Historic Columbia River Highway is in northwest Oregon, east of Portland. The byway is divided into two segments. The western portion begins near Troutdale at Exit #18 on I-84 and follows Crown Point Highway for approximately 21 miles. It rejoins I-84 at Exit #35. The eastern segment begins at I-84 Exit #69 and follows US 30 to I-84 Exit #83 near The Dalles. The byway is a total of 37 miles long and follows two-lane paved roads suitable for all types of vehicles. Historic Columbia River Highway usually remains open year-round.
Historic Columbia River Highway rewards the traveler with beautiful overlooks of the Columbia River and tumbling waterfalls. The western segment travels through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The gorge is a spectacular river canyon cutting the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountains. Perhaps the highlight of this segment of the byway is Multnomah Falls, which drops 620 feet. A paved one-mile trail takes you to the top of the falls. Nearby is the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge, which was built in 1925 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Inside the lodge is an information center, a restaurant, snack bar, and gift shop.
There are numerous state parks along the byway. Most have only day-use facilities such as hiking trails and picnic areas, but offer the chance to stop and enjoy the rich beauty of the area. Many of the hiking trails will guide you to waterfalls. Camping facilities are available in Ainsworth and Memaloose State Parks. Ainsworth State Park is on the western segment of the byway and has 45 RV sites with electric, water, and sewage hookups. The park is usually open March through October. Memaloose State Park is off I-84 eleven miles west of The Dalles. It is open April through October and has 43 RV sites and 67 tent sites.