HCRH State Trail Mileposts 37-39

Open to the public: November 1, 2013

LENGTH: 1.6 miles

This section of the trail does not follow the route of the original highway, but it was designed with the same principals in mind.

"...like sentinels in the Gorge of the Columbia. The clouds play 'hide and seek' around their heads, and the eagles make their nests among the crags."

Early plans called for the new State Trail to be located north of I-84. "Options for placing the trail south of Interstate 84 were investigated and found infeasible, due to the topography and geology of that area." (ODOT 2006 Master Plan)

Grant McOmie, Travel Oregon: A GORGE-OUS BIKEWAY

“We want this trail to feel like a piece of the historic scenic highway,” noted ODOT spokesperson Kristen Stallman. “It was such an important road when it was designed by Samuel Lancaster more than a century ago, so it’s critical to us and visitors to hold on to that significant story.”

The old Gorge roadway was designed to “fit into nature,” with scenic overlooks and rest stops and places to ponder the wonder and majesty of the Gorge.

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The new mile and a half section at Yeon State Park is the latest addition to what is called the Columbia Gorge State Trail. It offers much the same experience as visitors enjoyed a century ago, but this time it is exclusive to hikers and cyclists. Right now, the trail includes places like the Oneonta Tunnel, the Mosier Twin Tunnels, and Viento State Park, where you can explore a mile-long trail section that offers spectacular Gorge scenery.

The latest restoration effort is close to conclusion at McCord and Moffett Creeks and ODOT’s Stallman said the new bikeway section will be a cyclist’s dream-come-true: “Right now, cyclists are forced to ride the shoulder of I-84 in this stretch. It is not a pleasant ride considering the heavy traffic, so this new trail section provides opportunity for a connection through the Gorge that is safer. “

In fact, once it’s completed, cyclists will enjoy a dedicated trail stretching from Troutdale to Cascade Locks.

Kevin Price, regional manager for the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department, said that the new trail section at McCord Creek will bring more visitors into the Gorge where they can discover what he calls The Lost Falls. “Elowah Falls and Upper McCord Creek Falls are two waterfalls just off the beaten path and many Gorge visitors folks don’t even know they exist,” said Price.

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Today, 63 of the original 73 miles of the Historic Highway are open to travel either by motor vehicles and/or by just foot and/or bike on the Historic Highway State Trail Segments. This project completes an important missing link. With this 1.6 mile trail project completed, we can ride from Troutdale to Cascade Locks without ever sharing the shoulder of Interstate 84 with cars and trucks. You can ride on the Historic Highway from Troutdale to Warrendale sharing the road with cars, you can ride the Historic Highway State Trail all the way to Cascade Locks 'car free.'

We are opening the trail for two days only on Sept. 14 & 15 for the dedication ceremony and for a biking event. The trail will close again after these activities. It will not open for use until October 31st. Construction activity will continue during September and October. Workers will be busy paving, finishing walls, landscaping and installing the safety railing along I-84. It will be a work zone and construction equipment will block the trail.

Photo Currently Unavailable

2009 Plan - Segment 1 - Warrendale to Moffett Creek

Complete October 2013

Segment 1 is approximately 8,500 feet long and links John Yeon State Park trailhead at the west end with the historic Moffett Creek Bridge at the east end. Construction of Segment 1, will complete the missing piece of trail between Troutdale and Cascade Locks.

The trail alignment crosses to the north side of Interstate 84 via an existing underpass and then turns east, approximately 1,000 feet to McCord Creek (Photo1A). The trail turns south under Interstate 84 bridges to a new pedestrian bridge across McCord Creek.

From there, the trail climbs up a steep slope to the Interstate 84 shoulder. After a short distance along the shoulder, the trail turns south away from the Interstate into a forested setting. The trails stays upland and away from Interstate 84 for approximately 4,500 feet, and then returns to the Interstate alignment where the trail sits on top of a retaining wall constructed as part of the eastbound Interstate 84 Moffett Bridge OTIA replacement project (Section A/A - Segment 1).

Near the new eastbound bridge, the trail will switchback down an embankment to a terrace under the eastbound Interstate 84 Bridge. The trail will cross under the westbound Interstate 84 bridge on a structure, and connect to the west end of the historic Moffett Creek Bridge where the present Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail terminates (Photo 1C).

From this point east, trail users will have access to restored highway sections (now the Historic Highway State Trail) into the City of Cascade Locks.

