Bridge of the Gods

Bridge of the Gods is a steel truss cantilever road crossing over the Columbia River connecting Oregon and Washington, spanning roughly 1,858 feet above the water. The structure rises about 144 feet above the river level and links Cascade Locks with North Bonneville using a cantilevered design.

A massive landslide blocked the river here sometime between roughly 1450 and 1700, creating a natural dam up to 200 feet high. The current steel bridge was completed in 1926, replacing the geological formation that had long since eroded away.

Klickitat oral tradition recalls a natural bridge that once stood here, representing the quarrel of two brothers turned to stone. The modern steel structure bears this ancient name, linking engineering work to the mythology of the region.

The crossing requires a toll and sits roughly 40 miles east of Portland within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Hikers find parking on both sides of the river, with Cascade Locks on the Oregon side offering the larger settlement.

The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the Columbia River here, reaching its lowest elevation along the entire route from Mexico to Canada. Long-distance hikers pay a reduced pedestrian toll for the passage, which carries them from the dry south into the rain-soaked Cascade forests.

GPS coordinates: 45.65890,-121.91600

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:23