McCall Point, The Dalles OR

• 5-star hike
• 4 mile out-and-back
• Moderate | Gain 1,010 feet
• The Dalles, OR | Oregon
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A high-angle, wide panoramic view captures a winding scenic highway curving down a dramatic river gorge under a clear, bright blue sky. On the left, a steep, dark rocky cliff drops off sharply, bordered by a two-lane asphalt road with yellow center lines that hugs the edge before snaking down into the valley below in a series of sweeping switchbacks. To the right, dry, grassy hillsides dotted with green trees slope downward, transitioning into dense clusters of pine and deciduous trees flanking the lower curves of the road. In the mid-ground, a wide, blue river cuts through the valley, with its water rippling from a breeze, leading toward a distant, flat horizon line. A larger multi-lane highway can be seen running parallel to the riverbanks farther down the gorge. The foreground features dry, golden-brown grass on a rocky overlook,

Views beside the trail near Rowena Crest Overlook.

The Columbia River Gorge cuts through the volcanic Cascade Range, exposing layers of basalt laid down by massive lava flows from Eastern Oregon millions of years ago. Following a geologic fault line, the Gorge features a stark asymmetry. The Oregon side to the south boasts near-vertical basalt walls, while the Washington side to the north presents a more sloping, stepped profile. This distinct geological character is on full display from the McCall Point Trail.

The hike to the summit begins adjacent to the Rowena Crest Overlook. Reached by a short paved road, this viewpoint provides sweeping eastward views over the Gorge before you even take a single step on the trail. Roadside parking at the overlook is free.

Google Maps

⬤ 5★ McCall Point Trail 3.6 mi out & back, moderate, gain 1,010 ft
GPX File · AllTrails · Directions GPX?

P Free parking

From here, the route climbs into the Nature Conservancy’s Tom McCall Preserve along an otherwise easy trail made moderate only by its 1,000 feet of elevation gain. Well-graded switchbacks ensure the incline remains modest throughout the climb.

Ascending through open grassland, most of the route is exposed to the sun and elements, offering only occasional pockets of shade under scattered oak and pine trees. However, this open landscape rewards hikers with near-constant views. Stepped basalt cliffs, rolling grassy slopes and the river below appear early on and remain in sight for most of the journey. In the spring, the lower meadows erupt with a vibrant blanket of balsamroot and lupine.

A wide shot taken from behind shows two hikers walking away from the camera along a dirt trail that cuts through a sun-drenched, golden-brown grassy meadow toward a forested hillside under a clear blue sky. The hiker on the left wears a grey sweater and tan pants, while the hiker on the right wears a maroon hooded sweatshirt and green pants. The narrow dirt and gravel path curves gently into the mid-ground, where a dense line of green trees and shrubs borders the meadow. Rising in the background is a large, rolling hill covered in a mixture of green trees and exposed patches of dry grass, peaking near the upper left. A single small, wispy white cloud floats in the bright blue sky above the right side of the ridge

Setting out for McCall Point.

The surrounding volcanoes provide a spectacular backdrop to the climb. Looking north, the snow-capped peak of Mount Adams is barely visible from the trailhead but reveals itself fully as you ascend the trail. As you approach the summit, Mount Hood comes into view to the southwest, and on a clear day, your gaze can even stretch northwest to the distinct, truncated silhouette of Mount St. Helens.

This stretch of the Gorge is famous for strong, sustained winds, and you will often see kiteboarders and windsurfers carving through the river far below. We hiked on a notably blustery day and expected the wind to be a challenge the entire time. Surprisingly, the heavy gusts were concentrated at the trailhead and overlook; once we got moving on the trail itself, the wind eased significantly and presented no real difficulty for the rest of the hike.

a commercial barge traveling along a wide, deep blue river flanked by massive, layered volcanic cliffs under bright sunlight. The long, white and green barge leaves a white wake as it moves from left to right across the choppy blue water in the center of the frame. In the background, the far bank of the river rises sharply into steep, arid canyon walls, revealing prominent, stepped layers of dark basalt rock formations interspersed with dry, golden-brown grass and sparse vegetation. A thin highway runs along the base of the cliffs right at the river's edge. In the lower-left foreground, the branches of a leafy green oak tree frame the scene

Annually, 10 million tons of cargo float the Columbia River.

A wide, distant landscape shot showcases a massive, snow-capped volcanic mountain rising majestically above a forested ridge under a blue sky with scattered clouds. The prominent mountain, heavily covered in white snow and glaciers with dark rock ridges showing through, sits on the horizon in the center of the frame, partially ringed by thin, wispy clouds around its base. Below the peak, a long, dark green forested ridge stretches horizontally across the mid-ground. In the valley below the ridge, the landscape opens up into rolling, golden-brown fields and meadows interspersed with patches of evergreen trees and agricultural clearings. The foreground on the left and bottom is softly framed by the out-of-focus green leaves and branches of a nearby oak tree

Mount Adams rises above the landscape as you ascend the trail.

A high-angle, wide panoramic landscape captures a sprawling river valley cutting through layers of distant mountain ridges under a dramatic, cloudy sky. In the mid-ground, a wide, blue river stretches horizontally across the frame, its surface rippling with whitecaps from the wind. The far banks of the river rise into massive, rolling mountains that recede into shades of hazy blue, with their upper peaks partially obscured by low-hanging, dramatic white and grey clouds. Below the river, the foreground and mid-ground open into vast, golden-brown meadows and dry grasslands, heavily interspersed with dense patches and long rows of dark green pine and oak trees. A few scattered houses and rural structures are visible in the lower left section of the valley floor.

Looking eastward into the Gorge from upon high.

Tangents:
• Official: The Nature Conservancy

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