Columbia River Gorge Cruise and Port Guide

The Columbia River Gorge Cruise, Port by Port

A Columbia River Gorge cruise carries you through one of North America’s great river canyons: rain-forested cliffs and waterfalls on the Oregon side, basalt walls and dry grassland as you sail east, and Mount Hood and Mount Adams looming behind. This guide is about what you actually do at each stop — the waterfalls, museums, wineries and small river towns — from Astoria at the river mouth to Clarkston on the Snake.

The Gorge is protected as the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and much of what you see from the deck is public land you can visit from the ship. For the history of the route and a comparison of lines and itineraries, see our companion site ColumbiaRiverCruising.com. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise can quote every sailing when you are ready.

Why the Gorge Changes So Fast

Few river trips change character as quickly. West of the Cascades, Pacific storms drop heavy rain, so the walls of the lower Gorge are green with fir and fern and laced with waterfalls. Within a day’s sail east, past Hood River, the mountains’ rain shadow takes over: grass, sage and bare basalt, orchards and vineyards under big skies. The river itself was carved and scoured by the Ice Age Missoula Floods, a story guides tell at almost every stop.

That contrast is the reason a Gorge cruise feels like two trips in one, and why we suggest packing for both rain and sun.

Getting the Most From Each Stop

Stops on the Columbia are short and close together, so a little planning goes a long way. Read the excursion list the night before and pick one thing you most want to do: a waterfall hike, a museum, a tasting room or simply a walk through town. Coaches leave on time, and most landings are close enough that you can return to the ship on your own if you skip a tour. On port-intensive days, an afternoon on deck as the scenery rolls past is just as rewarding as another stop ashore.

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