It is like welcoming back a long-lost friend. Or a whole crew of friends. They might have changed a bit, but they retain many of the characteristics we found likable in the first place.
Seven of the most popular hiking trails in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area have opened for the first time since the Eagle Creek Fire scorched the area 14 months ago. So has the full length of the Historic Columbia River Highway. And while the openings provide opportunities for recreation and adventure, they also lead us to ponder the regenerative power of nature and the hard work of professionals and volunteers to make the area accessible again.
“This reopening includes a lot of the really good stuff,” U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Rachel Pawlitz said Friday, when the announcement was made. “This is a big day.”
Among the reopened trails is the Multnomah-Wahkeena loop, a 4.9-mile stretch that OregonHikers.org calls “a waterfall lover’s paradise.” Starting at Multnomah Falls, the trail passes five waterfalls on a tour that will include areas impacted by the fire.
Also open is the popular Angel’s Rest trail, a 4.4-mile up-and-back excursion that is a bit of a climb but that provides some of the best views of the Gorge. With fire having ravaged the area, it’s likely that the views will be even more accessible and more spectacular.
Not all trails in the area have been reopened, and visitors are encouraged to check the status of their favorite hike through the Forest Service or the state of Oregon before heading out. Meanwhile, the Historic Columbia River Highway, which has cut through the region since the 1920s, is fully open for the first time since the blaze.
All of which calls for a bit of reflection and a realization that the Gorge will never be the same. A blaze sparked by a Vancouver teenager tossing firecrackers eventually burned about 50,000 acres, briefly closed Interstate 84, sent embers across the Columbia River to trigger fires in Washington, and economically devastated towns in the region. To understand the scope of the fire, consider this: The Vancouver city limits encompass about 32,000 acres.
But saying the Gorge will never be the same does not necessarily mean it will be less enjoyable. As local residents who recall the Mount St. Helens eruption of 1980 are well aware, nature re-creates itself in wonderful and unexpected ways. Work on the trails has involved various government agencies and assistance from here and beyond. “People care deeply about the Columbia Gorge,” Patrick Shannon of the National Forest Foundation told the (Salem, Ore.) Statesman Journal. “We received donations from people in 28 states, and with that support we improved over 60 miles of hiking trails this year.”
Meanwhile, it is important to remember what residents of nearby towns have been through. Cascade Locks, Ore., was closed for two weeks as the fire raged, and a study by Travel Oregon estimates the region saw visitor spending reduced by about $50 million as tourists avoided the area.
All of which should serve as a call for visitors to see the Gorge anew. Although most of the impact is on the Oregon side of the river, many Washington residents claim the region as part of our home, a wondrous natural spectacle that makes for an easy day trip.
Now, with several popular hiking trails and an historic highway freshly opened, we can celebrate the continuing recovery of an old friend.
