Map & Directions

The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum is located 82 miles east of Portland, 120 miles west of Pendleton, and 130 miles north of Bend at the eastern gateway of the 292,000 acre Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in The Dalles, Oregon. Known the world over for its breath-taking beauty, the Columbia River Gorge is sure to inspire you. We highly encourage everyone to experience for themselves this unique part of Oregon; plan a visit today!

Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum
5000 Discovery Drive, The Dalles, Oregon 97058
Phone 541.296.8600 | Fax 541.298.8660

Driving directions when traveling from the West or East: Take I-84 to Exit 82, turn right on the Historic Columbia River Highway (Hwy 30), follow Hwy 30 for 1.5 miles, turn right on Discovery Drive and follow to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum.

Transit Service

On Tuesdays and Thursdays there is bus service between Portland and Hood River; for details call Columbia Area Transit (CAT) 541-386-4202.

Monday through Friday there is bus service from Vancouver to towns along SR 14 and weekend season service to popular trail-heads, for details contact Skamania County Transit 509-427-3990.

There is summer weekend service between Portland and Multnomah Falls, for more information, email: info@ColumbiaGorgeExpress.com

ROAD CONDITIONS

Check ODOT’s “TripCheck.com” website for updates.

AREA ATTRACTIONS

While visiting Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Museum you may want to consider extending your visit to allow a little time to shop in the historic city center and tour the area. Check out the local historic sites, including The Dalles Lock and Dam Visitor Center, Lewis and Clark’s Rock Fort campsite, Fort Dalles Museum & Anderson Homestead, the Original Wasco County Courthouse, St. Peter’s Landmark, the Sunshine Mill Winery and more. Located in the rain shadow of Mt. Hood and the Cascade Mountains, The Dalles boasts 300 plus days of sunshine annually.

Other attractions in the area include Maryhill Museum of Art, the Temani-Peshwa Petroglyph Trail at Columbia Hills State Park/Horsethief Lake, and more. For additional suggestions, visit the Columbia River Gorge Visitor’s Association website at www.visitcolumbiarivergorge.com

Columbia Gorge Links

USDA Forest Service / Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area — http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/columbia
The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area Act of 1986 established the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum as the official (national) interpretive center for the Columbia River Gorge. Historic and current information about the Columbia Gorge; helpful to recreational visitors.

Columbia Gorge Ecology Institute — http://www.gorgeecology.org
Life-long learning opportunities to foster a sense of wonder and community stewardship of the Columbia River Gorge’s natural systems.

The Historic Columbia River Highway — http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/HCRH
Current topics and information about the historic highway, updated regularly by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Lewis and Clark Links

PBS Online: Lewis and Clark — http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark
Companion site to the Ken Burns film, ‘Lewis and Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery.’ Information on the explorers, expedition journals, trip timeline and maps, interviews with historical experts, an overview of Native American tribes, and classroom lessons.

Lewis and Clark — http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisclark
National Geographic Kids’ expedition gallery, with references.

Lewis and Clark Trail — http://www.LewisAndClarkTrail.com
Historical account of the Corps of Discovery along the Lewis and Clark Trail. Includes an events calendar, trail properties, and trail treasures.

Following the Voyage of Discovery —http://www.lewisandclark.com/facts/faqs.html
A few historical FAQs, with an expedition map.

The Trail of the Lewis & Clark Corps of Discovery — http://lewis-clark-trail.us
This unique travel guide locates hundreds of attractions along the trail pioneered by the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Area Chamber and Visitor Associations

Columbia Gorge Tourism Alliance — https://columbiagorgetourismalliance.org/
Columbia Gorge Tourism Alliance is a non-profit network of diverse businesses and organizations focused on maximizing the positive impacts of the visitor economy to both enhance our local communities and to protecting the natural resources they are coming to see.

The Dalles Chamber of Commerce — http://www.thedalleschamber.com
Located three miles from the Discovery Center in downtown The Dalles; local business listings, lodging, recreational, and event information.

Hood River County Chamber of Commerce — http://hoodriver.org
Located in Hood River, OR; local business listings, lodging, recreational, and event information.

Other Museums of Interest

Maryhill Museum of Art — http://www.maryhillmuseum.org
Just 29 miles from the Discovery Center near the eastern entry to the Columbia River Gorge in Maryhill, WA; features sculptures and other works from Rodin, and art and artifacts from around the Pacific Northwest.

Oregon History Museum (Oregon Historical Society Museum) — http://www.ohs.org
Located in Portland, OR; preserving and thoughtfully interpreting Oregon’s past.

Yakima Valley Museum — http://www.yakimavalleymuseum.org
Offers historical displays focusing on the Yakima Valley; its natural history, Native American culture, early pioneer life, and the roots and development of the Valley’s fruit industry.

Yakama Nation Museum & Cultural Center — https://www.nps.gov/places/yakama-nation-museum.htm
Offering a variety of exhibits and programs designed to educate the average visitor on the rich history and culture of the Yakama people. In addition to the museum, the facility displays an iconic Yakama Nation building, the heritage theater and the Yakama Nation library.

The Museum at Tamastslikt Cultural Institute — http://www.tamastslikt.org
Located in Pendleton, OR; dedicated to the cultural history of the indigenous Cayuse, Walla Walla, and Umatilla tribes.

The Museum at Warm Springs — http://www.museumatwarmsprings.org
Conceived and created by The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, OR.