Rowena Crest and Stave & Stone Vineyards
Sometimes a gloomy day in Portland is a great excuse to get out of town. We found the sun one day by heading east to Rowena, Oregon. At about 1.5 hours from Portland, the iconic Rowena Crest Viewpoint and plateau hike make for a memorable day trip that is worth the drive.
To reach the viewpoint from Portland, take I-84 east past Hood River. There are no restrooms at your destination, so we recommend stopping at the rest area near Mosier before exiting the highway. Take Exit 76, then turn right towards Rowena and head up the steep, winding road. The viewpoint will be clearly marked, and no fees or passes are required. You’ll want to get an early start for this one. Parking is very limited at the viewpoint that also serves as the trailhead for the Rowena Plateau trail and the McCall Point trail (open seasonally).
Once you make it up the hill, take a breath, you’re about to be rewarded with panoramic views of the Columbia Gorge. Although Rowena Crest is best known for the distinctive twists of Highway 30 seen from above, every direction showcases the unique landscape of the gorge. It gets windy up there, so bring layers!
When you are ready to leave the viewpoint, head across the street to begin the Rowena Plateau trail. At just over 2 miles in length with little elevation gain, it packs in a lot over a short distance. The trail is well-maintained and easy to follow. Although there are some cliffs nearby, the trail doesn’t get particularly close to them and is suitable for kids. Because of the fragile nature of the habitat on the plateau, dogs are not allowed on the trails. There is also no shade in the parking area, so best to leave dogs at home if you’re hiking here.
The plateau trail winds through open grassland punctuated by scrub oak and a few small alpine ponds. There are rocky cliffs formed floods of ages past and sweeping views of the Columbia River throughout the hike. Bonus! The first of the spring wildflowers are out in February. We saw plentiful grass widows as well as some desert parsley. Later in the season, look forward to many more colors and varieties, especially lupine and balsamroot. The plateau trail continues past several lookouts before ending at a viewpoint that offers an impressive river panorama.
After the hike, it’s time to head to Stave & Stone Vineyards. Take Highway 30 towards Mosier. On the way, you’ll pass the Memaloose Overlook, which is worth a stop for another Columbia Gorge vista (it’s also the trailhead for the Memaloose Hills trail if you want more hiking!). From Mosier, take I-84 west to Exit 64 toward Mt Hood Hwy, then go south, following the signs for the vineyard, which will be on Fletcher Drive.
Even in winter, the views from Stave & Stone will make you want to stay all afternoon. The tasting room has a wall of windows that look out onto the spacious covered patio with Mt Adams in the distance. We sat on the patio, which has heaters for chilly days. Note that the winery requires reservations, but during the off season you’ll probably have luck if you call last minute like we did.
Stave & Stone offers several wine flights. We got the estate flight, which was lovely, and includes their 2021 Pinot Gris, 2021 “Dorothy” Pinot Noir Rosé, 2019 Broken Boulder Pinot Noir, and 2019 Atrùr Pinot Noir. Any of these would make for a good bottle order, although if we were to steer you, consider the Broken Boulder, which had an intriguing spiciness, notes of cherry, and good balance overall. There is also food available in a variety of boards with meats, cheeses, nuts, dried fruits, and other goodies. We can vouch for the veggie platter and the goat cheese with fig jam. For dessert, there are house-made chocolates. If luck is on your side, you may meet Pinot, the outgoing winery cat who joined our table briefly until she had pressing business elsewhere.
Although it will be hard to leave, you can look forward to the views of the sunset over the Columbia Gorge on the drive back to Portland. There will be opportunities to stop for a photo. Ours is from Viento State Park.
Until next time, and cheers to your next adventure!
