A view of the Columbia River from the Bridge of the Gods in Cascade Locks, looking west.

The Sternwheeler offers various river cruises and rests at dock in Cascade Locks.

The Bridge of the Gods crosses the Columbia in Cascade Locks. A nice viewing site of the bridge can be found at the Cascade Locks Marine Park (below).

A small-boat marina at Cascade Locks' Marine Park

The Bonneville Lock and Dam is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers and has been providing power since 1937.

This odd-looking creature, which looks like an eel but is not in the eel family, is called a Pacific Lamprey. It's located in the fish ladders at the Bonneville Lock and Dam and can be viewed through windows in the dam's ladder-viewing area. The lamprey has a life span of about 7 years and its name comes from the Latin term meaning 'rock-sucking,' referring to its habit of attaching its mouth to rocks (or, in this case, the window) in order to rest while swimming upstream.

Rainbow trout and (left) white sturgeon can be found at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery.

Multnomah Falls is one of the more popular waterfalls along the historic Highway 30 in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. At a drop of 611 feet, it is Oregon's tallest fall. The Benson Footbridge offers a nice view of the upper cascade of Multnomah.

I ran across a lavender field off Hwy 30 near Corbett. Even though it was a small one, I had to stop.

Vista House, built in 1916, was a resting spot for travelers as they journeyed the then-recently built Highway 30. It is also a tribute to early pioneers. It sits more than 700 feet on Crown Point above the Columbia River, offering dramatic views in all directions. Such are the views from the Vista House of the river (left, looking east; and below, looking west toward Portland).

Latourell Falls is another waterfall in a series of about seven along the Historic Highway 30. Latourell is the one closest to Portland; it plunges more than 200 feet.

Bridal Veil Falls was one of my favorites. It has two tiers and gently becomes a soft running creek.

Bridal Veil Falls

The Historic Highway 30, also called the Columbia River Highway Scenic Byway, is a beautiful drive even without the waterfalls. It meanders against the wall of the gorge, and travels a distance of 75 miles between the Dalles and Troutdale. Construction began in 1913, and the engineer was Samuel Lancaster. It was the first planned scenic byway in the United States.