To get to this trail from Portland, take I-84 east to exit 69 Mosier. Turn right; the road curves left toward the town of Mosier. At the base of the bridge, turn left and circle under the bridge. Drive ~1 mile to the trailhead parking lot on the left. This trail would be fantastic on a bike! It extends much further than what we hiked.
This beautiful hike used to be Highway 30 (the original Columbia River Highway) high along the cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge. The two tunnels on this part of the old highway was a trouble spot where rock falls were common. The new highway opened in 1954.
I really enjoyed hiking on this trail. There were great views of the river. The trail is also fairly flat and would be easily enjoyed by bikes, wheelchairs, or strollers. The people I was hiking with were also doing a little geocaching. It made the hike all the more interesting with a little treasure hunting thrown in. One of the geocaches was hidden on the top of the first tunnel. I got to do a mini rock climb to find it. It was really fun!
At about the time we were ready to turn around, we looked out over the Columbia River to find a double rainbow. What a treat! The first rainbow looked like it ended right at the small island in the Columbia River. If you have a boat, you might want to look for a pot of gold next time you are out that way. This was a great hike to add to my building collection of memories.
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