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| Hood River Pipeline Trail |
The Columbia River Gorge can be viewed upclose from the catwalk in Hood River. This is a must do before the sun is gone for the year. This catwalk was for the power compnay crew to make repairs to the pipleine, which was used to funnel water from the dam to the powerhouse for electricity. The dam was built in the 1920’s but removed in 2010 due to the blocking of salmon runs. Learn how to access this catwalk below.
The Hood River Pipeline Trail starts near a railroad trestle and old powerhouse off Oregon Highway 35 two miles from downtown Hood River, Ore. The 1.5-mile hike one way follows the pipeline as it snakes between the tracks and the riverbank before crossing over the river.
At the crossing, hikers can take a metal catwalk built for the power company crews that once made repairs along the pipeline. If the gate is open, you can trek up and over the river atop the catwalk and continue along the river’s edge. Hikers are immediately rewarded with spectacular views of wild river rapids and stands of alders providing cover for kingfishers, woodpeckers and the ever-squawking Steller’s jays.
SRC: Learn more about the Hood River Pipeline Trail at: http://greglamm.com/2014/08/31/hood-river-pipeline-trail-a-little-gem-of-a-catwalk-hike-hidden-away-near-the-columbia-river-gorge/
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