2 Best Sights in The Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

Views from atop Rowena Crest bluff are a knockout, especially during the March and April wildflower season, and there are a couple of fairly short and wonderfully scenic hikes that lead from the bluff parking lot through a pristine nature preserve operated by the Nature Conservancy. The 3½-mile (round-trip) trek up to McCall Point is especially scenic—it affords great views of Mt. Hood.

Built in 1909 and operated by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, the largest state-operated fish hatchery is next door to Bonneville Dam. Visitors can view the fishponds in which Chinook, coho, and steelhead spawn—October and November are the most prolific times. Other ponds hold rainbow trout (which visitors can feed) and mammoth Columbia River sturgeon, some exceeding 10 feet in length.