Photo By Bruce Johnson - Diamond Peak
The Dalles is famous for being the end of the Oregon Trail. Pioneers put their wagons on rafts and drifted down the Columbia River to the Willamette River, then up river to Oregon City. The Dalles was also the site of Fort Dalles. Fort Dalles was built in 1850 to protect immigrants after the Whitman massacre, it was the only military post between the Pacific Coast and Wyoming. The only building left of Fort Dalles is the Surgeon's Quarters, which has been incorporated into the Fort Dalles Museum (541-296-4547). Fort Dalles Museum features a collection of military artifacts, household goods and old medical equipment. It is a favorite stop on The Dalles Old Town walking tour. Also on the tour is Klindt's (315 E 2nd St, 541-296-3355), which is Oregon's oldest bookstore. Established in 1870, it still has the original wood floors, and oak and plate glass display cases, as well as a selection of books well worth browsing.
WonderWorks A Children's Museum (419 E 2nd, 541-296-2444) is part of the tour, and is a good place to visit if children are part of your group. The Museum has crafts, a puppeteer area, hands-on exhibits, a dress up area and a stage. Sorosis Park is a 15 acre park located high above The Dalles on the cliffs. It's worth visiting just for the view of the river, the town and the mountains, but the park also has picnic tables, a playground, rose gardens and tennis courts. Built in 1957, this hydroelectric facility produces enough electricity to serve a city the size of Seattle. The interpretive center has local history exhibits, as well as hydroelectric displays about the dam, the world's fourth largest hydroelectric project. Recreation in The Dalles area includes windsurfing, fishing and camping. The Dalles has a reputation for being the best place to learn windsurfing. A favorite windsurfing starting point is Celio Park, nine miles east of the Dalles. Anglers can try for walleye and sturgeon in the Columbia River. Campers can cross the river to the Washington side and visit Horsethief State Park, the site of some of the most famous pictographs along the Columbia River. The park includes Horsethief Lake, where visitors can fish, swim or picnic.
Ft. Dalles Museum - 15th & Garrison The Dalles, OR 97058 541-296-4547 Hours: Open 7 days a week 10am-5pm Rorick House - 300 West 13th The Dalles, OR 97058 541-296-1867 Open Memorial Day thru Labor Day Fri-Sun 10am-4pm The Dalles Lock and Dam The Dalles Lock & Dam Visitor Center -Exit 87 off I-84 • The Dalles, OR 97058 541-296-9778 Old St. Peter’s Landmark - 3rd & Lincoln St. The Dalles, OR 97058 541-296-5686 Hours: Tue-Fri 11am-3pm Sat & Sun 1pm-3pm Closed Mondays and Major Holidays Columbia Gorge Discovery Web Site Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Wasco County Historical Museum - 5000 Discovery Drive The Dalles, OR 97058 541-296-8600 Hours: 9am -5pm, Seven Days a Week The Dalles Murals - Downtown , The Dalles, OR 97058 Hours: Self Guided Tree Top Park, Sorosis Park The Dalles, OR 97058 541-296-9533 Hours: Daylight The Original 1859 Wasco County Courthouse - 410 west 2nd Pl. The Dalles, OR 97058 541-296-4798 Thurs-Mon 11am-3pm thru May Thurs-Mon 10am-4pm June 1-Labor Day The Dalles Art Center - 220 East 4th Street The Dalles, OR 97058 541-296-4759 Hours: Tue-Sat 11am - 5pm Closed Sunday & Monday Maryhill Museum of Art Web Site Maryhill Museum of Art - The Dalles, OR 97058 509-773-3733 Hours: March 15 thru November 15th Public Swimming Pool - The Dalles, OR 97058 541-298-2020 Hours: June 14th-Labor Day Open Swim 1-4:30pm and 7-8:30pm Open Swim on Weekends 1-6pm Public Library - The Dalles, OR 97058 541-296-2815 Hours: Tue & Wed 11am-8:30pm Thurs & Fri 10am-6pm Sat 10am-3pm, Closed: Sunday & Monday Petroglyphs at Horsethief - The Dalles, OR 97058 509-767-1159 Hours: Fri. & Sat. at 10am by reservation The Dalles Chamber of Commerce The Dalles Area Chamber of Commerce 404 W. 2nd Street The Dalles, Oregon 97058 541-296-2231 or 800-255-3385 Email Chamber Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm Open Weekends from Memorial Day thru July 1st, Sat 9am-4pm, Sun 10am-3pm, and Saturdays only from July 1st to Labor Day. Historic Walking Tours The Dalles Chamber - The Dalles, OR 97058 Hours: Guided tours Memorial Day thru Labor Day by appointment only, M-F Self-Guided tours are also available
In 1843, emigrants began traveling the Oregon Trail from the Independence, Missouri to Oregon City, Oregon. The entire route of that trail was determined by the location an easy trial through the Rocky Mountains - South Pass. In many places the pioneers tracks are embedded in the trail still to this day.