Rowena Plateau
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Hikes including this location:
- Weather forecast: NWS/NOAA
- Maps: Oregon Hikers Maps Google Maps
- Latitude, Longitude: 45.68888, -121.30172
- Elevation: 594
Contents |
Description
Rowena Plateau sits at the far east side of the Columbia River Gorge - right at the point where the lush, temperate rain forests transition to the arid, high desert plains of Eastern Oregon between Hood River and the Dalles, OR. A long, winding road takes you up from the little town of Rowena, Oregon about 550 feet to a turn-around with a great viewpoint of the Columbia River. On a rainy day in Portland, this is great little destination for a Sunday drive.
In early spring, this square-mile expanse of meadows and swamp-like ponds is a wildflower-lover's heaven! Its location on the eastern edge of the Gorge means the flowers come much earlier than such famous wildflower locations as Dog Mountain and Silver Star Mountain.
You can't talk about the Rowena Plateau without talking about the Tom McCall Nature Preserve. The Nature Conservancy has worked to preserve the fauna and flora here. Ecologists work to monitor rare plant populations. Starting in spring, volunteers lead interpretive hikes. Due to these efforts, dogs are not allowed in the preserve.
There are two hikes in this area. The Rowena Plateau Hike is a short, family-friendly hike through the preserve, the abundant wildflowers, and to some bluffs overlooking the Columbia River. The McCall Point hike starts near the plateau and takes you another 1000 feet up to a great viewpoint overlooking the whole area.
Note - this is a popular spot for cyclist in the warmer months, so take it slow as you drive up to the trailhead.
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Guidebooks that cover this destination
- 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: Portland 2nd Edition, by Paul Gerald
- 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon 2nd Edition, by William Sullivan
- Hiking the Columbia River Gorge 2nd Edition, by Russ Schneider
More Links
- The Tom McCall Nature Preserve (The Nature Conservancy)
- NWHiker.com Hike #54
- L&C's Columbia River - a Photographic Journey
Contributors
- jeffstatt (creator)