Trail Segment Highlights:

• The “missing link”: Upon completion trail users will no longer have to use the shoulder of Interstate 84 between Troutdale and Cascade Locks.

• Takes advantage of the existing trailhead at John Yeon State Park.

• Provides access to the historic Moffett Creek Bridge and the HCRH State Trail to Cascade Locks

• Alignment reduces construction cost significantly from the 2000 scoping report.

• Leverages an existing OTIA III (Bundle 209-Moffett Creek Bridge Replacement) project for new trail alignment along the top of a proposed retaining wall.

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 1

An interpretive sign will provide background on the community of Warrendale named for Frank Warren who operated a fish canning facility in the area and was killed on the Titanic.

The trail design incorporates large basalt rocks to mark the edge of the parking area. These stones are reminiscent of the 'guard' rocks found along the Historic Highway.

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ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 2: Rock Face

Site of trim blasting in Eagle Creek Formation lahar rock and 220 rock bolts securing the face.

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 3: McCord Creek

This bridge was designed to 'fit in' with the other bridges... but also to look a little different. The intent was not to fool people into thinking this was a historic bridge. Design includes 1930s style art deco details and an "Eagle's Nest" overlook reminiscent of the earlier, historic highway bridges.

CLICK HERE for more information on the McCord Creek HCRH STATE TRAIL BRIDGE

Photo Currently Unavailable

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 4: Rockfall Mitigation

This rock is also the Eagle Creek Formation, but tends to fall in smaller pieces that roll and bounce down to the road surface. The existing loose rock was removed by hand by a specialty contractor... ODOT designers made an extra effort to ensure the mesh matched the rock slope in the area. Vegetation will grow on the slope and make the mesh less visible.

ODOT designers made an extra effort to ensure the mesh matched the rock slope in the area. Vegetation will grow on the slope and make the mesh less visible.

Photo Currently Unavailable

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 5: Laying Lightly on the Land

The new trail does not follow the old highway. The old highway was located approximately where I-84 is today. However, the design of the trail reflects the design principles of the early road designers. Sam Lancaster developed a set of design guidelines. Many of these same guidelines were employed by ODOT engineers and designers as they laid out the trail connection. Samuel Lancaster, the original highway designer, stated that the road shall 'lay lightly on the land'.

Here are some of ODOT's design principles: - Avoid straight lines - Maintain grades less than 5% as practicable - Avoid natural resource areas (wetlands, large trees, sensitive plants) - Think about the users. How would the experience feel from the seat of a bike? - Incorporate views and beauty spots - Provide for adequate space for safe interactions of multiple user types.

Photo Currently Unavailable

This section of the new trail does to the Gorge Trail what I-84 did to the original HCRH (and so many routes through the gorge before...)

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

The trail provides excellent views of the talus slopes to the south and Beacon Rock to the north (across the river). The rocky talus slopes provide important habitat for the Larch Mountain Salamander. Extra care was taken during the design and construction of the trail not to disturb this special creature. The Larch Mountain Salamander (Plethodon larselli) is a small, rare amphibian that is endemic to Washington and Oregon.

The Larch Mountain Salamander is distinguished by two features: the ragged edge of the dorsal stripe- which can be orange, yellowish, red, or chestnut color- and the tiny outer toe on the back foot. This toe is just a nubbin - it is about 1/4 the length of its neighboring toe.

This salamander is rare because it has a small geographic range and its habitat is distributed in patches across the landscape. Larch Mountain Salamanders thrive in the talus slopes and forested slopes of the Columbia River Gorge. They are found on both sides of the Columbia River. In the summer and winter, the salamanders retreat into deep rock crevices beneath the rocks. However, once the rain and cool nights return in spring and autumn, they become active at the surface.

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 6: Rest and Pause Areas

ODOT designers incorporated some 'Rest and Pause Areas' along the trail -- simple formations of rocks where you can get off the trail and take a break. One area is referred to as the 'sunny spot' and the other as the 'shady spot'. Rocks were placed to form a circle with the idea of creating a low maintenance, less formal gathering spot along the trail.

This area is often referred to as the 'picnic area'. During project design and initial field trips this was a nice place to sit and eat lunch because it was away from the freeway noise and there is an opening in the trees to allow for some sun light.

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 7: White Guard Rail

The two rail white wooden guardrail is an iconic feature along the Historic Highway. Trail designers modified the rail to fit the trail. This guard was designed at a smaller scale but is an important icon along the highway. On the drivable sections of the Historic Highway the rails are lined with steel to provide extra strength.

