Columbia River Gorge

The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is a federally protected canyon spanning the border of Oregon and Washington in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, formed by the Columbia River cutting through the Cascade Range. Congress designated it the United States second National Scenic Area in 1986, and it is jointly managed by the Columbia River Gorge Commission and the U.S. Forest Service to preserve its scenic and ecological values while remaining a popular recreational destination. The canyon stretches more than 80 miles and reaches depths of about 4,000 feet, transitioning from temperate rainforest at its western end to dry grasslands in the east, and it hosts at least 13 endemic wildflower species and more than 90 waterfalls, including the 620 foot Multnomah Falls.