Oregon

The Faces of Oregon: Mt. Hood, Columbia River Gorge & Astoria

Program No. 1834RJ
From awe-inspiring waterfalls to towering Mount Hood, from ancient forests to food-trendy Portland, explore the many wonders of Oregon on this great Northwestern adventure.

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At a Glance

On four daylong field trips, discover the natural beauty and human history that make Oregon a state of wonder. Take in city highlights like the International Rose Test Garden, then explore the natural wonders outside the city, from the rugged Pacific Coast to the dramatic Columbia River Gorge to the volcanic Cascade Mountains. Each journey is accented by interesting, interactive activities, including a tasting of the Columbia Gorge's award-winning wines.
Activity Level
On Your Feet
Walking up to 1.5 miles on varied terrain. Elevations up to 6,000 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Gaze up at towering Mount Hood from majestic Timberline Lodge, one of the iconic great lodges of the West.
  • Stand in awe of the Columbia River Gorge’s magnificent waterfalls and captivating vistas.
  • Visit the rugged Oregon Coast, including the mouth of the Columbia River known as the “Graveyard of the Pacific” and the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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John Jarvie
John Jarvie is a history teacher at several colleges in the area with Clark College in Vancouver, Wash. as his main campus. He has been working for the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center for over a decade, giving information to visitors about state and regional points of interest, local history and the Oregon Trail.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of John Jarvie
John Jarvie View biography
John Jarvie is a history teacher at several colleges in the area with Clark College in Vancouver, Wash. as his main campus. He has been working for the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center for over a decade, giving information to visitors about state and regional points of interest, local history and the Oregon Trail.
Profile Image of Natalie DaSilva
Natalie DaSilva View biography
Natalie DaSilva is an Oregon Master Naturalist and Certified Interpretive Guide who enjoys nothing more than sharing her love for the natural and cultural history of Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. After a long and rewarding career in health care, she is now focused on developing programs to inspire others to discover, experience, and protect these natural and cultural wonders. An avid hiker, Natalie spends much of her free time exploring the unique landscapes of Oregon and surrounding areas.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
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6 days
5 nights
12 meals
5 B 3 L 4 D
DAY
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner, Lecture
Portland, OR
D
DoubleTree by Hilton Portland

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).

Afternoon: Program Registration: 4:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any up-updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: 5:00 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This program is staffed with a Group Leader and Instructor. Travel for program-related activities will be via private motorcoach (onboard lavatory) unless noted otherwise. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: At the hotel.

Evening: We’ll gather with our Instructor who will share some fun facts and unique stories about Oregon. We’ll gain some background information on the place we’ll call home for the next few days.

DAY
2
Mt. Hood, Timberline Lodge, Wildwood
Portland, OR
B,L,D
DoubleTree by Hilton Portland

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 120 miles throughout the day, approximately 3 hours with stops. Walking up to 1 mile; paved trail. Elevation changes from 50 feet in Portland to 6,000 feet at Timberline Lodge.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will board our motorcoach for a full day to explore and learn about the history of Oregon and its geological features. On the way to Mt. Hood, we will stop at Philip Foster Farm in Eagle Creek to learn about early pioneer life and the Oregon Trail. Philip Foster was one of Oregon’s first pioneers and a leader in the establishment of Oregon. His farm and home played an important role in the history of Barlow Road that followed the south side of Mt. Hood as an alternative to the Columbia River route.

Lunch: At Philip Foster Farm, we’ll have boxed lunches.

Afternoon: Moving on, we will reach Wildwood Recreation Site nestled in the forested foothills of the Cascade Mountains. Our Instructor will lead us along a paved trail in this temperate old growth rainforest. Next, we will visit historic Timberline Lodge, a WPA project dedicated in 1937, filled with art work and furnishings created for the lodge in the 1930s under the Federal Art Project. It is the only 20th century public building of its size constructed and furnished entirely by hand with original carved and inlaid craft work in wood, wrought iron, weaving, appliqué, painting, mosaic, carved linoleum, and stained glass. National Forest Service staff will lead our exploration.

Dinner: At Timberline Lodge.

Evening: We will ride back to the hotel.

DAY
3
Oregon Coast, Fort Clatsop, Downtown Astoria
Portland, OR
B,D
DoubleTree by Hilton Portland

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 220 miles over the course of the day, approximately 4 hours with stops. Walking up to 1 mile; varied surfaces including sand.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We’ll depart early for a full-day field trip to the Oregon coast. We’ll head first to the Columbia River Maritime Museum, for a self-directed exploration to see what interests each of us most. The museum was founded in 1962 to preserve the rich maritime heritage of the entire Columbia River region. Today the museum’s well-deserved reputation for the quality of its exhibits and scope of its collections makes it one of the finest maritime museums in the nation.

