Columbia Gorge Family Inn

Kid-Friendly Activities; Adult-Friendly Lodging

Families who want a reasonably priced trip — but don’t want to camp — will love our five-day tour in the Columbia Gorge.  You’ll hike and bike through evergreen forests and beside waterfalls, enjoying stunning views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams.  We’ve also included a whitewater rafting trip.  As usual, all of the routes and activities are designed with kids in mind, and all are tailored to meet the varied ability levels of your group.

Flying L Ranch: Base for Hiking, Volleyball, Frisbee and Hot Tubbing

We meet in Portland, then shuttle to Beacon Rock State Park where we hike up Beacon Rock to enjoy panoramic views of the Columbia River.  Our cycling starts at a wild bird refuge in the pastureland at the base of Mt. Adams.  We cycle an easy 15 miles on low-traffic roads through ranch country to the Flying L Ranch, our home for the next two nights.

The Flying L Ranch is nestled in the ponderosa pines and meadowland on 80 acres at the base of 12,276 foot Mt. Adams.  The view of the mountain is spectacular.  The kid-friendly ranch offers walking trails, an outdoor hot tub, a big field for volleyball and frisbee — plenty of runaround room.  You also can relax with your family and fellow travelers outside in the chairs on the edge of the field with Mt. Adams rising in the distance, or inside in the common areas, which offer games, books, puzzles, and a piano.

Raft White Salmon River

On Tuesday morning we have chartered a rafting trip down the White Salmon River.  The White Salmon is fed by glaciers and springs, so its flow through a narrow, steep canyon is quite reliable.  After our outfitter fits us with wet suits and gives us dry-land instruction in rafting, we begin our journey downriver through a narrow canyon with sheer basalt cliffs.  We experience gentle rapids and evergreen forests before emerging into a beautiful lake.  After lunch you can either return to the Ranch for games, or go on an optional hike to the top of a hill with sweeping views of four glacier-covered volcanic peaks: Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Adams, and Mt. Hood.

Scenic Highway Closed to Motor Vehicles

Wednesday we cross the Columbia River into Oregon and cycle along the old Columbia River Scenic Byway, now a paved bicycle path closed to motor vehicles.  The trail leads us to a new interactive museum, the Lewis and Clark Discovery Center.  It is located where Lewis and Clark, and all early travelers after them, had to make a difficult and dangerous decision.  They could either continue their journey west by rafting over rapids down the Columbia River, or cross the Cascade Range over a thickly wooded mountain pass near Mt. Hood.

After exploring this fascinating museum, we return to the town of Hood River and our inn for the next two nights, which has its own beach on the Columbia River.  Scenic Hood River is the windsurfing capital of the United States, and beginning lessons are offered next to our inn.  The afternoon is free to windsurf, skateboard in a nearby outdoor skate park, or explore town.

Downhill Riding and Swimming

Thursday we shuttle up into the foothills of Mt. Hood and then cycle east down into the wide-open wheat and cattle country of eastern Oregon.  We have lunch at a city park in a little farm town and make good use of the nearby swimming pool.

After lunch you have the option of cycling through rolling wheat country to a park beside the Columbia River, or getting shuttled back to Hood River for a second afternoon of windsurfing lessons and fun.  That night we split the group up for dinner; kids go to a great place for pizza followed by a visit to an ice cream parlor, while adults experience some of the fine dining Hood River has to offer.

Ride Through Orchards Ends Week of Family Fun

On Friday we van up into the fruit orchards of the Hood River Valley, then cycle downhill through the orchards on farm roads to a park.  After lunch in the park, we depart for Portland, stopping to view some of the spectacular waterfalls in the Columbia Gorge along the way.

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