Thursday, July 16, 2026

6.20.26 Rufus Oregon--Rowena Crest State Park Overlook- Timberland Lodge-Mount Hood-Al Hikes Tamanawas Falls Trail

Travel Day! We arrived at the Rufus RV Park  in Rufus Oregon. Oh no...when we first got there, we could hardly make the turn into the campground and Al took out a cone making that corner. The woman in the office wasn't overly friendly. We got to our site and hooked up. In the middle of the night, it started getting warm in there. 

In the morning, Al went on the roof thinking something was wrong with the air conditioners, but both at the same time??? He cleaned the filters and checked everything. Couldn't find anything wrong. We got out fans and Al looked up trouble shooting on the RV tech class he took a few years back. He checked all that...nothing. He finally figured out that the power from the pedestal wasn't giving us enough juice. The solar was making up some difference but it was so hot!



SO SO Windy!!! We got to the Rufus Campground. We drove up a high switchback road to a viewpoint of the Columbia River. Rowena Crest State Park. The viewpoint looks down over the Columbia River Gorge. Found a station to fill up Max and went back to Mona to settle in. It was so windy that Mona was rockin'...and nothing was going on in here!


Pretty windy up there!!!

The view from the overlook.










Saw this totem along the road and thought it was cool.


6.21.26

Father’s Day!  We left early to drive up Mount Hood 







Mt. Hood Summit: 11,245 feet. Got to Timberline Lodge (6000 feet elevation) and it was already so soooo busy!!! Cars and people everywhere. People had camp chairs set up all over the parking lot and lounging like they owned the place. Hard to drive through. Finally, we just stopped in the parking lot and took some photos and moved on. 


Timberline Lodge History

During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created several social and economic programs such as the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). These programs provided relief through public employment and funded the majority of Timberline’s construction.

“Completed in just 18 months during the Great Depression, Timberline Lodge was built by more than 500 workers through the Works Progress Administration. Using traditional handcrafting techniques, they shaped local volcanic stone, massive timbers, and hand-forged iron into both the structure and its furnishings—creating a rugged, artistic tribute to the spirit of American craftsmanship.” ~Timberline website


Government Camp 

We went to a town called Government Camp and went to a museum (Government Camp: 4,000 feet). Walked through the town and ate our picnic. 

Why was the town named Government Camp? In 1849 a group of US Cavalry mane came across the Oregon Trail. St the Dalles the majority of them were transported down the Columbia River but some were ordered to proceed to Oregon City via the Barlow Road. Winter was fast approaching and the soldiers were forced to abandon there wagons and supplies I the area as they became bogged down by snow and mud. They labeled the wagons “Government Property” and that’s why the area became known as Government Camp.


Al went for a hike on Tamanawas Falls Trail. I didn’t. 

Tamanawas Falls is a 109-foot waterfall located on the eastern slopes of Mount Hood in Oregon. The trail follows the Cold Spring Creek through the Mt. Hood National Forest. This out-and-back hike spans 3.5 miles round-trip with roughly 580 feet of elevation gain.

 Al takes you along in his video! CLICK on the picture below and make sure your volume is up!


On the way back down the mountain we stopped at Packer Orchards Farm Place and Bakery. It’s a fifth-generation orchard and they make all kinds of things using pears for sweetener instead of sugar. We bought home made jams, strawberry milk shakes, marionberry empanadas, Jalapeño Cheddar bread, chicken strawberry wrap, a pint of black pearl cherries and Al got a free strawberry shortcake for Father’s Day. Marionberries are like a blackberry hybrid, sweeter. 

The jalapeño bread was home made and didn't have preservatives so what we didn't eat in the first could days, I made into French toast for supper one night along with marionberry pancake syrup...OMG...we were in heaven!




Sampled this and it was so good!



Sorry, we drank the shakes right away, Al ate his strawberry shortcake right away, the wrap for supper, the empanadas for breakfast with our coffee and I forgot to take photos of anything! All that's left is jam. Oops! 

Check out my video below!





Next Stop...Salem, Oregon


Don't forget...Do something every day that makes you smile! 


1 comment:

Vicki - SPWISC said...

That looks like it was a really nice hike to the Tamanawas Falls! Beautiful scenery around Mt Hood too. Reading about all the good stuff you got from Packer Orchards Farm, makes me hungry!! 😋😁