The Columbia and Snake Route, Stretch by Stretch
From the river mouth to Hells Canyon, and how the dams re-made the river.
Get Columbia & Snake QuotesThe Columbia and Snake Route, Upriver
Here is the river the way the classic week-long sailing meets it, heading upstream from Portland. Exact days and stops differ by line and by departure, but the geography does not change.
| Stretch | What you pass | Typical stops and excursions |
|---|---|---|
| Portland to the sea | The Willamette joins the Columbia; the river widens toward the Pacific | Astoria: Columbia River Maritime Museum, Fort Clatsop, Astoria Column |
| Lower Columbia | Mount St. Helens country on the Washington side | Kalama, with drives toward the volcano |
| Into the Gorge | Bonneville Lock and Dam, waterfalls on the Oregon side, Beacon Rock | Multnomah Falls; Hood River and Stevenson on some sailings |
| Eastern Gorge | The Dalles Lock and Dam; the rain shadow turns the hills gold | The Dalles; Maryhill Museum of Art |
| Columbia Plateau | John Day and McNary locks; wheat country and wind farms | Pendleton or Umatilla; Richland and the Tri-Cities |
| The Snake | Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite locks; canyon walls close in | Palouse River and Palouse Falls on expedition sailings |
| Clarkston and Lewiston | The Snake meets the Clearwater | Jet boat into Hells Canyon; Nez Perce history |
A River Re-made by Dams
The Columbia you cruise is not the one Lewis and Clark knew. Federal dams built through the twentieth century turned a river of rapids into a chain of navigable lakes. Celilo Falls, for thousands of years a great fishing and trading place for Native peoples, disappeared beneath the reservoir behind The Dalles Dam in 1957. Guides on board talk about what was gained in power and navigation and what was lost.
The 465-mile channel from the Pacific to Lewiston is maintained by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and still carries barges of grain toward the coast — you will share the locks with them.
Wildlife Along the Way
Keep binoculars handy. Bald eagles and osprey fish the river, and great blue herons stalk the shallows. Sea lions follow salmon upstream from the estuary, and on the Snake, the canyon walls are home to bighorn sheep, often spotted from the jet boats in Hells Canyon. Spring and autumn bring migrating waterfowl along the Columbia Plateau.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many locks does a Columbia and Snake river cruise pass?
The full route between the ocean and Lewiston passes eight: Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day and McNary on the Columbia, and Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite on the Snake. Some lifts are among the highest in the country, and most are passed at night or while you are aboard.
Where does the Snake River section begin?
At the confluence near Pasco in the Tri-Cities of Washington, where Lewis and Clark camped in October 1805. From there the boats follow the Snake east to Clarkston and Lewiston.
Ask Which Route Fits Your Trip
Upriver or down, week-long or grand voyage — our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will match the route to your dates.
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