While on a recent weekend getaway to the Columbia River Gorge, a friend and I stopped at a coffee shop in White Salmon, Washington, where we found ourselves in conversation with a local next to a fridge of kombucha, juice and overnight oats.

After mentioning we were in the area for two nights, he generously offered a few recommendations for our stay.

We followed his counsel to the Catherine Creek Recreation Area where we hiked the 1.9-mile Catherine Creek Arch Loop, an easy trail along Old Highway 8, between Bingen and Lyle.

From the parking lot, we were immediately treated with views of the surrounding Gorge and Columbia River, which straddles the boundary between Oregon and Washington.

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We began the loop counterclockwise on north Catherine Creek Loop and turned left on Tracey Hill Trail, which meant the views were mostly behind us. As we ascended an incline that totaled 380 feet, we regularly turned around to catch our breath and appreciate the widening perspective of the surrounding hills. I’d recommend following the trail in a clockwise direction, however.

Near the middle of the loop, we passed under a power line. It produced a static and unnerving crackling sound until we rounded the corner and were met with the most impressive view of the hike.

A natural wonder

Knowing little about the hike other than it would be fit for an easy walk, Catherine Creek Arch came as a surprise.

The natural arch formed a bridge-like span of columnar basalt, rising approximately 200 feet above us on top of a talus slope. It was so unlike the grassy hillside, the natural rock arch appeared as if it had been plunked in the meadow by mistake.

A wooden barrier fence stood between us and the slope leading up to the arch, installed to protect the sensitivity of the area and its sacred importance to Native Americans, according to the conservation nonprofit Friends of the Columbia Gorge.

The site the hiking trail is situated on is a former cattle ranch and the U.S. Forest Service’s first land purchase after the Gorge was designated a National Scenic Area in 1986.

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Additional local tips

The loop was ideal for passing an afternoon in the Hood River area with my dog, friend and husband, who was nursing a knee injury.

Following our excursion, we headed to one of the local’s other suggestions, AniChe Cellars, a woman-owned winery and tasting room in nearby Underwood. We spent the rest of the afternoon sipping glasses of wine under a gazebo with sweeping views of the Columbia Gorge that we had entirely to ourselves.

Due to being pressed for time, we didn’t have a chance to visit another of the local’s suggestions, a taqueria in the heart of Hood River. Perhaps next time I’ll have a chance to visit Love & Hominy, as the all-to-short trip to the Gorge certainly inspired me to return.

Note: There is no trailhead pass required at Catherine Creek, but $3.50 toll to cross the Hood River Bridge each way.

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