Hikers and cyclists will get a sneak peek of the sprawling Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail’s newest piece on Saturday.
The shady 1.2-mile segment of trail connects Starvation Creek State Park, about seven miles west of Hood River, to Lindsey Creek further west.
Nearly finished, the stretch represents another completed notch on the belt for transportation and historic groups as they restore the old Highway 30 into a single, huge trail running 73 miles from Troutdale to The Dalles — a project decades in the making.
The trail dedication will also celebrate the highway’s 100th anniversary.
On Saturday, leaders from state and federal agencies will host a tour of project site and give an informational brief on the work ahead. The event begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 24 at Viento State Park at Interstate 84, exit 56.
After a brief ceremony, the public will be free to wander the new trail and stop by visitor stations along the way. Oregon Department of Transportation, Oregon State Parks, the U.S. Forest Service and Western Federal Lands will join in the event.
The project includes a freshly paved surface under a shady canopy of trees, a footbridge spanning Warren Creek, and a stone overlook of Hole-in-the-Wall Falls.
Knud Martin, project engineer with Federal Highway Administration, said the trail won’t be finished this week, but Saturday’s event will give visitors a preview of the finished result.
The trail piece is three-quarters finished, Martin estimated. Crews working along I-84 westbound will still be a common sight for the next few weeks.
“The idea is a sneak peak,” Martin said. “We’re encouraging people to bring their families and make a morning of it.”
The bulk of the remaining work at Starvation Creek includes a railing between I-84 and the trail, a safety buffer separating pedestrians from the roadway. Big features like the falls overlook and creek bridge, however, will be ready to enjoy this weekend. Most of the paved trail will be walkable.
Next on the greater trail project: connecting Lindsey Creek to Gorton Creek, near Wyeth. Construction is expected to begin as early as winter.
ODOT described this path as a “major undertaking,” including a trail around Shellrock Mountain on top of an existing retaining wall, a 500-foot land bridge (viaduct) over Summit Creek, and a bench cut at Lindsey Creek.
The new segment is the latest link in the State Trail Reconnection Project, authorized by the Oregon Legislature in 1987 to “remember, restore and reconnect” the Historic Columbia River Highway, which opened 100 years ago this year.
Much of the old highway was abandoned or torn up after I-84 — the dominant roadway through the Columbia River Gorge — opened in the 1960s. The Oregon Legislature authorized the project to restore a historical site and offer recreational opportunities.
ODOT is now seeking funds to complete the remaining five miles of trail, which will finish the connection between Troutdale to The Dalles.
For more information, go to www.historichighway.org.
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Shuttle buses will run Saturday between the dedication ceremony at Viento State Park and the trailhead at Starvation Creek from 10 a.m.to 12:30 p.m.
Parking is limited, so visitors are encouraged to park early.
In addition to transportation agencies, Friends of the Historic Columbia River Highway and the Friends of the Columbia Gorge will be available in the Viento State Park parking lot, as will authors of books about the Gorge, including Peg Willis and Laura O. Foster.
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