Celilo Park

Celilo Park is located along a stretch of the Columbia River where American Indians have been fishing for at least 10,000 years. In the past, they netted salmon migrating up the rapids and over Celilo Falls for food and trade. This important fishery became the hub of a vast Indian trade network that one writer called “the Wall Street of the West.”

The opening of The Dalles Dam in 1957 submerged Celilo Falls, but sonar reveals its horseshoe-shaped rock formation remains intact. Celilo Park, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, continues the tradition of American Indians fishing this stretch of the Columbia River. Today, they use fishing platforms, which they build themselves, to catch salmon in the park. For all visitors, the park offers free RV and tent camping, fishing, picnicking, and opportunities for boating.