Old Columbia River Highway (Crown Point to Corbett)

The Historic Columbia River Highway is the oldest National Scenic Byway in the United States — a 1916-era road engineered by Samuel Lancaster specifically to accommodate the automobile's emerging speed requirements through a landscape of extraordinary beauty. The cycling section from Troutdale to Crown Point climbs 490m over 12.8km on a beautifully maintained surface, weaving through basalt cliffs above the Columbia River with the 11-state Gorge viewshed opening progressively as altitude increases. Crown Point Vista House (733m) is the architectural highlight: an octagonal stone observatory perched on a basalt promontory 230m above the Columbia River, with unobstructed views 30 miles east into the Gorge. The gradient is gentle by regional standards — a consistent 3-5% with brief 7-8% pitches — making this the ideal introductory road for riders acclimatising to Pacific Northwest climbing. The road is partially closed to motorised traffic on summer Sunday mornings (the Sunday Parkways programme) which creates a car-free cycling experience on a road that is compelling in its own right.