King of Roads - Byway of the People
The Highway is a gateway to countless hours of wilderness. With 125 trailheads there are no shortage of adventure opportunities in the Columbia River Gorge.
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The Historic Columbia River Highway is celebrated as engineering marvel and once you drive it you’ll see why. The road was specifically designed to take you to vista after vista as you drive. The Historic Columbia River Highway is the premier destination for bikers in the Northwest. With over 60 miles of bikeable, low grade road it is a bikers paradise.
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Many people thought that it couldn’t be built. Yet today, despite destruction and disregard, the highway remains one of the greatest engineering marvels in the world. The King of Roads is in its 100th year, standing as a testament to the American spirit. In the largest National Scenic area in the nation, the King of Roads remains a piece of art, meant to be savored. Much like the finest works in the world, the Columbia River Highway moves and inspires.
Enjoy the spray of mist as you wind your way past countless waterfalls. Watch as friends stand together under lush green moss covered stone walls. Slow your car to a crawl as you wind past viewpoint after viewpoint edged in Italian-laid stone arches revealing vistas as old as time.
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Designed to be taken slowly and enjoyed, but ultimately eclipsed by the straighter, faster, more commercially viable Interstate 84, the acclaimed King of Roads was left in a state of disrepair for years. Now on the one hundredth anniversary of its dedication, the road nears complete restoration. Take a step away from your busy life and enjoy. Explore a path where faster isn’t always better.