Great Northern Route 6: Washington and Oregon to Portland

Great Northern President Ralph Budd unveiled this monument on July 20, 1926, and he took it upon himself to use the occasion to change the name of the surrounding town as well. Fallsbridge became Wishram, a native word meaning, "people who never moved," referring to local pictographs. Nearby Celilo (Seh-LYE-low) Falls provided a sonic backdrop as the names of 43 "dauntless pathfinders and pioneers" who had come down the Columbia were revealed, with Lewis & Clark leading the list, followed by David Thompson. The monument evokes the hexagonal shape of the basalt columns that predominate in the Columbia Gorge.

View a display of petroglyphs and pictographs on a self-guided tour at the Temani Pesh-Wa in the Horsethief Lake section of Columbia Hills Historical State Park. The National Historic Site is open during daylight hours April-Oct.

Cross over into Oregon on the The Dalles Bridge and take US 30 west through the town of The Dalles (rhymes with pals) to a Lewis and Clark site along the Columbia called Rock Fort Camp. After negotiating a series of difficult rapids on the way down the river, the Expedition spent three nights, making observations, repairing canoes, hunting, and interacting with various tribes. They also camped on the way back on April 15, 1806, aiming to acquire horses and other items. In his inimitable way, Clark wrote, “we arivied at the enterance of Quinnett Creek which we assended a Short distance and Encamped at the place we had Called rock fort Camp.”

The Dalles is the site of the longest continuously populated place in North America due to the historical presence of Celilo Falls and the trading opportunities it afforded. The falls now lie under the water backed up in Celilo Lake by the Dalles Dam. On March 10, 1957, the falls fell silent.

Visit the official interpretive center of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area. Of particular note is the display of the Cargo of Lewis and Clark.

Take the road less traveled and soak in the stunning view from atop Rowena Crest along the historic Columbia Gorge Highway. Hiking trails are also available.

If the traveler wishes to more closely trace the route of the SP&S and to see Beacon Rock up close, cross back into Washington on the Hood River Bridge and continue west on WA 14 to the next stop. Otherwise, stay on the Oregon side and make your way west to Multnomah Falls to resume this tour below.

Beacon Rock was originally named "Beaten Rock" by William Clark but it was changed on the return trip. He never learned the Indian name, Che-che-op-tin, “the navel of the world.” In later years, it was termed "Castle Rock." In 1915, the 848' high rock was acquired by Henry J. Biddle, a distant relative of Nicholas Biddle, the editor of the first edition of the Lewis & Clark journals. Shortly thereafter, the U.S. Board of Geographic Names fixed the name as Beacon Rock. Henry's heirs donated it to the State of Washington in 1935 for use as a state park.

A hiking trail named for Biddle with a 680' elevation gain and 17 switchbacks snakes up the rock. The 1.8 miles up and back trail affords beautiful views up and down the river.

No visit to the Columbia Gorge would be complete without a stop at Multnomah Falls. At 620', it is considered the second tallest, year-round waterfall in the US after Yosemite Falls in California. A gift shop and restaurant complement paths that provide a great view of the falls from three different levels.

The parking lot is accessed directly off I-84 and a walkway safely takes visitors to the falls area.

The Columbia River Historical Expedition visited the falls on July 20, 1926 after touring Fort Vancouver on the north bank, which was the site of Hudson's Bay Company fur post established in 1824. It is now a National Historic Site and is open for visitation.

Designed by Edgar M. Lazarus and opened in 1918, Vista House has a spectacular view of the Columbia Gorge. It overlooks Rooster Rock, which the Lewis and Clark Expedition noted on its way to the Pacific. Beacon Rock is also in the distance.

A bust of York was placed on the plinth of a statue of an early Oregon newspaper editor that was toppled on October 20, 2020. York mysteriously appeared on February 20, 2021.

A description placed on the plinth read:

"York
The first African American to cross North America and reach the Pacific Coast.

Born into slavery in the 1770s to the family of William Clark, York became a member of the 1804 Lewis and Clark Expedition. Though York was an enslaved laborer, he performed all the duties of a full member of the expedition. He was a skilled hunter, negotiated trade with Native American communities and tended to the sick. Upon his return east with the Corps of Discovery, York asked for his freedom. Clark refused his request.

The date and circumstances of his death are unclear."

The bust itself or plinth was defaced three times before being toppled on July 28, 2021. The artist, Todd McGrain, remained unknown until after the bust was removed. Made of perishable materials and painted to look like metal, McGrain offered to recreate it in bronze but nothing has come of it.

This stop is meant to get the traveler into Portland to enjoy what the city has to offer.