The Bridge of the Gods is a steel truss cantilever bridge that spans the Columbia River between Cascade Locks, Oregon, and Washington state near Stevenson. It is approximately east of Portland, Oregon, and 4 miles (6.4 km) upriver from Bonneville Dam. It is a toll bridge operated by the Port of Cascade Locks, and it is named after the historic land bridge on the river.

The bridge was completed by the Wauna Toll Bridge Company and opened in 1926 at a length of . The higher river levels resulting from the construction of the Bonneville Dam required the bridge to be further elevated by in 1938 The Columbia River Bridge Company of Spokane, Washington, acquired ownership of the bridge in 1953 for $735,000 (equivalent to $ today). In 1961, the bridge was purchased by the Port of Cascade Locks; to this day, it is owned and operated by them.

The Pacific Crest Trail crosses the Columbia River on the Bridge of the Gods. The lowest elevation of the trail is about a mile north from the bridge at .

Onlookers in September 1927 saw Charles Lindbergh fly the Spirit of St. Louis from Portland low over the new bridge and then, in a bit of barnstorming, make a 180 degree turn and fly back under the bridge, continuing to the Portland Airport, then on Swan Island.

For many years, the bridge toll was $1 per crossing; in 2016, it was raised to $2 due to the increased traffic after the release of the 2014 film Wild. The toll was increased to $3 in July 2022.

See also

  • List of crossings of the Columbia River

References

  • One site on the modern-day Bridge of the Gods
  • Port of Cascade Locks official site
  • Youtube video