The crown jewel viewpoint of the drive: an octagonal stone house perched right on the lip of the cliff, 733 feet straight above the Columbia. The whole gorge funnels its wind through this point like a chimney, and on a stout day it leans on visitors hard at the river railing, where the water runs silver clear to the edge of the world. Crown Point is a bald cap of basalt left high and proud after the Ice-Age floods scoured everything softer away. The Historic Columbia River Highway that climbs here was the first planned scenic highway in the country, built by an engineer who swore he'd build a road that wouldn't mar what was already here. The best view in the gorge, with the story of the road that made it reachable.
Eyes up the road — Crown Point, and that octagonal stone crown set right on the lip of the cliff: Vista House, seven hundred and thirty-three feet straight above the Columbia. Pull in if you possibly can. Crack your door and you'll know why it's famous before you take a step — the whole gorge funnels its wind through this point like a chimney, and on a stout day it leans on you hard. Walk to the river railing and lean back into it. Down there, the water runs silver clear to the edge of the world.
