Land Where the Sun Meets the Rain - White Salmon, Washington and Nearby Places

White Salmon City Hall.

For some people, there are places they travel to that will remain in their hearts forever. For me, this place is White Salmon. Ever since I was only six years old I have been making trips there, usually with my mother or grandfather. This place has been so special to me, I have thought several times about living in this marvelous land when I have a family sometime in the future.

Unfortunately, many people do not know about White Salmon. A lot of people I know have asked where I have been and they always ask where White Salmon is, whenever I mention it.

A view of the Columbia River. Indeed this is a land where the sun meets the rain.

White Salmon is a town located in the extreme south of Washington state, lying peacefully in the hills of the scenic Columbia River Gorge. There are many things about this place that make it so special. Whether it be the gorgeous, mountainous scenery, the cozy town itself, or the diverse array of things to do and places to explore nearby. Here is just a small sampling:

• The restaurants in White Salmon are fantastic. Three of the big ones to try are Everybody's Brewing, Nanny's Bakery and Cafe on The Corner. There is also a really good ice cream parlor downtown (the name hasn't come to me).

• Head down to White Salmon Glassworks to watch artists create fine pieces of art with a welcoming attitude.

• The Columbia River has been described as one of the best places to windsurf in the world. I've also seen a lot of kiteboarders out in the river, which I would really love to try someday. I also remember going sailing on the river with my family and the thrill of going under the Hood River Toll Bridge, which allows one to easily travel between the town of Hood River, Oregon and White Salmon.

• River rafting in the White Salmon River. This river is near Husum and BZ Corner, two settlements just north of White Salmon. Unfortunately, I have never tried this before, but I hope to do so in the near future.

• There's many places to fish and swim. Many small lakes are near White Salmon, several that I have fished at include Goose Lake (near Trout Lake, Washington) and Rowland Lake (near Lyle, Washington). These are mere miles away. There are also lakes that are a bit farther, these ones are in Oregon. Timothy Lake and Lawrence Lake are both very close to Mount Hood. If you're headed to Goose Lake, don't forget to stop by the Heavenly Grounds Espresso in Trout Lake and pick up a huckleberry smoothie.

• Two of the largest mountains from Oregon and Washington, Mount Hood and Mount Adams, respectively, reside within about 60 miles of each other. Many hiking (and definitely skiing) opportunities are abound. The Timberline Lodge of Mount Hood is a cool place to stay.

Houses in White Salmon.

White Salmon is approximately an hour and fifteen minutes east from Portland, Oregon by car. There are several towns nearby including Bingen, Lyle, Dallesport, Vancouver, Stevenson, Goldendale, Hood River and The Dalles.

To the town of White Salmon, this post is for you. You have left a truly fantastic, long-lasting imprint on me which I will always cherish. I'm coming for you again.

Check out more of my pictures of White Salmon here:
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=white%20salmon&w=52619990%40N06

More pictures from trips to White Salmon and places nearby:
2005 Trip
2007 Trip
2008 Trip
2010 Trip

Hike Your Way To Rewards at Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

On our trip to Yellowstone this year, my Dad and I were very fortunate to stay in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (which I will refer to as the canyon area here). All of the other hotel rooms in the park (including almost all of the campgrounds) were reserved. This year was a record breaker for the park - a total of 2.5 million visited in June, July and August.

The Grand Canyon of The Yellowstone is aptly named - it offers a mini Grand Canyon in the eastern corner of Yellowstone. The canyon area is also a good reason why the park is named "Yellowstone"; the primary color of the canyon rock is yellow!

If you have a good amount of time to spend in the canyon area, it would be unwise not to hike a couple of these trails.

I'll discuss the trails that we embarked on, but keep in mind there are others out there that are definitely worth a look also.

The first trail we took was the Brink of Lower Falls, which led to an overlook at the top of the falls. It was very similar to one of the viewpoints at Upper Mesa Falls, which is discussed in the last post. The trail was a half mile down hill, and it was a tad steep, but not bad.

The view of the Lower Falls
from the Brink of Lower Falls trail.

The viewpoint let you see across the canyon. To the right, you could see another viewpoint of the falls (the end of Uncle Tom's Trail). "I bet that viewpoint is pretty spectacular! Wow, I wish we could be there," I thought. Luckily, I would be getting that wish not too long.

The climb up was a little on the strenuous side, since we had to climb back up the hills we came down.







The next trail, Brink of Upper Falls, was much shorter (1/8 mile) than than the previous one but it was not quite as rewarding. However, we got a broad neat view of the river. The way it flowed down the falls was quite beautiful.

