Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area

Alcohol Prohibitions

This Order describes acts that are prohibited upon lands, roads and trails within the National Forest System administered by the Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region in regards to alcoholic beverages.

Aquatic Invasive Species

This Order prohibits 1) possessing, storing, or transporting any aquatic invasive animal species AND 2) prohibits possessing, storing, or transporting any aquatic or riparian invasive plant species - on National Forest System lands in the Pacific Northwest Region as specified in the Order.

Restrictions on Use of Forage and Mulch Products

This Order prohibits unloading, storing, or using any straw, hay, grain, seed, or other forage or mulch products that are not state-certified weed free on the National Forest System lands, roads or trails in any Closure Area as specific in the Order.

Forest Roads Closed Due to Rain Event

The past few days has shown heavy rainfall as an atmospheric river moved into the Northern Cascade Region bringing 16+ inches of rain to the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Forest Service Road 6808 Emergency Closure

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest issued an emergency closure of Forest Service Road 6808 from mile marker 3.9 to mile marker 4.2 due to a sinkhole that has developed in the travel way.  Closure timeframe is currently unknown, and travel will resume when roads are repaired.

Rd 2810-041 Yellowjacket Bridge Road Closure

Rd 2810-041 will close Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, and will remain closed until mid-November for redriving piles at Yellowjacket.

Winter Road Closures

Due to large amounts of snowfall, the gates along the fallowing roads will be closed for the winter season. This routine seasonal gate closure is important for public safety as these roads are not maintained and become hazardous in the winter.

Washout on Forest Road 93

Forest Road 93 is closed at milepost 6.95 due to a severe washout. Road signs are posted at the beginning of each side of FR 93 to alert drivers of the inability to drive the entire length of road.

Upper State Route 504 closed at milepost 45.2 due to large slide

Closure Upper State Route 504/Spirit Lake Memorial Highway is closed between mileposts (MP) 45.2 and 51 until further notice with a possible re-opening date sometime in 2026. The road is blocked just outside the Hummocks Trailhead at the nor

Adams Fork Bridge Closed (FR 5601)

The Adams Fork Bridge on FR 5601 at MP 2.0 on the Cowlitz Valley Ranger District is CLOSED.

Forest Road 2801 Closure

Forest Road 2801 is closed on both ends of the road due to a washout at milepost 0.25 and a large slide at milepost 7.

Alcohol Prohibitions

This Order describes acts that are prohibited upon lands, roads and trails within the National Forest System administered by the Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region in regards to alcoholic beverages.

Aquatic Invasive Species

This Order prohibits 1) possessing, storing, or transporting any aquatic invasive animal species AND 2) prohibits possessing, storing, or transporting any aquatic or riparian invasive plant species - on National Forest System lands in the Pacific Northwest Region as specified in the Order.

Restrictions on Use of Forage and Mulch Products

This Order prohibits unloading, storing, or using any straw, hay, grain, seed, or other forage or mulch products that are not state-certified weed free on the National Forest System lands, roads or trails in any Closure Area as specific in the Order.

Tamanawas Falls Trail #650A is CLOSED

Tamanawas Falls Trail #650A is CLOSED due to heavy damage from the December storms. Tamanawas Falls Trail #650A is blocked by multiple slides and completely washed out and destroyed in one section, making Tamanawas Falls inaccessible via that route.

Hazards from Winter Storms

Heavy rains and strong winds created many hazards across Mt. Hood National Forest and surrounding areas during December storms. Although the storms have passed, conditions across the Forest may still be unsafe.

Sno-park Permits required Nov. 1 to Apr. 30

Sno-Park Permits are required to park in designated sno-parks from November 1 through April 30. Sno-Park Permits are managed by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT).

Eagle Creek Fire Area Closures

In 2017, the Eagle Creek Fire caused extensive damage to surrounding areas in Columbia River Gorge and parts of Mt. Hood National Forest. Some trails are closed to the public in both the Gorge and Hood River Ranger District, pursuant to 16 USC § 551 and 36 CFR 261.50 (a) and (b).

Health and Safety Closure Due to Roadside Danger Trees

This Order prohibits using any type of motor vehicle upon the following NFS Roads as described: 1) NFS Road 45 (Memaloose Road) from the bridge at highway 224 to the junction with NFS Road 45-310 and 2) NFS Road 54 from the highway 224 junction (at the bridge gate) to NFS Road 5410.

Bull Run Watershed Closure

This Order prohibits 1) Going into or being upon the area which is closed for the protection of public health or safety, 2) Being on a road, 3) Being on a trail within the area described in Exhibit A, except to travel on the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail #2000 and Huckleberry Trail #617, an

Camping Stay Restrictions

This Order prohibits 1) Camping in a single location for a period longer than 14 consecutive days and 2) Camping at any location for more than 28 days total during a calendar year on all National Forest System lands as described in this order.

Crane Creek bridge closed on the Barlow Road

The Crane Creek bridge on the Barlow Road (Forest Road 3530) is collapsed and closed. The Barlow Road is open, but it can't be driven from end to end.

Sportsman's Park Fire & Occupancy Restrictions

This Forest Order prohibits 1) Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire and 2) Camping on the Mt. Hood National Forest, Barlow Ranger District; T4S, R11E, Multiple Sections - Sportsman's Park Wildland Urban Interface Zone.

Gordon Creek Watershed Restrictions

This Order prohibits 1) Using a motor vehicle on Forest development roads, except Forest Road 15, which is also known as Larch Mt Road, 2) Using a motor vehicle on Forest development trails, 3) Possessing or using a motor vehicle off Forest development roads, and 4) Camping within the Gordon Cree

The Dalles Watershed Closure

This Order prohibits visitors from entering or being on the roads or trails of The Dalles Watershed.

Overview

The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is a spectacular 80-mile river canyon cutting up to 4,000 feet deep through the Cascade Mountain Range, spanning portions of Oregon and Washington. The area is currently open with several important closures to note from December 2025 winter storms. Multiple trails are closed due to windfalls, landslides, and collapsed trail tread, particularly in the Eagle Creek Fire burn scar. The Historic Columbia River Highway (US 30) east viaduct at Multnomah Falls is closed through spring 2026 for structural repairs. Larch Mountain Road is closed above the snow gate near Milepost 10 (typical seasonal winter closure, reopens late spring). Eagle Creek area remains under long-term forest closure order through July 2026. The scenic area features dramatic climate zones from lush western conifer forests to eastern grasslands due to the Cascades' rain shadow effect. Standard camping limits are in effect (14-day limit in 30-day period), and drone use is prohibited at developed sites. Fire danger is currently low. The area is actively managed and remains a world-class destination for hiking, waterfalls, and scenic drives despite ongoing recovery efforts from past fires and recent storm damage.

Community Posts

No posts yet. Be the first to share your experience!