Throughout its history, Portland, Oregon, flourished with the fortunes of the greatrivers. In the golden age of riverboats, sternwheelers such as Queen of the West and Empress of the North continuously crossed Portland's busy waterfront on their way along the Willamette River near the confluence with the Columbia River. Steam whistles and calliopes rang out across the water.

Today, much has changed. Instead of steamers, Portland's busy waterways are filled with huge freighters, tugs and barges. Yet the river remains the heart of beautiful Portland, the 'City of Roses, and American West Steamboat Company has emerged as a new and exciting part of it. Before or after your cruise, discover why Portland was voted best big city in America by Money magazine.

Here is a rare opportunity for you to view an active volcano, as well as see the continual geological process and the landscape's evolution since the 1980 eruption. Triggered by the largest landslide in recorded history, the blast of hot ash and gasses from Mount St. Helens traveled at hundreds of miles per hour, leveling 230 square miles of mature forest. The ash cloud reached a height of 15 miles and, when visibility cleared, the mountain was 1,300 feet shorter.

At the nearby Observatory and Interpretive Center, you may look directly into the crater with its steaming dome, and witness firsthand the destructive power and damage caused by this volcanic blast. (Views of the mountains and the crater may vary due to weather and road conditions.)

Established in 1811 by members of John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company, Astoria was the first American settlement on the Pacific Coast and once rivaled San Francisco in size and splendor. Visit the highly acclaimed Columbia River Maritime Museum; see Columbia, the last lightship on the West Coast named a National Historic Landmark; tour Astoria's unique historic district with more than 70 Victorian-era homes (many on the National Historic Register); and photograph the famous Astoria Column with panoramic views of the city and ocean beyond.

Native Americans gathered and traded for more than 10,000 years at The Dalles, Oregon, one of the oldest inhabited locations in North America. It was here where Lewis & Clark camped in both October 1805 and April 1806, and Oregon Trail pioneers faced "the decision at The Dalles", whether to raft on the Columbia River or cross the Cascades via the famous Barlow Pass.

Visit the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center, the official interpretive center for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. This stunning, world-class complex includes exhibits and interpretive programs that weave together the stories of historic Indian tribes, explorers, fur traders, missionaries and settlers. Its hands-on approach allows you to try a native musical instrument, handle beadwork and hear legends in the words of the Native American elders still living here. You also can watch a remarkable, animated model of The Dalles Dam lowering to expose the wild Columbia River and Celilo Falls before the dam was built.

Bonneville Dam
Spend time at the Bonneville Dam Visitor Center, where you learn about the workings of the massive turbine generators behind this imposing hydroelectric power source. At the fish ladders, glass-viewing areas allow you to watch the migrating salmon in season.
 

Multnomah Falls
Stop at spectacular 620-foot-high Multnomah Falls, the second highest continuously flowing waterfall in America, with time to take photos and shop at the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge, an impressive rock structure on the National Historic Register. On our Three Great Rivers Cruise, take the scenic Columbia River Highway to Crown Point for breathtaking views of the gorge. Witness Bridal Veil, Latourell and Horsetail Falls plus many others in the greatest concentration of waterfalls in America. Stunning cascades such as these give the Cascade Mountain Range its name. 

Whitman Mission / Fort Walla Walla Museum
The Walla Walla Valley is rich in Oregon Trail history and home to more than three-dozen wineries. Explore the Whitman Mission, site of an Indian massacre in 1847, where 11 settlers were killed. See the actual ruts left by Oregon Trail wagons and hear how the Whitmans established their frontier mission despite many hardships.

At the Fort Walla Walla Museum, founded in 1967, you can wander through a pioneer settlement composed of original cabins, schoolhouse, railroad depot, livery stable and more. Five large exhibit halls display artifacts from horse-era agriculture, the early days of Walla Walla, and military gear from the fort. Stop at a local winery to hear an expert wine maker explain how local conditions are ideal for growing superb grapes while conducting a tour and tasting.

The twin cities of Lewiston, Idaho, and Clarkston, Washington, are known as the Northwest's most inland seaports. Here at the confluence of the Snake and Clearwater Rivers, where Lewis & Clark paused in 1805 and 1806, you transfer to specially built, high-speed jet boats for a safe yet exhilarating white-water adventure into Hells Canyon National Recreation Area. Hells Canyon is the deepest canyon in North America; it's even deeper than the Grand Canyon. On your trip through the canyon, you "fly" across swift, shallow waters through pristine wilderness and past magnificent scenery. Stop to view ancient Indian petroglyphs, wildlife and breathtaking natural landscape formations.