Journalist By Nature: Bouquets and Views: Angel's Rest Hike

The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area boasts 77 waterfalls on the Oregon side and dozens of day hikes within 60 miles of Portland, encompassing something for everyone. Angel's Rest trail at the I-84 exit 28 is one of the more popular. Only 2.4 miles in, but steadily up, this trail passes a lovely cascading waterfall that echoes through the forest before you can see it. The stream that feeds it is crossed by a Forest Service bridge at a spot where hikers can pause to soak hot, weary feet in the icy waters before finishing the hike.

The trail, at times wide and smooth, is more often beset with rounded or angular rocks that make for rough footing. Given that this trail sees thousands of pairs of hiking boots annually, it is in reasonably good shape.

On this trip we saw people with river sandals, light weight tennies as well as full on hiking boots. It was mostly a youthful crowd today, shirtless, waterless young men, cell phones glued to their hands and shorts-clad young ladies nearly sprinting up the trail and returning before we could complete our hike. There were a few more mature men and women, huffing and puffing along with us on a muggy, hot Thursday. The lack of a breeze made the air heavy for those of a certain age, so the climb to 1584 feet was slow but steady.

The profusion of wildflowers made for delightful visual bouquets consisting of star-flowered solomonseal, candyflower, twinflower, large solomonseal, bleeding heart, newly opening orange aquilegia/columbine, carpets of cobalt blue-deep purple larkspur, salsify, Nootka rose, Pacific Coast iris as well as trail-edging mats of pink, yellow and white flowers. Thimbleberries were in full bloom, promising bright red berries later in the season. At one point we spotted a garter snake looped over a low shrub, taking its morning sunbath. Once discovered by our group of chatting women, it darted off to the shade of the undergrowth, no doubt waiting to return to its quiet resting spot. Birds called to one another along the face of the cliff, some soaring high above the rocky walls in search of ground-level snacks.

The primary reason for taking the Angel's Rest trail is for the astounding 270 degree view of the Columbia River and the mountains that pop above it. From the outcropping of a landing at the top, you can see all the way to Portland, Camas and Washougal on the Washington side, Beacon Rock and east toward Hood River. The enormous volume of water in the river is striking from this perspective as it winds its way to the sea. No longer populated by the cataracts of Lewis and Clark's day, the dams on the river have given it a wide, smooth ribbon appearance, reflecting the various states of the sky, from bright blue to colorless grey. Remnants of the 1991 forest fire that touched this part of the Gorge are still visible in charred, barren tree trunks, but the regrowth is slowly burying them in bursts of foliage.

Pack a lunch, plenty of water, add your trekking poles and a sturdy pair of shoes and you're ready to enjoy this favorite Gorge hike. Take your time, enjoying the scenery and peek-a-boo view points as you climb high above the mighty Columbia and marvel at this scenic wonder we call home.