1.9 hr
Overview
Above The Dalles hangs a line of cliffs that seem quite out of place among the basalt synclines and anticlines of the central Gorge. This sandstone of the Dalles Formation represents the remains of a Pliocene lake bed that formed in a basin covering the Columbia River basalts in this area. The former lake bed, now a plateau, is pimpled with scores of Mima mounds, a geomorphological phenomenon not adequately explained to this day. Much of the area to the west of these cliffs, over 300 acres, was purchased by the Forest Service in 2002. The cliff faces themselves host nesting raptors and swallows in the spring; in addition, generations of The Dalles teenagers have come up here, gouged their initials, splashed graffiti, built fires, and gotten cozy in the shallow caverns that perforate the rim. There are great views of the surrounding area as well as some unique rock formations; springtime wildflowers bloom in profusion, and a resident herd of deer can almost always be observed. Note that trail names here are given by the mountain bikers who use the area, and trails are not signposted.
Trail Stats
5.6 km
189 m
236 m
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Photos
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