Columbia Gorge Cruises

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Columbia Gorge Cruises

This page is dedicated to showcasing past and present Columbia Gorge cruises operated by the Portland Spirit.
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The Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler is no longer operated by the Portland Spirit.

08/21/2026

Cross "explore the Columbia River Gorge" off your bucket list. ✔️

(Then immediately add it back because you'll want to do it again!)

Trade the highway for the water this summer and experience the Columbia River Gorge from a perspective few people get to see.

07/31/2026

This is what Pacific Northwest summers are made for.

The 7 Wonders Cruise is more than a sightseeing trip. It's 3.5 hours of unforgettable Gorge views, iconic waterfalls, fascinating narration and memories you'll be talking about long after you're back on shore.

Who's adding this to their summer plans?

07/22/2026

Your camera roll is about to get a lot better! 📸

The 7 Wonders of the Gorge cruise is your chance to experience over 3 hours of towering cliffs, breathtaking scenery and seven incredible sights throughout the Columbia River Gorge.

Aboard our Explorer Jetboat, you'll travel round-trip from Portland to Multnomah Falls while taking in views of Cape Horn, Crown Point, Rooster Rock, Beacon Rock, Mount Hood and more. Plus, a live tour guide shares stories and history about the Gorge, the Columbia River and the landmarks that make this region so iconic.

The Pacific Northwest really shows off on this one!

07/02/2026

POV: you chose the fastest way to see the Gorge.

And now your camera roll is full of it.

06/26/2026

The Pacific Northwest really shows off out here.

From towering cliffs to waterfalls tucked into the Gorge, the jetboat route gives you a front-row seat to some of Oregon’s best scenery.

09/22/2025

Only 5 chances left to experience the 7 Wonders of the Gorge this season! Excursions run now through Monday, Sept. 29th. Don’t miss the views that are nothing short of wonder-ful. See the Gorge in all its fall glory. 🍂

Photo by Cole Chase Photography.

09/19/2025

Then & Now: Cape Horn

Then (1867): Renowned photographer Carleton E. Watkins captured this striking view of Cape Horn during his travels documenting the American West. His image preserved the sheer cliffs and wild beauty of the Columbia River Gorge as they appeared more than 150 years ago. (OHS Library Photo Credit)

Now: Today, guests aboard the Explorer Jetboat get an up-close view of the very same landmark, approaching by water just as river travelers once did in the 19th century. While much has changed around the Gorge, Cape Horn’s dramatic cliffs remain a timeless icon of the Pacific Northwest.

09/14/2025

Day 7 of our 7 Wonders of the Gorge: Crown Point & Vista House 🌄

Rising 733 feet above the Columbia River, Crown Point is a basalt promontory shaped by ancient lava flows and later scoured by the great Missoula Floods at the end of the last Ice Age. Standing here, it’s easy to imagine 600 cubic miles of water thundering down the Gorge, carving the dramatic landscape we see today. Designated a National Natural Landmark in 1971, Crown Point offers one of the most breathtaking views in Oregon.

Perched at the top is the elegant Vista House, opened in 1918 as both a memorial to Oregon Trail pioneers and a glamorous rest stop for travelers on the Historic Columbia River Highway. With its marble floors, stained-glass windows, and octagonal Art Nouveau design, it was described at the time as “the finishing achievement for the greatest highway in America.” Today, it houses a museum, gift shop and interpretive displays on the Gorge’s natural and human history. It earned its place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.

Crown Point also marks the gateway to the world famous Waterfall Corridor, home to eight stunning waterfalls including Multnomah Falls. 🌟

09/13/2025

Day 6 of our 7 Wonders of the Gorge series: Rooster Rock 🐓

This 120-foot basalt monolith rises from the Columbia River Gorge just below Crown Point. Formed by landslides and shaped by Ice Age floods, Rooster Rock is one of the few rocky remnants left standing. The Chinook people named it "iwash" based on its ph***ic shape. Early settlers adopted the name “Cock Rock,” until mapmakers changed it to the tamer “Rooster Rock.” Lewis & Clark even camped here on November 2, 1805, noting it in their journals

The site has seen many lives — a small cannery once operated in its cove, and today it’s home to both a popular state park and a clothing-optional beach. Rooster Rock is also beloved by stargazers, with Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) often hosting public “star parties” here for dazzling views of planets, galaxies and the night sky. ✨

09/12/2025

Day 5 of our 7 Wonders of the Gorge series: The Columbia River 🌊

The Columbia River has been shaping its landscapes, cultures and communities for millennia. Stretching 1,243 miles from its source in British Columbia to the Pacific Ocean at Astoria, the Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest and the biggest North American river to flow into the Pacific. Its drainage basin spans an area the size of France, collecting water from seven U.S. states and one Canadian province.

For thousands of years, the Columbia has been a lifeline to indigenous people and its waters connected communities for trade and travel. Today, it remains vital as one of the world’s greatest sources of hydroelectric power, generating about a third of America’s potential hydropower, while also serving as a deepwater harbor and shipping route.✨

Address

110 SE Caruthers Street
Portland, OR
97214

Website

https://portlandspirit.com/

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