Rowena Loops

Oregon State Archives: A 1940 Journey Across Oregon

West of ROWENA, 109.2 m. [West of Hwy. 730 Junction] (148 alt., 60 pop.), the highway climbs the face of a steep cliff by a series of sharp curves and switch-backs known as the Rowena Loops.

"At HMP 79.9, the highway begins a winding descent from the Rowena Crest Overlook, a large masonry-walled pedestrian viewing area, to the community of Rowena, at river’s edge. Again, the highway’s designers used loops to create a grade not exceeding 5 percent or ideally undercutting a 200-foot turning radius. This is the third set of loops along the HCRH, which also include the Figure-Eight Loops near Crown Point and the Hood River Loops near Hood River."

1946 State Parks Report: Mayer State Park

Mayer State Park is situated on the Columbia River Highway, between Mile Post 79.60 and 81.97. The park includes practicell [sic] the entire Rowena Loops area...

...

Below the parapeted parking place are the winding, sharp curved Rowena Loops that have been so skillfully engineered down a seemingly impossible precipitous slope. Just beyond their base is the Rowena hamlet.

To those who know where to find them along these warm, sheltered loop slopes, there may be seen the earliest and most exquisite blossoms of the yellow adder's tongue (Erythronium parviflorum) to be found anywhere along the Columbia River Highway. Later on, there are places in the loop area that are fairly carpeted with these beautiful, rich-yellow flowers, which seem to excel all others in color and size. There, too, there is an abundance of Cinnamon brush (Ceanothus velutinus) locally called wild lilac, or perhaps "shooley" brush. There is a waist high shrub, abundant in the Rowena loops, bearing a mass of sweet scented flower clusters, which range in color from white, through shades of lavender and blue. The shrubs are abundant, colorful, and when the spring days are warm and quiet, their sweet odor scents the roadside atmosphere. Unfortunately, in blossoming time they are infested with ticks, and contact with them should be avoided, if possible.

...

Several years ago a fire swept over the loop area killing a good many small to sizable pine trees, and a number of large ones. In this fringe of trees that marks the near eastern limits of evergreen growth, this fire loss was lamentable. Later on, it was aggravated by the loss of other and larger pines, because of a limited bark beetle infestation, probably induced as a result of the trees being weakened by fire. Every tree killed by fire or insects in this border line growth is a loss to the park that it takes many years to replace, and the fire hazard is always dangerously present in the fire season.

W. A. Langille

State Parks Historian

December 5, 1945

Recommendations:

Keep the park a wilderness area... Have Maintenance Department remove sand bunker just below overlook.

S. H. Boardman

State Parks Superintendent

March 25, 1946

Above, this is under Rowena Crest, east of Mosier, not anywhere west of Mosier (below).

I've tried to arrange these photos, below, of the Mule Shoe in chronological order as best as I can determine...

ODOT, HCRH Completed Projects

Rowena Crest Pit Restoration

This National Scenic Byway enhancement project restored the Rowena Pit by adding material and landscaping with native plants. It also improved the beginning of the trail from Rowena Crest to McCall Point. Earthmoving began in 2005, with planting scheduled for early 2006. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department was the lead agency, in partnership with ODOT.

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