The Dalles

The Dalles is located in Wasco County east of Portland, between Mosier and Biggs along Interstate 84, within the Columbia River Gorge Nat'l Scenic Area. This community is lying on a great crescent bend of the Columbia River. The Dalles was an outgrowth of its location. The river narrows and once spilled over a series of rapids, which the French voyageurs christened les Dalles, or the trough.

Much of the town's past lingers in its many 19th century homes and churches, as well as its local museums. A variety of historical murals depict the town's Oregon Trail heritage. Recreational activities include nearby Deschutes River State Park, where Whitewater Rafting, Fishing, and Wind Surfing in the Columbia are popular.

The Dalles marks the fork in the trail for Oregon Trail emigrants. Those who chose the overland Barlow Road and the Applegate Trail trail segments bypassing or around Mount Hood turned south here, while the rest continued down the Columbia River to the Lewis and Clark Portage.