VANCOUVER ATTRACTIONS

THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE

A 50 million–year–old geologic wonder, the Columbia River Gorge is a spectacular river canyon cutting through the Cascade Mountains. The Gorge is 80 miles long with the north canyon walls in Washington and the south canyon walls in Oregon. A gorgeous, natural wonder, the Columbia River Gorge is a haven for hiking, mountain biking, windsurfing, camping, fishing, boating, sailing, wildlife watching, birding, wildflower viewing, photography, picnicking, and rock climbing. The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area – only 30 minutes to the east of The Lodge has a worldwide reputation as windsurfing paradise. A natural wind tunnel, the Gorge offers unmatched windsurfing and whitewater rafting conditions. Explore the incredible waterfalls, including the grandest Multnomah Falls.

COLUMBIA GORGE RIVERBOAT

Learn the history of the Columbia River Gorge and the Lewis and Clark Expedition during a two–hour narrated cruise on this 147–foot sternwheeler patterned after a 19th–century steamboat.

MOUNT HOOD NATIONAL FOREST

An outdoor lover's utopia along the Columbia River, Mount Hood is the tallest mountain in Oregon at 11,237 feet. A stratovolcano of lava flows and domes, Mt. Hood is popular with skiers, hikers, and climbers, and is the most climbed glaciated peak in North America. Crater Rock, a prominent rocky pinnacle below the summit, is the most recent lava dome. Mt. Hood National Forest is a playground for skiing, boarding, biking, hiking, camping, fishing, boating, and hunting. Fish in the countless streams, enjoy a hot chocolate at Timberland Lodge high atop Mt. Hood and enjoy limitless views. The Mt. Hood National Forest – encompassing 1,067,043 acres – extends from the Columbia River Gorge across 60 miles of forested mountains, lakes and streams to Olallie Scenic Area. Some rewarding destinations are Timberline Lodge, Lost Lake, Trillium Lake, Timothy Lake, Rock Creek Reservoir, the Old Oregon Trail, and the Mt. Hood Wilderness

COLUMBIA GORGE TRAIL

The dramatic drop from Mt. Hood's forest plateau to the Columbia River accounts for the highest concentration of waterfalls in the world, which makes for beautiful hikes through temperate rainforests to spectacular cascading rivers. The Gorge's gorgeous trails range from the misty and mossy to the exposed and rocky. For the enterprising and energetic hiker, the Columbia Gorge Trail – which stretches 35 miles through the length of the Gorge – is one of the most spectacular long–distance trails in the country. The trail includes the nation's most beautiful waterfalls, old–growth forest, sheer basalt cliffs, stunning narrow creek gorges and sublime views of the Columbia River. This multi–day backpack trail when completed will extend from Portland to the Hood River. Enjoy a wonderful family hike up Tanner Creek past the beautiful Wahclella Falls.

RIDGEFIELD NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

The Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Ridgefield, Washington, features 5,150 acres of marshes, grasslands and woodlands. Preservation of the natural Columbia River floodplain is the objective of the Carty (2–mile hiking trail), Roth and Ridgeport Dairy units. The River 'S' (4.2 mile auto tour route and 1.2 mile seasonal hiking trail) and Bachelor Island are habitat for waterfowl and wetland wildlife. The refuge was established in 1965, to establish vital winter habitat for wintering waterfowl with an emphasis on the dusky Canada goose whose nesting areas in Alaska were impacted by the violent earthquake of 1964.

MT. SAINT HELENS

At 8:32 a.m. On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted. Shaken by an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, the north face of this tall symmetrical mountain collapsed in a massive avalanche. Nearly 230 square miles of forest was blown down or buried beneath volcanic deposits. At the same time a mushroom–shaped column of ash rose thousands of feet skyward and drifted downwind, turning day into night as dark, gray ash fell over eastern Washington. The eruption lasted 9 hours, but Mount St. Helens and the surrounding landscape were dramatically changed forever. In 1982, Congress created the 110,000–acre National Volcanic Monument for research, recreation, and education. Inside the Monument, the environment is left to respond naturally to disturbance. Mt. St. Helens is a favorite destination for mountain climbing, hiking, fishing and exploration when permitted.

BEACON ROCK

A mile–long walking and hiking trail takes you to the peak of this 800–foot geological structure formed from an ancient volcano, and rewards you with a spectacular view of the Columbia River Gorge.

THE COLUMBIA RIVER HIGHWAY

This scenic highway, built between 1913 and 1922, showed aesthetic judgment and appreciation for the magnificent Columbia River Gorge landscape. The highway and its segments offer incredible bike paths and pedestrian hiking trails.

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY - VANCOUVER

Established in 1989, Washington State University Vancouver offers junior, senior and graduate level courses in 35 fields of study. Students pursue WSU Vancouver's fifteen bachelor's and nine master's degrees. This year, WSU Vancouver began admitting freshman and sophmores, offering lower–division courses. Transformed into a four–year public institution of higher learning, residents of Southwest Washington now have access to a baccalaureate degree at WSU. The campus is committed to maintaining its upper–division transfer program and graduate programs to serve the widest possible array of educational needs in the community.