Enjoy the Columbia River Gorge and Visit the Sights Along I-84 in Oregon

Heading out along I-84 East from Portland, Oregon a vacationers can actually enjoy a full day or more of interesting places to visit.

First stop is just across the Columbia River heading North at the Biggs Junction exit. Once across the Columbia River just a few hundred feet to the West on the Washington Side sits Maryhill Museum of Art.

The Maryhill Museum of Art is housed in a wonderful castle-line château that sits on 6,000 acres overlooking the Columbia Gorge. A visit to the Maryhill Museum of Art can take an entire day to tour the museum and enjoy the various art exhibits available. These exhibits include Native American art o North America, American and European Art, the Sam Hill and Maryhill Gallery, Queen Marie of Romania Gallery, Loie Fuller Gallery, Russian Icons and even a gallery of International Chess Sets.

On this 6,000 acres visitors can spend time at the Native Plant Garden, Outdoor Sculpture Garden and the Lewis and Clark Overlook. Driving East on Hwy 14 sits the Stonehenge Memorial, and the Klickitat County Veterans' Memorial. Address of this magnificent museum is 35 Maryhill Drive, Goldendale, Washington 98629. Visit maryhillmuseum.org for other exhibits and events.

Returning to the Oregon side of the Columbia River and driving East on I-84 one can stop at Oregon's Cenozoic Park at the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument. See some well-preserved fossils spanning over 40 million years of time from "The Age of Mammals". The John Day Fossil Beds is a great place to explore our worlds prehistoric past. See fossilized bones, shells, wood, teeth, nuts, seeds and many other fascinating items found and dug in the John Day Fossil Beds.

Before leaving the John Day Fossil Bed area be sure to visit the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center. Right across the highway sits the James Cant Ranch house that also features a museum filled with items from the history of the area. These museums are located within the Sheep Rock Unit of the monument and the hours vary during the year. Entrance is free. The Sheep Rock Unit is at the intersection of US Rte 26 and State Rte 19, just six miles west of Dayville, Oregon. Not far off of I-84. Also if time permits a trip through the Painted Hills is a must for any visitor. However, be sure to visit early in the day as the Painted Hills park closes at dusk.

Once back onto I-84 follow this East to Baker City, Oregon and visit the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. With 4.2 miles of trail system a visitor can walk to the scenic vistas on this 500-acre site. Visitors are able to see the actual wagon train ruts along the 13-mile section of the Oregon Trail.

The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center has six themes that present exhibits and programs to all visitors. Pioneer Life on the Oregon Trail, Mountain Men, explorers and early trail travelers, American Indians on the Oregon Trail, Natural History on the Oregon Trail, Mining and early settlement, History of the General Land Office, and Bureau of Land Management. Each of these six exhibits can take as much as one to three hours depending on the interest of the visitors. Visit oregontrail.blm.gov for more information on hours and programs throughout the year. Located 5 miles east of Baker City, on Highway 86 take exit 302 from I-84.

However, there are many other areas for visitors to stop along I-84 there is Multnomah Falls, the scenic highway with 10 plus water falls, also a stop at Wild Horse Casino and Pendleton Woolen Mills in Pendleton, Hood River where the worlds greatest wind surfing occurs, and then on to Boise Idaho or continue down Hwy 86 into Richland or Halfway Oregon and take a trip up to Cornucopia Mine and visit this once great gold mine and its lodge. Then continue to the Snake River along Hells Canyon and up into Boise, Idaho. Take a few days vacation to discover these historical areas of Oregon.