- City:
- Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, OR
- Site Type:
- Paths and Trails, Parks and Recreation
- New Deal Agencies:
- Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), Work Relief Programs
- Started:
- 1934
- Completed:
- 1935
- Quality of Information:
- Good
- Marked:
- No
- Site Survival:
- Extant
Description
Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) enrollees from Camp New Benson Park improved the Columbia River Gorge hike to Angel’s Rest in 1934-1935, This involved building bridges over streams as well as grooming the trail.
Angel’s Rest is one of the most popular hikes in the Columbia River Gorge Scenic area, considered by many a “must” for local hikers. In 1934, a reporter for Portland’s Oregon Journal stated: ” Perhaps the most beautiful hike out of Benson Park is the trail to Angel’s Rest, where at an elevation of 1600 feet one may see up and down the Columbia River Gorge for 50 miles.”
The main trail head is located near Bridal Veil but access to the trail is provided from Benson Park as well.
Source notes
"Angel's Rest - Hike #415" US Forest Service Website. Viewed February 6, 2022. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/crgnsa/recarea/?recid=29874
Great Columbia Highway Park System Nears Completion," Oregon Journal. September 9, 1934.
"New Trail Made to Angel's Rest on Gorge Route," Oregonian. May 31, 1936. p. 7.
Romano, Craig (2011) Day Hiking: Columbia River Gorge. Seattle WA: The Mountaineers Books. pp. 200-202.
Site originally submitted by Judith T Kenny on February 8, 2022.
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