Historic Columbia River Highway
Portland Women's Forum State Scenic Viewpoint, OR

Portland Women's Forum State Scenic Viewpoint was originally named Chanticleer Point by Mr. & Mrs. A. R. Morgan who purchased the property in 1912 and built an inn on the point with one of the most magnificent views in the world. They called their popular inn "Chanticleer" after the rooster in the story, "Reynard the Fox." The area took on the name of the inn and is still known by some as Chanticleer Point.

Before the road was paved, a trip to Chanticleer was, to say the least, an adventure. When the dirt road was dry, dust thrown up by the wheels would coat everything in the car. And during the frequent wet periods, the road from Portland through Springdale and Corbett to the inn was often a muddy quagmire.

Another way to the inn was to take the train to the depot at Rooster Rock. There travelers could take a motorized shuttle and brave a winding road from the base of the cliff to the inn. Portions of that road still exist. The upper end of it can be accessed only by hikers from the western side of the parking lot.

Several vistas are available for those taking the time to walk the existing portion of the road which is passable for eight tenths of a mile from the park.

Chanticleer Inn burned and the site was purchased by the Portland Women's Forum and donated to Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. The Portland Women's Forum has worked to preserve the Columbia River Gorge for many years and is still an active group, making periodic donations to improve this park and other parks.

There are two interpretive signs at this location: one describes this view and the vision of Sam Hill and Samuel Lancaster to create the Historic Columbia River Highway; the other describes the ice age floods that created this landscape. A memorial to Sam Hill is located on a large rock adjacent to the HCRH. There are four bronze plaques on this memorial.