Home / Locations / Columbia River / The Dalles Lock & Dam
CLICK HERE for Recreation Site Open/Closed status

Columbia River Locations

Related Topics

Contact The Dalles Lock and Dam:

Ranger station: 541-506-8475

Visitor Center: 541-296-9778

Email us about The Dalles Lock & Dam

Contact the Lock Operators

Lock   Phone   VHF-FM
Bonneville   541-374-8323   WUJ 33
The Dalles   541-506-8212   WUJ 34
John Day   541-298-9712   WUJ 35
 
The Dalles Dam and fish ladder

Nov 25 2013

The Dalles Dam and fish ladder

Image of the dam, with the fish ladder in the foreground.

Details
Download
 Free Family Fishing Day at The Dalles

Nov 25 2013

Free Family Fishing Day at The Dalles

Family Fishing Day was at at Spearfish Park on Saturday, June 9, 2012, in conjunction with Washington`s free fishing weekend, so no fishing licenses were required. The Washington Dept. of Fish and Wildlife stocked the lake with over 2,000 trout the day before the event, and provided staff support and more than 100 fishing poles for the event. The kids even got to keep their poles! Trout Unlimited, of Goldendale, Wash., had a demonstration booth and taught participants how to bait their tackle. Local volunteers Tom and Velda Pierce staffed the activity booths. Tom taught casting skills so that kids could practice aiming while casting. Velda helped kids color and assemble fish and water safety craft. Volunteers also helped Ranger David Ladouceur at the water safety booth. A Dalles Dam Fisheries employee, Erin Kolvachuk, brought a display and taught visitors how to identify different species of fish and answered questions about pit tagging. Prizes were raffled off, and attendance was great despite windy conditions, with about 100 participants enjoying a Saturday morning outdoors, learning how to fish, and actually catching some, too!

Details
Download
 Eagles roost in Westrick Park near The Dalles Dam in winter.

Nov 25 2013

Eagles roost in Westrick Park near The Dalles Dam in winter.

Visitors flocked to The Dalles Lock and Dam for the third annual Eagle Watch, Jan. 19 and 20, 2013. More than 30 eagles were seen roosting and feeding in Westrick Park, located across the Columbia River from the visitor center parking lot. The park, which was closed to the public several years ago due to security restrictions, became a secluded, quiet location - a perfect wintering site for bald eagles and other migratory birds. The Dalles park rangers remind everyone that the visitor center parking lot is always a great place to eagle watch, regardless whether the visitor center is open, so bring your telescopes and binoculars and check it out!

Details
Download
 Volunteers at The Dalles assist with tree planting and removal of invasive plant species for National Public Lands Day 2011.

Nov 25 2013

Volunteers at The Dalles assist with tree planting and removal of invasive plant species for National Public Lands Day 2011.

Volunteers at The Dalles assist with tree planting and removal of invasive plant species for National Public Lands Day 2011.

Details
Download
 Volunteers at The Dalles assist with tree planting and removal of invasive plant species for National Public Lands Day 2011.

Nov 25 2013

Volunteers at The Dalles assist with tree planting and removal of invasive plant species for National Public Lands Day 2011.

Volunteers at The Dalles assist with tree planting and removal of invasive plant species for National Public Lands Day 2011.

Details
Download
 National Public Lands Day 2011 at The Dalles Dam.

Nov 25 2013

National Public Lands Day 2011 at The Dalles Dam.

Volunteers at The Dalles Dam assist with tree planting and removal of invasive plant species for National Public Lands Day 2011.

Details
Download
The Dalles Dam and fish ladder Free Family Fishing Day at The Dalles Eagles roost in Westrick Park near The Dalles Dam in winter. Volunteers at The Dalles assist with tree planting and removal of invasive plant species for National Public Lands Day 2011. Volunteers at The Dalles assist with tree planting and removal of invasive plant species for National Public Lands Day 2011. National Public Lands Day 2011 at The Dalles Dam.

Related Links

Partners

Recreation resources

The Dalles Lock & Dam

The Dalles Lock and Dam

Built and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, The Dalles Lock and Dam is one of the ten largest hydropower dams in the United States. Since its completion in 1957, it has provided the Pacific Northwest with a reliable water source for hydropower, navigation, recreation, fish passage, irrigation, and flood mitigation. The dam is 192 miles upriver from the mouth of the Columbia River and two miles east of the city of The Dalles, Ore.

