Your Columbia River Gorge CME conference.

The Gorge after your study day

Study days finish at 2:00 PM Pacific time. The Forest Service describes historic hotels, shops and restaurants along the downtown stretch of the old highway. Visit Hood River’s address is 202 Cascade Avenue, Suite B, and the Forest Service office at 902 Wasco Street sells maps and passes and offers sightseeing tips. Leave time for weather, parking and road conditions.

Travel, lodging and activities are arranged separately. Your study day runs on your own phone or laptop, and the Gorge is the setting around it.

A car-free trail through the Mosier Twin Tunnels

The Twin Tunnels segment of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail runs 4.5 miles between Hood River and Mosier, from the Mark O. Hatfield West Trailhead to the East Trailhead. Oregon State Parks describes it as universally accessible, with river views, viewpoints and a walk or ride through the restored Mosier Twin Tunnels. The final mile on the east side passes through semi-arid terrain with ponderosa pines. East of downtown, the old highway leads to the Mark O. Hatfield visitor center, and Ruthon Park is a small picnic spot with a westward view of the Gorge.

Walkers and cyclists share the trail. E-bikes are allowed, electric scooters are not, and dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet. The state trail has two other paved segments: a universally accessible one near Cascade Locks with river views and several waterfalls, and a segment of nearly 6 miles at Mitchell Point that crosses a 500-foot viaduct and passes four waterfalls, Starvation Creek, Cabin Creek, Hole-in-the-Wall and Lancaster. Check the status of each before you go, because the segments are separate paved paths.

The waterfall highway and Multnomah Falls

The Historic Columbia River Highway is about 70 miles long, and its first segment was dedicated in 1916. Vista House, built in 1918 at Crown Point, was the first destination along the new road, and its displays cover the highway’s construction, while its rotunda offers views of the Gorge. Within about 8 miles of Crown Point the road passes the base of Latourell Falls, Shepperd’s Dell, Bridal Veil and Wahkeena.

Multnomah Falls is 620 feet tall, and the Forest Service says a trail climbs from the visitor center to Benson Bridge and on to the cliff top, about 2.4 miles round trip with roughly 600 feet of elevation gain on steep, uneven ground. The Multnomah Falls Lodge has a visitor center, snack bar, gift shop and restaurant. The Forest Service names Larch Mountain Trail #441 at Multnomah Falls and advises sturdy footwear and the ten hiking essentials. Parking is extremely limited, especially on weekends and holidays, and the Forest Service says timed reservations are required from late May through early September. Travel Oregon adds that trails lead to more waterfalls deeper in the forest. Check current rules and any restroom or trail alerts before you plan a visit.

Orchards, farm stands and wind

The Hood River County Fruit Loop is a self-guided 35-mile loop of country roads with 32 farm fruit stands, plus wineries, breweries, cideries and flower fields. The valley has about 14,500 acres of pears, apples and cherries, and the Fruit Loop’s calendar has monthly event pages. Visit Hood River asks visitors to be a friend to the valley’s working farms, so check each stop’s status before you drive out. A separate U-pick page lists current availability.

Travel Oregon says Hood River is known for stout winds that reliably push through, and lists windsurfing and kiteboarding among the area’s outdoor recreation.

When to visit the Gorge

Travel Oregon’s regional averages show spring highs around 57°F and lows around 37°F, summer highs around 79°F and lows around 53°F, fall highs around 62°F and lows around 38°F, and winter highs around 39°F and lows around 27°F. Match your plans to the month. The Forest Service is the place to check trail closures, noting that parts of the Gorge were affected by the 2017 Eagle Creek fire.

Getting to the Gorge and your study setting

Portland International Airport (PDX) is at 7000 NE Airport Way, and its website lists rental cars, rideshare, taxis, public transit and shuttles. Visit Hood River describes Hood River as about an hour from Portland. Across the region, Travel Oregon lists bed and breakfasts, hotels and motels, campgrounds, RV parks, farm and ranch stays and resorts, with winter stay-and-ski lodging on Mt. Hood. The Hood River section of the old highway is reached from I-84 exits 62 and 64, and Travel Oregon points drivers to TripCheck.com and ReadySetGorge.com for current road and trail conditions.

The map shows straight-line distances from Shift’s designated center. These are orientation distances, not driving distances or travel-time estimates. Check your exact address against the conference’s check-in area before booking.