Preserve the beauty of The Gorge and recreate responsibly!

The wonders of the Columbia River Gorge are no secret - the U.S. Forest Service estimates about two million people visit each year! That rising level of interest puts increased pressure on The Gorge’s limited resources. Authorities have implemented procedures to help alleviate that pressure from May through September, such as:

• A timed-access permit for each personal vehicle driven on the Historic Columbia River Highway from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. between Vista House and Ainsworth State Park.
• As one of the most popular natural recreation sites in the Pacific Northwest, Multnomah Falls requires visitors to have timed reservation tickets.

In addition, there is much a visitor can do to help offset the pressure and maximize the enjoyment of all, including:

• Plan for an early morning adventure to avoid crowds by arriving before 9:00 a.m.
• Carpool or leave the car at home completely. Columbiagorgecarfree.com has all the information needed to plan a trip without a car, such as the Columbia Gorge Express stop in Troutdale, with daily service between Portland and Hood River. An annual Gorge Pass costs $30. The TriMet, Portland’s area transit service, has daily routes to Troutdale seven days a week and even has space for bikes!

Open/Closed Land Status is a link for visitors to learn what locations may be open or closed.

The Northwest Interagency Coordination Center helps travelers be aware of active wildfires and areas to avoid.

Ready Set Gorge is an excellent resource to plan and prepare for a trip through The Gorge.