Estacada 26 197 Byway, some of which lead to hidden waterfalls. 97 As its name implies, the Byway is incredibly rich in cultural history. This stretch of the Columbia once served as fishing and meeting Trip Tips grounds for the many indigenous peoples of the Columbia Basin. Distance: Narrow, winding 70-mile (113 kilome- The Dalles was a highly significant trading and rendezvous site ter) drive. Best Time: Spring for best waterfalls, throughout history and prehistory. Lewis and Clark’s Corps of fall for best weather, mid-week for fewest crowds, winter storms can be hazardous. Minimum Driving Time: 3-5 hours. Photo: (opposite page) sunrise on the Medical Services/Hospitals: Portland, Hood River, The Dalles. Rest Columbia River Gorge, near Crown Point. Areas: Several parks and campgrounds are located along the route. Craig Tuttle T RAVEL O R EGON.COM 7 ALL AMERICAN ROAD 1925 and listed in the National Register of River. Here, the Gorge acts as a wind Historic Places) takes you to the lower cas- tunnel to create consistent breezes that have cade, then zigzags to the top. A little far- made this once sleepy orchard town the ther down the road, Horsetail Falls plum- unofficial windsurfing capital of the world. mets close enough to the road to mist your windows. Before the Byway joins Interstate From Mosier to the community 84, at the community of Dodson, you’ll of Rowena pass Oneonta Gorge, a botanical paradise In the 12 miles from Hood River to with more than 50 species of plants that Mosier, you’ll notice a dramatic change flourish in the damp, cool environs. in the scenery. It’s here that the “two Oregons” meet. As you reach Mosier Bonneville Dam to Hood River and the the second leg of the Historic For the next 25 miles, you’ll leave the Columbia River Highway (off exit 76), the Historic Highway for modern—yet still moist and lush western Gorge gives way beautiful—Interstate 84.