Columbia River Gorge Family Photos | Rowena Crest
The Columbia River Gorge is one of the most gorgeous backdrops and locations for a family session. About an hour outside of Portland, Oregon, it’s a fairly easy drive (did I mention the drive is also beautiful?!) and there are so many options when it comes to where exactly in the Gorge you want to take photos. For these Columbia River Gorge family photos, we chose Tom McCall Nature Preserve at Rowena Crest. It was a super windy day (as it tends to usually be) but we embraced the wind and thoroughly enjoyed the breathtaking views during this session.
Wildflowers at rowena crest
Rowena Crest is beautiful any time of year, but especially in the spring (mid April - mid May) where you will most likely be surrounded by beautiful yellow and purple wildflowers with the Columbia River in the background. Wildflower season can be tricky and some years the blooms come and go at different times. This year we were a little late in catching the wildflowers at their peak, but honestly with the beautiful backdrop in these photos we didn’t even miss them!
spring family photos at rowena crest in mosier, Oregon
For this session, we did a little bit of walking to some trees off to the side that provided shade while the sun was still too high in the sky (the walk was more than welcome after sitting in the car for almost 2 hours due to some construction traffic!). The trees also blocked some of the wind (it can get very windy in the Columbia River Gorge which is something to expect and be prepared for when looking to book your next family photos). I personally love how the wind adds emotion and intimacy to the photos - just make sure to pack an extra shawl or sweater (I also have blankets I bring with me for my families to use).
Once the sun has started to set, we made our way back towards the car and were able to capture these photos with the sun shining through the clouds at just the right moment. I can’t even put into words how beautiful it was - truly worth the drive! This family was so sweet and full of love, and the kids were more than happy to play with mom and dad while trying to find wildflowers and explore this beautiful place.
make your columbia river gorge family photos a weekend getaway!
If you decide to make a weekend of your photoshoot instead of driving out just for your session, there are a few places I highly recommend you checking out while there. While Rowena Crest is technically in Mosier, Oregon, Hood River is such a quaint little town and only about a 15 minute drive away. Good food is always at the top of my list when visiting a new place, and Double Mountain Brewery and Ferment Brewing Company should not be overlooked. For those pizza lovers (me!) I highly recommend checking out Solstice Wood Fire Pizza and for those ice cream lovers (also me!) don’t miss out on visiting Mike’s Ice Cream. There are also numerous outdoor activities that are family friendly as well, and turning your Columbia River George family photoshoot into a family adventure weekend is a great way to make memories in a beautiful town.
are you interested in booking your own family photos at the columbia river gorge?
If you are ready to book your next family session at the Rowena Crest or even somewhere else in Columbia River Gorge send me a message - I would love to hear from you!