The Vista House
Recently I took my first ever trip to Oregon. It was a quick weekend trip but that didn’t mean I wasn’t going to try to see as much as I possibly could. I had heard the Columbia River Gorge was beautiful and decided to head that way. As I wound my way slowly around the switchbacks of the Historic Columbia River Highway, I found what might have been the house with the best view in the world. Sitting on top of the hill was the Vista House. A towering sandstone and glass icon, sitting on top of a 700 foot cliff with unmatched views in every direction.
The History
According to the info-graphic at the Vista House, the house was the idea of Samuel Lancaster, the designer of the historic highway. He believed that it would be the perfect pit stop for people at a spot dubbed Crown Point. Architect Edgar Lazarus, from Portland, designed the building to mimic Thor’s Crown to be able to fight off the wind and elements on the exposed point. The groundbreaking was held on June 7th, 1916. Vista House was then dedicated on May 5th, 1918, nearly two years later.
The Design
I am not an architect and don’t claim to know much about that particular craft. However, I can see art and that is exactly what the Vista House is. The two tiered, round stone and glass structure also includes a basement. A walk out viewing area on the second floor and some of the best stone work I have seen.
The windows were so massive and impressive. They perfectly framed the ceiling that looks like it may have hung a chandelier at some point. The sandstone columns just oozed strength and stability from ceiling to marble floor. The whole building was small but seemed so much bigger with the open design and so many windows. It almost felt like I was standing in the heart of a lighthouse.
The View
Just slightly better than the view of the inside of the Vista House is the view from outside the house! I may be underselling it just a bit. The view from the Vista House is one of the best I found of the Columbia River Gorge. What I really loved was the fact that the views went both up and down river and it was a complete panoramic of the water and the whole area.
The view from the small parking area is really nice but you can get an even better view from the observation deck on the second floor. As someone who is typically scared of heights, I can tell you that the second floor outdoor deck isn’t scary at all. The views are amazing and I can really understand why Samuel Lancaster picked this very spot for the Vista House.
Finding the Vista House
The Vista House is located at Crown Point, 40700 Historic Columbia River Highway in Corbett, OR. The road is long and winding and can get narrow in places so take your time. There is parking for about a dozen or more cars at the Vista House. There are also restroom facilities and a small coffee shop in the Vista house bottom floor.
Wrapping up the Vista House
I really have to recommend the Vista House for anyone on a short trip to Oregon or any first time visitors. It really gave me a feeling of the history of the area and the pride that went into building not only the Historic Highway but also of the Vista House. More than that, it was such a remarkable view of the Columbia River Gorge from the deck and the parking lot of the Vista House. It was a way to sort of immediately get a feel of what the land and the area were all about.
There are also several spots along the historic highway to get out and hike and see some amazing waterfalls so it is easy to make this a day or half day trip for the whole family. For me, as a first time visitor I was floored by the beauty of the entire area and the Vista House itself!
I have added this hike and all of my hikes to my interactive map page that you can find here. If you have a suggestion or comment you can email me at fatmanlittletrails@gmail.com. Or follow me on any of the below social media platforms. Happy Hiking!
More photos of the Vista House