Lunch: On your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Afternoon: Our next field trip will be to Lewis and Clark National Historical Park where Park Service staff will lead our exploration of a replica of Fort Clatsop. This was where the Corps of Discovery had their winter encampment from December 1805 to March 1806. According to the National Park Service, the fortification measured 50 square feet and “housed 32 men, 1 woman, a baby, and a dog.”

Dinner: At a restaurant in Astoria.

Evening: We will ride back to the hotel.

DAY
4
Downtown Portland, Rose Garden, Portland Museum
Portland, OR
B,L
DoubleTree by Hilton Portland

Activity note: Getting on/off motorcoach; driving about 30 miles throughout the day. Periods of standing and walking. Standing up to an hour at a time. Walking up to 1.5 miles; varied terrain.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will board our motorcoach and ride downtown where a local expert will lead us on a walking field trip to learn about the history, art, and architecture of this exceptional northwest city. We’ll see and hear stories behind unusual details that even many locals miss. We’ll also take note of the fascinating outdoor public artworks our expert will identify along the walking route. These artworks were commissioned through Oregon’s Percent for Art legislation that was passed in 1975. We will transfer from downtown Portland to Washington Park for a docent-led exploration of the International Rose Test Garden. Known simply as the Rose Garden, it covers 4.5 acres in Washington Park and features more than 650 varieties of roses that produce more than 10,000 flowers each year. The Portland Rose Society was established in 1888. As World War I raged in Europe, newspaper editor Jesse Currey persuaded city officials in 1915 to establish a “test garden” to protect and preserve European hybrid roses in danger of being destroyed. Fortunately, the roses outlasted the war. Portland today is known as the City of Roses. The primary purpose of the garden today is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties. The City of Portland Gold Medal Awards are issued annually to the best introductions. We will then ride back downtown to our lunch spot.

Lunch: At a downtown restaurant.

Afternoon: Next, we will walk a short distance to visit the Portland Art Museum, the oldest art museum on the West Coast. It features Native American, Northwest, modern, contemporary and Asian art as well as an outdoor public sculpture garden. During our self-directed exploration, we will have an opportunity to explore the exhibits and see what interests each of us most. The remainder of the afternoon is free. You can return to the hotel via motorcoach after the field trip or remain downtown and return independently. You might like to spend additional time at the museum, visit Powell’s City of Books, or relax at one of Portland’s many cozy cafés.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to have what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. There are many appealing restaurants to choose from in this food-trendy city.

Evening: At leisure.

DAY
5
Columbia River Gorge, Wine Tasting, Multnomah Falls
Portland, OR
B,L,D
DoubleTree by Hilton Portland

Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 170 miles throughout the day, approximately 3 hours with stops. Walking up to 1/2 mile; paved trail; standing in museum.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Our first field trip today will be to the Columbia River Gorge, a spectacular river canyon cutting the only sea-level route through the Cascade Mountain Range. It is 80 miles long and up to 4,000 feet deep, with the north canyon walls in Washington State and the south canyon walls in Oregon State. Millennia of geologic events have produced breathtaking waterfalls. As we ride through the Gorge, we’ll learn from on board from our Instructor about the area’s fascinating geology.

Lunch: At the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center.

Afternoon: We will learn more about volcanic activity, floods, and other natural phenomena that helped form the gorge during a self-directed exploration of the 26,100 square foot exhibit wing of the Discovery Center. Moving on through the gorge, we will stop at a winery in Hood River for an opportunity to taste some of Oregon’s award-winning wines. In the past 40 years, Oregon has grown to world-class wine-making status. We’ll hear the story of how that came to be and learn about a few of the more well-known varieties. We’ll then stop at the Columbia Gorge’s most famous landmark, Multnomah Falls. The falls drop 620 feet. They flow year round, fed by underground streams in addition to rainwater and seasonal snow melt. We will view the waterfall from below (possibly feeling some spray depending on current conditions). Those who feel adventurous and vigorous are welcome to take a self-directed elective hike 1/5 of a mile up a steep, paved path to a scenic footbridge for a closer look.

Dinner: At a restaurant in the gorge. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.

Evening: We will return to the hotel and prepare for departure after our closing session in the morning.

DAY
6
Beautiful Oregon, Wrap-Up Session, Program Concludes
Portland, OR
B

Activity note: Hotel check-out 11:00 a.m.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: We will be joined in the hotel meeting room by a local expert who will share stories of Oregon’s scenic wonders. After a short break, we’ll gather as a group one last time for a program review and wrap-up, and to say farewell to new Road Scholar friends. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!






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