PORTLAND, Ore. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invites guests to visit The Dalles Dam this summer.
The dam’s visitor center will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays through Sundays from May 1 until Memorial Day, and then every day through Labor Day. The visitor center will then be open Fridays through Sundays until it closes for the season Sept. 27.
The visitor center has many interactive displays, a short film on the benefits and impacts of the dam, and a bookstore offering local information and treasures. Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses at the historic Seufert Rose Garden adjacent to the visitor center, and enjoy the scenic views of Mount Hood. A covered picnic shelter is available.
Tours of The Dalles Dam will be offered every Saturday and Sunday at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. starting May 2. Tours are conducted via electric shuttle from the visitor center along a portion of the Riverfront Trail to Patterson Park. While on tour, you will discover why a canal was vital to the local economy and travelers, how huge generators spin water into electricity, what trains have to do with Oregon Trail pioneers, and why the fish crossed the ladder.
Pre-registration for tours is encouraged, as space is limited.
Patterson Park on the grounds of The Dalles Dam is open to the public Fridays through Sundays during visitor center hours and is only accessible by trail. Visitors are encouraged to hike, bike or ride the wheelchair-accessible shuttle to the park and enjoy a picnic or a sight-seeing adventure. Unique features include a historic train caboose and the remnants of the old Dalles-Celilo Canal, which turns 100 years old this year.
The Dalles Dam Visitor Center is located just north of Interstate Highway 84 at exit 87. Turn east onto Bret Clodfelter Way and follow the road to the visitor center. For more information and to register for tours, please contact The Dalles Lock and Dam Ranger Office at 541-506-7857 or 541-296-9778 or visit http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Locations/ColumbiaRiver/TheDalles.aspx.
Release no. 15-015