This morning we disembarked and broke into two groups. One group headed up toward Mount Hood while the others went to the new Columbia Gorge Discovery Center / Wasco County Historical Museum located in The Dalles, Oregon. Short films, hands-on displays, and exhibits brought to life the geologic origins of the Columbia Gorge, 10,000 years of human history, and the rich natural history of the area.
From the Center, we drove a section of the historic Columbia River Highway with a stop at the scenic Rowena Crest, high above the river. In the spring this place is ablaze with wildflowers. On this pleasant autumn day, the big-leaf maples and Oregon white oaks were turning yellow and rust contrasting with the deep greens of ponderosa pine and Douglas fir.
We continued to the small town of Hood River. Here we had an opportunity to wander on our own before returning to the Sea Bird for lunch and the afternoon cruise through the majestic Columbia Gorge.
