Car-Free Trips to the Columbia River Gorge
Avoid the hassle of driving to the gorge with these car-free travel tips.
Know Before You Go
To learn more about visiting the gorge without a car, check out Columbia Gorge Car-Free. First published on TravelOregon.com.
With its cascading waterfalls, hills full of wildflowers and sparkling river views, touring the Columbia River Gorge is easily one of the most scenic routes you can take in all of Oregon.
But what if you could see the sights without having to drive? Thanks to shuttle services and scenic bike routes, visitors can check out a few new ways to explore the gorge car-free.
Leaving the car behind means saving on gas and avoiding parking headaches, not to mention easing congestion and reducing emissions, which will go a long way toward keeping this region pristine and green for the next 100 years.
Shuttles
The Columbia Gorge Express will transport visitors from the Gateway Transit Center in Portland to Multnomah Falls and Rooster Rock State Park for just $5 round-trip. Cyclists can even get aboard, with three bike spaces on each bus.
Looking for a longer gorge tour? Gray Line Tours offers a half-day luxury coach tour to the gorge, for a round-trip fare of $56 to and from downtown Portland. The four-and-a-half-hour tour stops at Latourell Falls, Multnomah Falls and Lodge and the Bonneville Dam and fish ladder, a national historic site in the heart of the gorge.
America’s Hub World Tours offers a guided Mt. Hood loop tour, half- or full-day gorge tour and a special wine-lovers gorge tour year-round, with pre-arranged pickups and drop-offs from downtown Portland. The full-day tour covers each of the Gray Line’s stops, plus more at Timberline Lodge, Crown Point Vista House and Hood River, where visitors can explore before hopping on for the return trip.
You can also spend your visit to the gorge sipping wine with Evergreen Escapes’ six-hour Columbia Gorge Waterfalls & Wine Tour. Visit “Waterfall Alley,” take interpretive nature walks, view wildlife and sample boutique wines only found in Oregon — without having to drive. (Pick-up and drop-off are in downtown Portland.)
Getting to the gorge by bike is highly recommended. For starters, it’s 19 miles of great views from the Gresham MAX station to Multnomah Falls.
By Bike
True cyclists will love riding the entire 100-year-old Historic Columbia River Highway, with a connecting motorized-vehicle-free state trail on parts of the old highway. The Troutdale to Cascade Locks segment passes by multiple waterfalls, Crown Point Vista House and the Bridge of the Gods. The following Cascade Locks to Hood River segment features a new car-free segment of the restored state trail from Starvation Creek Trailhead to Viento State Park. The Hood River to The Dalles segment includes a beautiful 4-mile car-free leg that goes through the Mosier Twin Tunnels, followed by a ride to the picture-worthy Rowena Crest Viewpoint and Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. (Tip: avoid crowds at the pit-stops by taking the reverse route, starting in The Dalles and ending in Portland.)
Even where you share the road with auto traffic, low speed limits and scenic views make it a must for experienced road cyclists. Find handy maps with detailed elevations, route cues and scenic points of interest from the Oregon Department of Transportation and Portland Office of Transportation.
However you get to the Gorge, there’s plenty to discover all summer long, including special hikes, bike rides, runs, concerts, festivals and parades. Check out the Columbia River Gorge Visitors Association for maps and other attractions.
Explore the Columbia River Gorge
Biking in the Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is a recreational biker’s paradise, with options including car-free blacktop, smooth single-track flows and canyon trails with tricky switchbacks.
Columbia River Gorge After the Wildfire
Though many recreation sites in the Columbia River Gorge remain closed due to the Eagle Creek Fire, several trails and state parks have officially reopened and businesses in the area are welcoming visitors.
Brewing in the Gorge
Take in the outstanding beauty of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area while enjoying five outstanding brewpubs.