It's About the (RV) Journey....: Columbia River Gorge-Day 2......

Earlier in our visit here we were planning on stopping at Multnomah Falls...the granddaddy of the 90 waterfalls in the Columbia River Falls....but we could not find a parking space and it was way too crowded. So, we tried again, much earlier in the morning, and got there around 8:30am. By 9, the place was packed and not a parking spot to be found nearby. For good reason! This is an outstandingly beautiful waterfall! The view from the bottom is the best (in my opinion), but you can walk up to the bridge for a closer view of the falls, OR, you can even walk up to the very top of the falls. No thank you...the view looking up is just perfect!

the "crown jewel" of the Columbia River Gorge!

lots of photographers...trying to get that perfect shot

beautiful

just magnificent...really!

heading up to the bridge

view of the top section from the bridge

and the bottom section...from the bridge

that's the viewing area down there....looks empty now!

on the bridge

gorgeous

About a mile away is Wahkeena Falls, about a 0.2 mile walk from the parking lot. There is also a trail from Multnomah Falls to Wahkeena Falls, which we had every intention of taking, but the trail was narrow and steep in parts and I just wasn' t feeling brave enough. We started going to Wahkeena by trail, but turned around and drove and took the short walk. This too was wonderful waterfall and was a real treat as we came around the corner and saw it. Magnificent!

like a ribbon

look ahead!

WOW!

another awesome waterfall!

can you hear it?

the spray feels pretty good

heading back to the parking lot

love the switchbacks

We stopped in a Visitor's Center on the Washington side of the Columbia River to inquire about a good picnic spot, possibly with a view. Well, we really got a lot of information! The woman was so good - able to set us up with an itinerary that would suite our needs, and then some. If only the days were longer. Anyway, she suggested a stop at a little waterfall towards Mt. Adams, near a few kayaking outfitters, and gave us directions there. She said we'd have great views of Mount Adams on the way there, and Mount Hood on the way back. (Mt. Adams is the second largest mountain in the continental U.S. by mass, not by height. It is only surpassed by Mt. Shasta). She also asked if we liked alpacas....and suggested a farm up that way. Oh, and for day hikes, she recommended stopping in the forest ranger's office, which we would be passing. Whew! Lots of ideas, eh?

Mount Hood

Our first stop was to see the waterfall, and she was right. It was a little gem right along the side of the road. The water was so clear and so blue. Very peaceful. But....onward to the Alpaca Farm!

how pretty are these

close up

random waterfalls along the route to Mount Adams

the water is so clear and so blue

so blue!

Mount Adams ahead

A good view of Mount Adams

The views on the way to the Alpaca Farm kept getting better and better, and we were amazed at the view right from the farm! WOW! We stopped in the store and had an interesting conversation with the owner, who explained so much to us and gave us a lot of information on the area. We wanted to stop and see the animals, but that was by tour only, and we just did not have time, so we just waved to them. Haha.

here we are....at the Alpaca Farm

isn't this a nice place?!

great shop here too

nice views from the farm

By now we were really ready for lunch, so we headed back down the mountain to that waterfall. Perfect spot for lunch...it was cool and refreshing...so nice! We may not have the best lunches (peanut butter or tuna), but we sure do have the best views!

view of Mount Hood

Mount Hood in the distance

back at the waterfalls for a picnic

perfect spot for lunch

cool and refreshing in the shade next to the falls

gorgeous

love these mountain rivers

As we were getting ready to leave, we spotted some rafts ready to come down the rapids. We quickly made it to the bridge as they were aligning to go over the falls, and took some action shots. It really looked like a lot of fun! I think it was a boy scout troop or a birthday party or something like that, because there seemed to be mostly young "tween"-age boys. They were having a great time, that's for sure.

Raft 1

Another raft followed soon after, but that ride looked a little more adventurous. They disappeared for a second! All the kids seemed to be having a great time though. I didn't see anyone crying. Everyone was wearing wetsuits and helmets, and lifejackets, so they seemed as safe as they could be. And they all managed to stay in the raft!

Raft 2

Heading back to the Columbia River and towards home, we did have spectacular views of Mt. Hood. As we drove, we also spotted lots of windsurfers and SUP's and sailboats. One guy in particular caught our attention at a scenic rest area. We pulled in to view the mountain again, but we actually spent our time watching him do somersaults with the windboard (or whatever you call it). He was pretty good!

Mount Hood

wind surfer on the Columbia River

another wind surfer...watch this

going up

and up

and over

and down

ta...da....!

We drove along the Washington side of the river until we got to the Bridge of Gods again, where we crossed into Oregon for a quicker drive home. We didn't want to be late for "facetime" with the kids!! We are also enjoying the sun being out so long.....the days really are longer, so we are enjoying being outside for most of the evening. Summer is here!