columbia river gorge

People Are Trashing Oregon’s National Forests This Summer and Rangers Want It to Stop

After months of living in lockdown, it’s no surprise that quarantine-weary Oregonians have been eager to hike, camp and swim this summer. But it is something of a shock that so many people have gotten back to nature and decided to trash it. The Malheur National Forest is the latest agency to report increased vandalism and theft throughout the 1.7 million acre site, located in Eastern Oregon’s Blue Mountains.

Some Campgrounds in the Columbia River Gorge Will Reopen This Week

If you were hoping for more options to sleep under the stars as we get closer to summer, there’s good news: A handful of campgrounds are about to reopen and they’re all in or near the Columbia River Gorge. As early as tomorrow, three sites on the Washington side of the river—Maryhill, Columbia Hills and Brooks Memorial—will welcome back overnight visitors. You can make reservations on the Washington State Parks website.

A Limited Number of Trails and Parks in the Gorge Have Reopened

A network of state and federal agencies is cracking open the door to the Gorge. Starting today, you can now access some trails and day-use areas throughout the scenic strips of land straddling the Columbia River, but do not expect to visit the major attractions anytime soon.

Here’s How Oregon Forests and Waterfalls Could Reopen in the Coming Weeks

Temperatures are warming; we’re closing in on the unofficial kickoff to summer, Memorial Day weekend; and after weeks cooped up at home, everyone is going a little stir crazy. Fortunately, Gov. Kate Brown does have a path to get you outdoors for some recreation, and those details were released this morning. As part of Oregon’s phase one to reopening in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, all agencies overseeing parks and outdoor facilities will need to enact multiple safety measures to keep people physically separated and ensure conditions remain as sanitary as possible.

Some Washington State Parks Will Reopen Next Week, But Not in the Gorge

If word that Washington State Parks were just days away from reopening had you dusting off your hiking boots and eyeing trail maps, don’t even think about making a run for the state border and heading for the Gorge. Yes, it’s true that our northern neighbor will allow the public to access some popular recreation areas starting Tuesday, May 5–but that does not include any properties in the Columbia River Gorge, including Beacon Rock, Columbia Hills Historic State Park and Maryhill.

The U.S. Forest Service Implores the Public to Stay Out of the Gorge

As we head into the weekend and people search for ways to keep their minds and bodies occupied after days of hunkering down, the U.S. Forest Service has a very simple message for everybody: Stay out of the Gorge. Even though day-use sites, parks and trailheads remain closed due to the coronavirus outbreak—many have been barricaded to prevent entry—visitors have still flooded public lands. Last weekend alone, the Forest Service says thousands flocked to the Columbia River Gorge.

The U.S. Forest Service Has Closed All Its Recreation Sites in the Columbia Gorge

The U.S. Forest Service announced today that it is temporarily closing all National Forest System lands—from the Sandy River Delta in Troutdale to the mouth of the Deschutes River east of The Dalles—to halt the spread of the new coronavirus.

The Historic Columbia River Highway Is Now Closed, Along With Every Waterfall on the Route

As of 5 pm today, the Historic Columbia River highway is closed between Bridal Veil Falls and Ainsworth State Park. That includes all recreation sites along that stretch in order to help halt the spread of the new coronavirus and prevent people from flocking to the area like they did last weekend.

Anxious Oregonians Head for the Woods, Creating a Traffic Jam in the Columbia River Gorge

“Parking lots and roadside parking overflowed this week with cars parking in ditches and blocking intersections.”

The 20 Moments That Made Portland Famous in the Past 10 Years

As the decade closes, no American city plays such an outsized role in the national imagination.

Willamette Week

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