Since its construction, the dam has generated more than 9.2 billion kilowatt hours of electricity and passed up to 10 million tons of river cargo annually. 

The project consists of a concrete structure with a navigation lock, spillway, gated powerhouse and fish passage facilities. Various recreational facilities are provided along Lake Celilo, the 24-mile-long impoundment behind the dam.

Hydropower at The Dalles

Powerhouse length 2089 ft 638 m
Generators/total output 22 2100 mw

Navigation at The Dalles

Lock length 650 ft 198 m
Lock width 86 ft 26 m
Max. lift 90 ft 27 m
Avg. transit time 30 min.  

The Dalles Dam Visitor Center

At The Dalles Dam Visitor Center, you can explore a variety of interactive displays, watch a short film on the benefits and impacts of the dam, get a sneak peak of fish migrating up the fish ladder, or browse the Discover Your Northwest bookstore.

The Visitor Center is closed for the season and will reopen May 2022.

Nearby Patterson and Seufert parks offer a perfect location to picnic and enjoy the scenic views of Mount Hood. Or walk the eastern end of The Dalles Riverfront trail and wander through the historic Seufert Rose Garden, where there are more than 90 varieties of roses.

To reach The Dalles Dam Visitor Center from I-84, take exit 87 and go east on Brett Clodfelter Way, located at the junction of Hwy. 197 and I-84. Address: 3545 Bret Clodfelter Way, The Dalles, OR 97058.

Map of The Dalles Dam and nearby amenities and facilities 

Outdoor Recreation

Seufert Park (The Dalles, OR)
Amenities: covered picnic area, historic rose garden, scenic views of Mt. Hood, access to The Dalles Riverfront Trail
Notice: Park is open dawn to dusk, year round. No bathrooms or water are available if the Visitors Center is closed.

Patterson Park (The Dalles, OR)
Amenities: gazebo, picnic area, bathrooms
Notice: Patterson park is only accessible via special event permit. Call the Ranger Station at 541-506-8475 for more information.

Celilo Park (The Dalles, OR)
Amenities: life jacket loaner station, boat ramp, restrooms, picnic area, historic site

Rufus Landing (OR)
Amenities: vault toilets, windsurfing, kiteboarding, fishing, geocaching
Directions: From I-84, take exit 109 at Rufus. Go north towards river and left at intersection.

Hess Park (Lyle, WA)
Popular activities: fishing, wildlife viewing
Amenities: vault toilets, picnic area, pond

North Shore (WA)
Popular activities: fishing, geocaching
Amenities: boat launch, vault toilets, picnic area, scenic overlook
Directions: From Hwy. 197 north, cross the Columbia River bridge and turn right

Spearfish (WA)
Popular activities: fishing, hiking, geocaching
Amenities: boat ramp to Spearfish Lake, vault toilets

The Wall (WA)
Popular activities: windsurfing, kiteboarding, fishing
Amenities: portable bathrooms (seasonal), shore access to river
Directions: From I-84, take exit 104, turn north on Hwy. 97, cross the bridge and turn right. Continue heading east until paved road becomes gravel.

Avery Park (Lyle, WA)
Amenities: boat ramp (open to the public outside of commercial treaty fishing season), picnic area, vault toilets
Notice: The west portion of Avery Park is temporarily closed to vehicles and limited to day use only.

There are no reservations for primitive campsites. All primitive campsites are first-come, first-serve. Camping limited to 7 days within a 30-consecutive day period.  Camping permitted April 1 - October 31 at the following locations only:

  • Avery Park (no public use during Commercial Treaty Fishing Season)
  • Celilo Park
  • Rufus Landing

Map of recreation around The Dalles Lock & Dam

PARTNER OPERATED
Columbia Hills State Park (Horsethief, WA)is operated by Washington State Parks. For information, call 509-767-1159. Life jacket loaner station on-site; first come, first served.

Heritage Landing State Park (OR)is operated by Oregon Parks and Recreation. For information, call 541-739-2322.

Maryhill State Park (WA)is operated by Washington State Parks. For information, call 509-773-5007. Life jacket loaner station on-site; first come, first served.