Enjoy winter recreation at Bonneville Dam

PORTLAND, ORE. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers invites you to enjoy some great winter recreation opportunities for you and your family at Bonneville Lock and Dam.

Catch a glimpse of wildlife along our trails, take a stroll through the past at the Fort Cascades National Historic Site in North Bonneville, or meet a ranger to tour a working hydroelectric facility.

Bonneville Dam offers visitor centers and underwater fish viewing on the Washington shore and at Bradford Island, on the Oregon shore. Bonneville Lock and Dam will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 so employees may enjoy the holidays with their families and friends, but recreation and visitor areas will be open all other days during the winter, with one exception: the Bradford Island Visitor Center will be closed Jan. 13 all day due to some electrical work in Powerhouse 1. It will reopen Jan. 14 at 9 a.m.

During your visit this winter, please be aware that the elevators at the Bradford Island Visitor Center are currently out of service and we do not know when they will be operational. Visitors may visit each floor via a stairway, but the lack of an elevator impacts accessibility to the building. If accessibility is a concern, we recommend that you visit the Washington Shore Visitor Center, where you can view Powerhouse 2 and watch the fish swimming through the fish ladder. If you have questions regarding accessibility, please contact the ranger staff at (541) 374-8820.

The fish ladder at the Bradford Island Visitor Center is undergoing its annual seasonal maintenance, leaving it empty until it returns to service by Feb. 28. In the meantime, the Washington Shore Visitor Center provides a full fish ladder experience.

If you enjoy outdoor recreation this winter, please use caution - conditions can change quickly in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. High winds may impact trail systems, rain and low temperatures can turn to snow or ice, making walking and driving surfaces slick and river conditions can change in a moment. Check weather forecasts before you go - and always wear your life jacket when you are around water!

To get to the Washington Shore Visitor Center, travel on Washington State Route 14 to milepost 39, then turn onto Dam Access Road about one mile west of the dam or three miles west of the Bridge of the Gods.  Follow the signs to the visitor center. To reach the Bradford Island Visitor Center, take exit 40 on Interstate 84. Visitors also can stop by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Fish Hatchery and catch a glimpse of Herman the Sturgeon. Visitors are urged to check weather and traffic conditions before heading into the Columbia River Gorge during the winter.

For more information about Bonneville Lock and Dam, call 541-374-8820 or visit the Portland District website at: http://www.nwp.usace.army.mil/Locations/ColumbiaRiver/Bonneville.aspx.