End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center

  Oregon City has been named the official end of the Oregon Trail because this is where the first federal land office west of the Rocky Mountains was located. To make a land claim in what is now Oregon, Washington, Idaho, western Montana, and western Wyoming the settlers had to come to Oregon City. Many camped in the field where the museum is located before claiming land in the fertile Willamette Valley.

  The exhibits in the museum allow visitors to follow the journey of the emigrants from Independence, Missouri to Oregon. Many of the displays are hands-on. The museum appears large from the outside but since the rooms are big without a lot of artifacts and displays the entire museum can be visited in about an hour.  A walkway outside has interpretive signs. There’s also a small heritage garden.

  Most of the museum is accessible. One section in the last room has steps and no ramp. The interpretive walkway is paved.

  Follow the signs for bus and RV parking which is close to the accessible parking spaces. The sidewalk has an uphill grade. Tickets are sold at the visitor center which is also a state welcome center with brochures and local products for sale. The entrance to the museum is the first door in the building on the right of the plaza. It’s not marked and easy to miss.
Museum     45.36483, -122.5938

Bradford Island Visitors Center-Bonneville Dam

  The Bonneville Dam was built during the depression years of 1934 to 1938 as part of a Public Works Administration project to provide electric power and make river navigation easier. The navigation lock was the largest single-lift lock in the world but it’s no longer in use since a much larger lock was built in 1993 on the Oregon side of the river.
  The visitor center has exhibits about the river and the dam. There’s also an rooftop observation deck and a theater. The fish ladder can be viewed from the outside or through glass windows on the inside. A guided tour of the powerhouse (which we didn’t take) is offered three times a day in the summer.

      
    The visitor center is accessible.

    The parking lot has long RV spaces.
    Dam    45.64112, -121.94223
    

Marine Park & Cascade Locks

  Marine Park is located a little north of the Bridge of the Gods along the Columbia River. It has free parking, a children’s playground, picnic tables, beach, boat ramp, marina, campground, and a museum. A foot bridge goes over a portion of the historical 1896 navigational canal and locks and onto a small grassy island.
        
  The campground is very popular so reservations are necessary.

   Very little of the park is accessible. The bridge is steep and the gravel trail on the island quicky becomes grassy and lumpy. The museum has steps and does not have a ramp. It’s possible to get a good view of the Bridge of the Gods from the park.

  RVs will fit if parked across the spaces.
  Park    45.66844, -121.89553

Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail

  The Historic Columbia River Highway, built between 1913 and 1922, was the first planned scenic highway in the US. It clings to the edges of the hills, climbs to top of ridges, and dips down for views of waterfalls. The construction of I-84 in the1960s destroyed parts of the old highway. Today only about 40 of the original 74 miles are drivable but sections have been reopened for hiking and biking.  We walked/rolled along part of the 4 mile section from Cascade Locks west to the Tooth Rock Trailhead.  A small parking lot is located under the Bridge of the Gods. This section has steps at the 3 mile mark. We didn’t go that far but to get a look at more of the trail we parked at the Tooth Rock Trailhead and walked east for a bit.

  The trail travels through rainforest and would be very tranquil but the constant noise from the interstate is extremely distracting. It’s well maintained with long, gentle hills and no flat sections.

    
   Short RVs will fit in the small parking lot under the Bridge of the Gods, The parking lot at Tooth Rock Trailhead has a few long RV spaces.
Trail    45.66177, -121.89842

Hood River County History Museum

   This very small museum gives a brief history of the area with nicely done exhibits that cover Native Americans, logging, fishing, fruit growing, recreation, and the internment of the local Japanese farmers during WWll.

  The museum is accessible. A very slow lift provides access to the second floor and the research archives.

The parking lot is small but RVs will fit if parked across the spaces. 
            
             Museum    45.71102, -121.50678
           

Western Antique Aeroplane & Automobile Museum

  Most of the airplanes and cars in this museum have not only been beautifully restored but they actually still work. Every second Saturday of the month planes are in the sky and cars are chugging around the grounds. Most of the planes are personal aircraft but there are a few military planes. The cars run the gamut from a 1924 Hupmobile, owned and used by one man for 64 years, to an award winning rat rod. Seating areas with videos pertaining to the displays are located throughout the buildings.



  The museum is accessible.

  The parking lot is large enough for RVs. This is a Harvest Hosts site so members are welcome to stay overnight.

Museum    45.67659, -121.54088

Mt Hood NF Dispersed Camping

  Several good boondocking spots are located along this short segment of the original Mount Hood Loop Highway. The one where we stayed, pictured above, is a long gravel spur leading to a logged out area carpeted with huckleberry bushes. The Warm Springs tribes request that visitors not pick the berries as this is a tradition berry picking area for them.

   To get to this spot – from the intersection of US 26 and Highway 35, drive northeast on Highway 35 for 7.8 miles. Make a left turn at the sign for Elk Meadows Trailhead then turn left onto the original road. A dirt road on the right goes into the forest a short way before it dead ends. It looks like there may have been a small campground here at one time.  There are about five camping spots that are large enough for small RVs or vans. A barely legible sign bars trailers and vehicles over 21’. To get to the long spur continue on the loop highway for .2 of a mile. Spur is on the left.

  Several trail start near here and the Sahale Falls can be viewed from the road. A very nice view of Hood River Meadow with Mt Hood in the background can also be seen from the road.

Forest    45.3208, -121.63433

Timberline Lodge

  The Timberline Lodge, 5,960 feet up on the side of 11,000’ Mt. Hood, was built during the 1930s as part of the  Works Progress Administration program to provide employment during the depression. To keep costs down native materials such as rocks from the mountain and lumber from the forests were used and recycled materials were incorporated in the ironwork, newel posts, and hooked rugs. 80% of the costs were for wages. Some of the workers were artists but the rest learned on the job.      
   
  The details and craftsmanship are amazing. It’s possible to spend hours just looking around at all of the creative touches. A short film is shown off of the lower lobby which also has a historic exhibit and a ranger station where you can join a free tour of the building.

      
  The building is accessible but getting around can be confusing. Accessible parking spots are located in the main parking lot. Look for the wheelchair sign at the ground level door and follow the passageway to the elevator that goes to the lower lobby. Another elevator accesses main lobby. I think that the restaurants and bars are accessible but you may need extra assistance to access elevators or back entrances.

 
  Mt. Hood is the home of the Palmer Snowfield which retains its snow year round making summer skiing and snowboarding possible so expect busy parking lots. RVs are directed to the lower parking lot. It’s an uphill trek to the lodge. Part of this can be avoided by taking the elevator in the day lodge up to the Timberline Lodge level. If you have a small RV and a handicapped hang tag you can drive to the upper level and park close to the accessible entrance.

Lodge   45.33081, -121.71078

Museum at Warm Springs & Indian Head Casino

  The Warm Springs Reservation became the home of the Wasco and Warm Springs tribes in 1855. A small group of Paiutes joined them in 1879 and the three tribes united in 1938 as the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. This very nicely done museum covers the history of the tribes. Many of the exhibits have push button audio programs.

  The museum is accessible.
       

The casino is located directly across US 26 from the museum. It’s a short walk from the casino parking lot to the casino entrance along sidewalks with good curb cuts. The casino has light chairs and easy to reach money and card slots.

  Both the casino and the museum have large lots. Parking overnight at the casino is okay. The museum lot has picnic tables and trash cans. There’s a crosswalk at US 26 but no light.
Museum    Casino    44.7647, -121.24793