Towns to Trails Map

In 2013, Friends' Land Trust opened Mosier Plateau Trail, a 3.5-mile path that begins in downtown Mosier, Oregon. The trail ascends through the historic town cemetery, passes by Mosier Creek Falls, and leads to a 45-acre preserve atop the plateau. Renowned for its vibrant spring wildflower displays, the trail offers sweeping views of the Gorge and has become a popular destination for hikers.

In 2016, the Gorge Tourism Studio, hosted by Travel Oregon, brought together government agencies, businesses, and nonprofits to develop a 15-year vision for sustainable tourism in the region. Gorge Towns to Trails was identified as a priority recreation project within this vision, emphasizing its role in connecting communities and promoting low-impact tourism.

Friends, with assistance from Trailkeepers of Oregon, has developed a proposal to connect the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center & Museum and The Dalles Riverfront Trail to Mt. Ulka, our preserve on Sevenmile Hill. The proposed 6-mile roundtrip trail would offer expansive views of the Gorge, Mt. Hood, and The Dalles.

In 2011, Friends introduced the Gorge Towns to Trails initiative, envisioning a 200-mile loop trail encircling the Columbia River Gorge. This ambitious project aims to connect communities with recreation, promote alternative transportation, and create contiguous protected lands benefiting wildlife. The initiative has earned support from city, county, and regional planning efforts and was recognized in 2022 as one of Oregon’s Signature Trails, highlighting its potential to provide access to iconic landscapes and world-class trail experiences.

Between 2018 and 2021, Washington Trails Association collaborated with Friends to expand the Lyle Cherry Orchard trail system. The Cherry Loop, completed in 2019, added 0.8 miles of new trail, while the Lyle Loop, finished in 2021, added 2 miles.

In 2024, the City of White Salmon initiated the preliminary scoping and design phase for the White Salmon Bluff Connector Trail, an important addition to the Gorge Towns to Trails network. This project aims to reestablish a historic pedestrian link between the Columbia River waterfront and downtown White Salmon, enhancing connectivity and honoring the area's heritage.

In 2022, the Oregon Signature Trails Inventory recognized Gorge Towns to Trails as one of 15 trails with the infrastructure, support, and momentum to offer world-class trail experiences. This designation underscores the project's significance in connecting communities and promoting sustainable recreation.

In 2020, Friends of the Columbia Gorge transferred the 175-acre Steigerwald Shores property to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, facilitating the largest habitat restoration project in the Columbia Gorge's history. The project reconnected over 900 acres of floodplain to the Columbia River, restored wetlands, and expanded the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Additionally, the project included the relocation and expansion of existing trails, advancing the vision of a continuous trail from Washougal to Stevenson.

In 2023, Friends, in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service, began a community engagement initiative for the conceptual planning of a new trail segment connecting Mosier to The Dalles. This project aims to fill a critical gap in the Gorge Towns to Trails network, enhancing connectivity and access between these communities.

The Washougal Waterfront Trail, opened in 2018, transformed a former lumber mill site into a scenic, ADA-accessible path along the Columbia River. This 2-mile trail, developed in partnership with the Port of Camas-Washougal and the City of Washougal, serves as the Washington-side gateway for Gorge Towns to Trails.