Hiking Rowena Plateau on the Columbia River Gorge
LOCATION
Rowena Plateau is located at the Rowena Crest Viewpoint, right off historic Highway 30 along the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge, midway between Hood River and The Dalles.
LENGTH
Variable — if you just do the hike on Rowena Plateau, as we did, it’s about two miles out and back, with a small loop in the middle. Opposite Rowena Plateau, the Tom McCall Point trail provides a more strenuous 3.4 mile out-and-back hike to a higher viewpoint. You can also make a quick stop to admire the view at Rowena Crest — no hiking required!
DIFFICULTY
Easy, but prepare for loose dirt and a few rocky spots on the trail. There are no guardrails, so keep a safe distance from edges. The main trail is fairly flat and doesn’t stray too close to any drop-offs. The longer Tom McCall Point Trail is more strenuous, with about 1000 feet of elevation gain.
WE HIKED IT
April, 2021, about an hour
CURRENT INFO
The Tom McCall Preserve, where Rowena Plateau is located, is managed by The Nature Conservancy. You can find information about the preserve on The Nature Conservancy website. Trail reports for both Rowena Plateau and Tom McCall Point are available on the WTA (Washington Trails Association) website. Good information and a map is also posted on the Friends of the Columbia Gorge website and the Oregon Hikers website. Rowena Plateau is featured in both Best Hikes with Kids: Western Washington by Susan Elderkin and 50 Hikes with Kids: Oregon & Washington by Wendy Gorton.
GOOD TO KNOW
It’s free to park at the Rowena Crest Viewpoint by the trailhead. There’s a large parking lot on one side of Highway 30, where you can view the highway’s famous hairpin curve from above. It’s a great place to park and take in the view even if you don’t intend to hike. Additional parking is available along the road.
There is no toilet at the trailhead, but nearby Mayer State Park has facilities. The Tom McCall Point trail begins by the parking lot, while the Rowena Plateau hike starts on the opposite side of the highway. Signage marks the beginning of the trail. Don’t forget sunscreen, as the trail is completely exposed. This is the Gorge, so expect wind, although it was unusually calm the day we visited.
Please note that in the Tom McCall Nature Preserve dogs are not allowed. This is a delicate ecosystem, so stay on the trails and do not pick wildflowers. The Tom McCall trail is closed in winter to protect against erosion, but the Rowena Plateau trail is open year round. The nature preserve is managed by The Nature Conservancy, so check their website to verify the trail status.
Oregon’s favorite inflammatory plant also makes its home here. Poison oak is prolific in the brush around the ponds atop the plateau. To avoid it, stay on the trail and don’t touch any plants. Its shiny leaves range in color from light to dark green, maroon, or fiery red. The photo below shows a particularly vibrant patch of poison oak I spotted along the Rowena Plateau trail, showing off its multi-colored leaves. The leaves fall off in winter, but the irritating oil is still secreted through the bare branches. Play it safe and don’t touch the plant life!
HIGHLIGHTS
Views, views, views! And if you go in spring, you will be well rewarded with wildflower sightings. Wildflower season typically starts around early April and continues through May as different species bring color to the plateau. Sunny yellow balsamroot, the most famous flower on the eastern side of the Gorge, usually peaks sometime in April.
THE KIDS’ TAKE
The kids were a little tired by the time we reached Rowena Plateau. Fortunately, the wide open plateau invites exploration. Both boys agreed to give it a go with the promise of a short hike. In addition to the flowers, we enjoyed a brief visit from an Oregon swallowtail butterfly.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE
Because it’s a short hike, Rowena Plateau makes a great stop as part of a longer day out. Take the extra time to drive the old historic Highway 30 as you travel between Hood River and The Dalles. We stopped here for an evening hike after a day spent visiting museums and biking in The Dalles. From Rowena Crest, it’s only a 15-minute drive to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center in The Dalles, which is also where the Riverfront bike trail begins. Fifteen minutes west of Rowena Crest is the small town of Mosier, where Route 30 Scoops sells ice cream cones and Mosier Company offers food and drinks. Those looking for a longer hike can hike to Tom McCall Point in addition to Rowena Plateau.
Our Experience
We arrived at Rowena Crest in the early evening, the sinking sun heightening the brilliant golden balsamroot across the plateau. It was Saturday, so we weren’t alone. Visitors flock to Rowena Plateau when the wildflowers are in bloom. Fortunately, by evening the crowds thin and there is plenty of room on the trail to spread out and soak in the views. Tonight we were especially lucky. The Gorge is renowned for high winds, but this evening the skies were completely calm, the Columbia River as smooth as satin.
The boys, however, weren’t too thrilled at the idea of another hike. Our week-long stay in the Gorge was almost over, and they were tired.
“It’s not a long hike,” I promised. “And we don’t have to go all the way.”
J took in the flat landscape that surrounded us. “I’ll come with you,” he said, figuring it couldn’t be too bad. We quickly convinced T, reminding him that he was too young to stay at the trailhead on his own, and were on our way.
My husband, Michael, and his father had already wandered ahead, and were peering down into the basalt canyon below us. The boys and I passed by them as we headed for the ponds (technically vernal pools, a kind of seasonal wetland) that lay hidden behind a thicket of windswept oak. Poison oak, too, as it turns out. “Stay back!” I warned. “Don’t touch any branches!”
Shortly beyond the pond, where the trail comes to a crossroads, the kids weren’t too keen to continue. “You can wait here while I go check out the view, but promise that you’ll stay put,” I emphasized this last point for T in particular. He has the spirit of a born wanderer, and a fierce independent streak. As much as I love this about him, at five years old, he can’t yet be trusted on his own. He promised to stay with J, and I hurried on to catch a few river views before my return.
What a view it was! I drank it in before turning back for the boys. On the way I passed Michael, and let him know that the river views weren’t far ahead. Back where I left them, the boys waited patiently at the trail junction, soaking in the vitamin D that so often eludes us Pacific Northwesterners.
From there, we continued clockwise along the loop trail that circles the ponds. Around the corner, more views appeared, looking across the river to the town of Lyle in Washington State. Closer by, more wildflowers peeked through the grass — purple lupine, yellow monkey flowers, and the tiny white blossoms of wild cucumber. Best of all, a swallowtail butterfly fluttered by, weaving back and forth between us. Much to T’s dismay, it didn’t land on him.
We climbed a short stretch of uphill trail past gnarled oak trees and desert parsley and met up with Michael’s father, more affectionately called “Poppa” by his grandsons. Together, we ambled slowly back to the trailhead. Michael still hadn’t returned, but I wasn’t worried. Besides, it gave me time to head across the road and capture the view looking east.
Sure enough, Michael appeared at the trailhead just as I returned from the Rowena Crest Viewpoint. He had hiked to the very end of the trail, beyond the point where I turned back. The views, of course, had been incredible. But then, even at the trailhead, Rowena Plateau was a sight to behold. I looked out one last time past waves of balsamroot and basalt cliffs to glimpse the mighty Columbia River, grateful to have experienced this beauty.
