The Columbia River Gorge provides all sorts of outdoor recreation opportunities

It might surprise you: you needn’t ride a board to enjoy the great outdoors in the Columbia River Gorge.

As it happens, the Gorge is a great place for hiking, biking, paddling, inline skating or just plain sitting back and watching old Ma Nature dressed in some of her finest. Nobody’s going to complain, though, if you tote your sailboard along.

The Columbia Gorge stretches from the outskirts of Portland to The Dalles and beyond, and makes an excellent destination for weekend warriors. You can get there on a Friday evening and return on a Sunday evening, and still recuperate for the Monday grind.

Following are a few suggestions about spending a summer weekend outdoors in the Gorge, assuming you don’t sail a board.

Hiking

The stretch of the Columbia River from The Dalles to Portland is a day-hiker’s dream. Trails range from forested walks to alpine treks, from lakeside strolls to cliff climbs.

You’ve got to see Multnomah Falls, that 600-foot-high marvel and tourist magnet. Trouble is, it’s not much of a hike if you start from the massive parking area off I-84.

So a good way to see the falls and get some exercise is to begin your hike about a quarter mile west of the falls, at the Wahkeena Falls Trailhead. Follow Columbia Gorge Trail 400 east to Multnomah Falls, pass by the inn and information building, and begin the steep climb to the top of the falls.

It’s about a half-mile to the top, and another 0.2 miles to a viewpoint overlooking the falls. Round-trip from the Wahkeena Falls Trailhead is about 2.2 miles.

For hikers who’d like to get a bit more exercise, follow the Wahkeena Falls Trail for a 5.8-mile loop up and around Wahkeena Falls, returning down Trail 441 past Multnomah Falls.

A popular hike in the summer heat follows not a trail but a river. You can wade about a mile up the Oneonta Gorge, where cliffs are decorated by unique native plants.

Hikers who wish to punish themselves can try the steep, exposed Starvation Loop, which climbs and drops 1,280 vertical feet in 3 miles. If like me, you pee your shorts on steep hillsides, don’t take this hike.

Biking

You can’t beat the Historic Columbia River Highway for scenic splendor and a low volume of car traffic. Some paved sections are closed to auto traffic altogether, and offer worry-free pedaling.

Try the 10-mile round-trip ride from Mosier, off I-84. That section traverses along cliffs and through a couple of tunnels complete with portals carved in the cliffside for peekaboo river views.

A tougher ride would be the 22-mile section that climbs up to Crown Point from Ainsworth State Park, off I-84. Crown Point offers views up the Columbia from its perch atop a cliff at the western end of the Gorge. That section of the old highway is open to auto traffic.

Another traffic-free ride would be the Dalles Riverfront Trail, a paved route that now stretches more than 10 miles, one way, from downtown The Dalles to the Columbia River Visitor Center. The route is also popular with joggers and inline skaters.

Mountain bikers will find good riding on the Deschutes River Bike Trail along a gravel railroad grade that begins at the Deschutes River Recreation Area. Pedal more than 11 miles above the river on mostly gentle grade.

Paddling

Though quiet waters are difficult to find in the Gorge – that’s why it’s so popular for board sailing – several lakes nearby provide stress-free paddles. A popular (and often overcrowded) spot is at Lost Lake, off Highway 35 north of Hood River. You can rent boats at the Lost Lake Resort if you don’t want to tote yours down there.

The Columbia itself makes good paddling when the waves aren’t rolling. You’ll likely run into some cranky board riders, who get depressed when they lack wind in their sails. Try the area around The Dalles Marina on calm mornings.

Camping

You’ll find state park campgrounds on both the Oregon and Washington sides of the Gorge, as well as some nice private campgrounds. The Oregon state parks might offer a little better deal, with free showers and lower prices for tent campers.

A downside to the Oregon parks in the Gorge is that they are all close to the noise of I-84 as well as oft-used railroad tracks. Take a good set of earplugs.

On the Oregon side, you can camp at Ainsworth, Viento or Memaloose state parks. Closest for inland northwest campers might be the Deschutes River State Recreation Area, east of The Dalles.

Beacon Rock and Columbia Hills state parks are located off Highway 14 on the Washington side. Maryhill State Park is another option for campers.