Photo Currently Unavailable

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 8: Tall Wall

During the construction of the Moffett Creek Bridge on I-84, ODOT designers took extra care to allow for this future trail to fit on top of the highway retaining wall, which was built at the same time as the eastbound I-84 bridge in 2009 and 2010. Two extra feet were added yo the back of the wall to help accommodate the trail. To fit the trail on top of the existing was, we used another stretch of rockery retaining wall along the existing slope. The base rocks in this wall are up to 5-ft-diameter and very heavy - some individual rocks weigh more than 2 tons each!

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 9: Wolf Tree

The trail alignment was designed to avoid this awesome large fir tree and special care was taken to protect this tree during construction. Note the Osprey Nest in a similar tree on the east side of Moffett Creek.

Samuel C. Lancaster, The Revelation of Famous Highways

Beauty cannot be measured in dollars and cents. When the highway was built, great care was taken to keep the natural beauty all about and not to mar the landscape. Every tree, flower, fern and shrub that grew by the roadside was kept, and only those that were within the exact path of the finished roadway were touched.

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 10: Petrified Wood

Trees were caught in the mudflows that formed the Eagle Creek Formation sandstone and conglomerate rock. Petrified wood is often exposed in the Eagle Creek Formation. Petrified wood is formed when, over a long time, wood material is replaced by quartz minerals. Petrified wood often retains the pattern of the original wood.

"One vertical petrified tree, originally 10 feet tall, once stood in the road cut on the old Columbia River Highway just east of McCord Creek. The petrified tree became a tourist destination and tourists broke off pieces of the tree to bring home for souvenirs. In the 1930s, the Civillian Conservation Corps constructed a trail to Elowah Falls and placed a cage around the petrified to tree to protect it. During construction of I-84, the petrified tree was moved to Portland State University. During trail construction here in the switch back area, we encountered petrified wood during the rock slope excavation.

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 11: The Switch Back

The trail needed to descend approximately 30 vertical feet to go underneath the I-84 bridges at Moffett Creek, but to maintain the trail's easy to ride grade, the trail could not exceed an 8% slope. To make this work, a 'switch back' was incorporated into the design of the trail.

On the upper switchback, the trail passes by a new rock slope where you can see the Eagle Creek Formation rock more closely.

On the lower switch back, the slope is supported by a gabion retaining wall. Special care was taken to lay the rock in the gabion baskets to make it look like a dry laid wall.

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 12: Moffett Creek Bridge: I-84 Eastbound

This bridge was constructed in 2009-2010 to replace an ailing 1960s bridge. The bridge was constructed using the I-84 Corridor Design Strategy Guidelines which aim to provide direction for new highway construction within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area corridor. The concrete facade pattern and colors were chosen to be consistent with natural rock color and texture in the Gorge. Other recently constructed bridges in the Gorge have similar design details.

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 13: Moffett Creek Bridge: I-84 Westbound

The existing westbound I-84 bridge was constructed in the 1940s. To cross under this bridge, we had a number of small challenging design requirements including maintaining 10-ft of overhead clearance for small maintenance vehicles and constructing the trail on the slope without impacting the existing bridge structure. In this location, the trail is supported on a micropile foundation that is drilled into the underlying slope and rock. The retaining wall on the upslope side of the trail is constructed with soil nails, which are drilled into the slope, grouted, and then finished with a sprayed-on concrete surface. The concrete retaining wall fascia that you see here is in front of the soil nail wall.

ODOT, An Insider's Guide To Trail Construction: A Self Guided Walking Tour (2013)

Site 14: Historic Moffett Creek Bridge

The new trail section connects to the existing Historic Moffett Creek Bridge, which was part of the original Columbia River Highway. Upon its completion in 1915, this bridge was the longest flat arch bridge in the U. S. and the longest three-hinged concrete span bridge in the world.

The historic bridge is now weight restricted for vehicles but newly accessible from the west to pedestrians and bicycles! The historic bridge is a beautiful example of the concrete bridges originally constructed for the historic highway. From this bridge you can see the railroad bridge, Moffett Creek Canyon below, the Columbia River and Washington to the north, and the new trail and busy I-84 bridges to the south. This viewpoint provides a unique view of past and present highway bridges and our remarkable Columbia River.

CLICK HERE for more information on the MOFFETT CREEK BRIDGE

Video (By Others...)

Links

CLICK HERE to continue exploring the highway