THE DALLES

ON THE REAL TRAIL

At The Dalles on the Columbia River the wagon road ran out. Before 1846, families had to build rafts and float down the dangerous Columbia to reach the Willamette Valley.

In 1846 Sam Barlow opened the Barlow Road, a toll road around the south side of Mount Hood. It was hard going, but it gave emigrants a way to stay on land.

IN THE OREGANO TRAIL

The big final choice: raft down the Columbia or take the Barlow Road. With the Trail Pass seasons, this is also where the snow deadline bites.

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