View of the Yellowstone River
from the Brink of Upper Falls trail.

The final trail we took, Uncle Tom's Trail, was the most strenuous, yet the most rewarding. On our way down, we were greeted by a sign giving background info of the trail and a message below that cautioned:

"It is extremely difficult and steep climb down and back to this point. At this altitude 8,000 ft. This trip is definitely not recommended for those suffering from heart or breathing problems. Take your time enjoy the scenery, and rest often."


Knowing the challenges that lied ahead, we headed down the trail. The climb down was not that difficult, but it was fairly lengthy, like the Brink of Lower Falls trail. There were several flights of stairs and hills on the way down. At the end was a spectacular view of the Lower Falls from nearly front on, and we ended up quite close to it too! It certainly was well worth the trip down.

The view of Lower Falls
from Uncle Tom's Trail.

A short while after we reached the point, a massive tour group came in and we had to leave. All those flights of stairs we went down and little hills we went down? Yep, we had to go all the way back up those. Luckily, we managed through it pretty well. It may have been a fairly strenuous hike, but it was well worth it.

The canyon area is in the eastern part of Yellowstone. Near the start of some of the trails are trail map dispensers. For only 50 cents, you can get a trail map so you can find all of these points and trails worth exploring in the canyon area.

Check out more of my pictures of the canyon area in Yellowstone (videos too!):

http://www.flickr.com/search/?s=int&w=52619990%40N06&q=yellowstone+canyon&m=text

Short descriptions of the hiking trails in east Yellowstone: http://www.americansouthwest.net/wyoming/yellowstone/hiking-east.html

You Took My Breath Away - Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, Idaho

On our trip up to Yellowstone National Park, my Dad and I took Idaho Highway 47, the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, which began at Ashton, Idaho.

The Lower Mesa Falls, from the viewpoint.

Three main attractions were on the road. The first big attraction on the road was a glimpse of the Tetons from afar. We had seen this mountain range on an earlier trip to Yellowstone, but we had never seen them from the western side. On the earlier trip, we came from Jackson, Wyoming and saw them closer, from the eastern side. It was interesting, but this was only a crumb of the cake that was to come.

The second big attraction the byway offered was the Lower Mesa Falls. I was hoping that the viewpoint was a bit closer to these falls, it was pretty. I thought that the forest area around these falls was quite peaceful, and would have been a great spot to eat lunch.

The final primary attraction on the road was the Upper Mesa Falls. We paid a small day use fee of $5.00 that would allow us to explore the area. We parked our car and headed straight for the overlooks. First came the overpowering roar, which grew stronger as we inched closer to the waterfall. And then...

The Upper Mesa Falls, from a viewpoint that offers a broader view.

Nothing could have prepared me for the shock I was about to receive as I peered my eyes over the railway of the first viewpoint we reached. It was here, I lost my breath. The staggering depth of the fall, the view of the mist emanating, the green cliffs surrounding, along with the mighty roar... it was out of a dream. I was slightly reminded of the movie Avatar. I immediately began pulling out my camera, and I could not stop taking pictures or recording movies. Of course, none of what I recorded could significantly capture the amazing sound or sheer power of the waterfall. In fact, I was in such amazement, one of the movies I recorded you can barely hear me yell, "look at that, ladies and gentlemen, MY GOD!"

At the Upper Falls there were lots of other viewpoints you could access from the wooden walkways. We followed the walkways to these viewpoints, and each one offered a different, but equally breathtaking view of this waterfall. We had a very difficult time leaving the viewpoints!

There was also a visitors' center near the overlooks. Here, you could buy all sorts of goodies primarily relating to Yellowstone Park, which was less than fifty miles away. I was hoping there would be a little more information regarding the Mesa Falls, but the signposts at the overlooks provided a decent enough background on the falls.

A video I took of the Upper Falls from one of the viewpoints.

Both waterfalls are found on the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, also known as Idaho Highway 47. You can get on the road from the southern end (from Ashton, Idaho) or from the northern end (Harriman State Park, which is near the small town of Island Park, Idaho). There is a small $5.00 day use fee at the viewpoints of the Upper Mesa Falls that is paid up at the turnoff to the falls, but let me tell you, what I experienced was priceless. I do hope I can return to this place, someday. Perhaps on another trip to Yellowstone?

Check out my Flickr for more of my best pictures of the attractions in the Mesa Falls Scenic Byway, and check out some videos of the Upper Falls on my YouTube account.