Lewis and Clark's Columbia River
Lewis & Clark's Columbia River - "200 Years Later"
"Bridal Veil Overlook, Oregon"
Includes ... Bridal Veil State Scenic Viewpoint ... Bridal Veil Falls ... Cliff House ... Camas Root ... Cape Horn ... Pillars of Hercules ... Sand Island ...
Image, 2004, Cape Horn, Washington, from Bridal Veil, Oregon, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Cape Horn, Washington, as seen from the Bridal Veil Overlook, Bridal Veil, Oregon. Image taken October 11, 2004.


Bridal Veil Falls State Scenic Viewpoint ...
The Bridal Veil Falls State Scenic Viewpoint is a day-use park located above Bridal Veil Falls, and can be reached from the Historic Columbia River Highway. The park is part of the Oregon State Parks system and has picnic tables, restrooms, and trails to fantastic views. One trail leads down to Bridal Veil Falls while another loops to fantastic views of the Columbia River Gorge.

History ...
"Land was acquired by purchase from various owners between 1970 and 1984. It adjoins the site of the old Bridal Veil Timber Company operation. Beginning in 1886, the company employed a flume system to bring in rough cut lumber to its sawmill and the railroad at this location."

Acreage: 15.55


Source:    Oregon State Parks and Recreation website, 2015.


Views ...

Image, 2006, Trail, Bridal Veil Falls Scenic Viewpoint, Oregon, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Trail, Bridal Veil Falls State Scenic Viewpoint. Image taken October 21, 2006.


Bridal Veil Overlook, etc.

  • Bridal Veil Overlook Trail ...
  • Camas at Bridal Veil Overlook ...
  • Cliff House ...
  • Trail to the Falls ...
  • Views from Bridal Veil Overlook ...


Bridal Veil Overlook Trail ...
The 1/2 mile long Bridal Veil Overlook trail on the bluff above Bridal Veil Falls loops along the basalts and is a great place to overlook the Columbia River and see such features as Cape Horn and Cape Horn Landing, Crown Point, Phoca Rock, the remnants of the Pillars of Hercules, and Sand Island. Sand Island is located at the upstream tip of Rooster Rock State Park. A nice view of Biddle Butte (also known as Mount Zion) can also be seen from the Bridal Veil Overlook.


Camas at Bridal Veil Overlook ...
The upper trail at the Bridal Veil Overlook traverses the cliff overlooking the Columbia River Gorge, leading to great views of the Columbia. Native wild plants such as camas, lupine, bead lilly, trillium and bleeding heart line both sides of the pathway along the cliff. "Qua-mosh", "quamash", and "pashaquaw" were various ways the Lewis and Clark journals listed the Camas, scientifically known as "Camassia quamash", a term from the Nez Perce qe'mes". The Camas plant, a member of the lily family, was unknown to science before the Lewis and Clark journey.
[More]

Image, 2005, Camas at Bridal Veil Overlook, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Camas at Bridal Veil Overlook, Bridal Veil, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.
Image, 2005, Camas at Bridal Veil Overlook, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Camas at Bridal Veil Overlook, Bridal Veil, Oregon. Image taken May 10, 2006.


Cliff House ...
"... In 1948, the Ellesson family purchased the historic Cliff House and associated property. The Ellessons built a restaurant and motel where Bridal Veil State Park is now situated. The State of Oregon purchased the site for park purposes in 1969."


Source:    Clarence E. Mershon, 2006, The Columbia River Highway, From the Sea to the Wheat Fields of Eastern Oregon.


Trail to the Falls ...
The mile-long round-trip hike to Bridal Veil Falls is a gorgeous spot for Spring wildflowers.

Image, 2009, Bridal Veil, Oregon, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Trillium, Bridal Veil Falls Trail, Bridal Veil, Oregon. Image taken April 26, 2009.
Image, 2009, Bridal Veil, Oregon, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Bleeding Heart, Bridal Veil Falls Trail, Bridal Veil, Oregon. Image taken April 26, 2009.


Views from the Overlook ...

Image, 2004, Cape Horn, Washington, from Bridal Veil, Oregon, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Cape Horn, Washington. Cape Horn as seen from Bridal Veil, Oregon. Image taken October 11, 2004.
Image, 2005, Cape Horn, tunnel, train, landing, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Train leaving Cape Horn Tunnel and approaching Cape Horn Landing. View from Bridal Veil Overlook. Image taken October 22, 2005.
Image, 2004, Crown Point from Bridal Veil, Oregon, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Crown Point as seen from Bridal Veil, Oregon. Image taken October 11, 2004.
Image, 2005, Pillars of Hercules as seen from Bridal Veil, Oregon, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Pillars of Hercules as seen from Bridal Veil, Oregon. The 120-foot-high basalt Pillars of Hercules was one a training site for mountain climbing. Image taken March 6, 2005.
Image, 2004, Phoca Rock from Bridal Veil, Oregon, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Phoca Rock as seen from Bridal Veil, Oregon. Image taken October 10, 2004.
Image, 2004, Sand Island as seen from Bridal Veil, Oregon, click to enlarge
Click image to enlarge 		Sand Island as seen from Bridal Veil, Oregon. Image taken October 11, 2004.


From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...

Clark, November 2, 1805 ...



Columbia River GorgeReturn to
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*River Miles [RM] are approximate, in statute miles, and were determined from USGS topo maps, obtained from NOAA nautical charts, or obtained from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website, 2003

Sources:    see Bridal Veil;   

All Lewis and Clark quotations from Gary Moulton editions of the Lewis and Clark Journals, University of Nebraska Press, all attempts have been made to type the quotations exactly as in the Moulton editions, however typing errors introduced by this web author cannot be ruled out; location interpretation from variety of sources, including this website author.
/Regions/Places/bridal_veil_overlook.html
September 2008