The Wallula Gap

The Wallula Gap as viewed from the north.

Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps: Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word: Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars: Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. - Psalm 148:7-13 KJV Emphasis, mine.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. - John 1:3 KJV

I first encountered the Wallula Gap when I was a 9 year old riding with my brother in law in his chip truck delivering wood chips to a paper mill in Wallula, WA. The Wallula Gap is located along the Columbia River where it turns north from forming the border between Oregon and Washington. It is a relatively "narrow" gap that was formed at the east end of the Horse Haven Hills of southern Washington. At the end of the last ice age, the Horse Haven Hills held back the flood waters from the receding glaciers with the Wallula Gap being the only channel by which they could pass along the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. This link, https://iafi.org/wallula-gap/ offers a short but very informative description of the area and sights to visit.

For riding, the Wallula Gap can be approached from the west via Hwy 730 in Umatilla, OR. To approach from the east, ride west out of Walla Walla, WA approximately 30 miles to the junction of US 12 and Hwy 730. The ride itself is fairly straight and can be accomplished in about 15 minutes. However, it is 15 minutes of Heaven. The views of the Columbia River, basalt cliffs and spires will amaze your passenger. I say your passenger because, presumably, the driver will be paying attention to the road and keeping the rubber side down. There is fairly constant truck traffic along the route, therefore, heads up riding is a must. As the link above says, there are ample opportunities to pull off the highway so both driver and passenger can soak up the scenery. There is even a short hiking trail up the hill to a couple of basalt towers known as the Two Sisters.

From the first time I saw the Wallula Gap to this day, the stark hills and basalt formations have inspired awe in me. I always thought of it as a ride through destination but in researching the area for this blog post, I have discovered it is a destination in and of itself. I can promise you I WILL be making it the destination of a ride in the near future.

Until next time, happy and safe riding.

Blessings.