In early springtime the Columbia Hills are covered in golden balsamroot, red paintbrush and purple lupine. The lyrical and distinctive song of meadowlarks punctuate the silence. There is much to like about a visit to the south-facing hillsides of the east end of the Columbia River Gorge.

My favorite approach is to park near a gate above the old ranch dwellings at The Dalles Mountain Ranch. The large area was donated to the State of Washington in 1993.

Stacker Butte

My usual destination is the 3,300-foot summit of Stacker Ridge (well north of the Park boundary) where an FAA tracking site is located. The 360° views are spectacular on a sunny day, including the Columbia River, the major Cascade volcanoes with fresh coats of snow, and rimrock canyons to the north.

If a hiker is lucky, they can spot deer, groundhogs, coyotes, buzzards and many colorful wildflowers in bloom. The only downside is ticks. Keep an eye out for them.

All in all, it’s one of my favorite hiking locations before the alpine areas open up later in the year.