When planning this extensive road trip, there were a handful of must-see places we had on our wish list.  Trout Lake near Mount Adams was high on that list, and now we can say deservedly so.

The Trailhead B&B in Trout Lake, WA is another location we found on freecampsites.net.  It’s not free, but $10 a night, which is a bargain for what you get.  Pulling up you see the flower and veggie garden, and the old barn that has been converted to a common area kitchen with a dance hall upstairs.  They have weddings here sometimes, and they were preparing for a wedding that following weekend.

Mary and Patrick are a charming couple.  We chatted for a while then set up camp in the huge meadow behind their house.   To say the view is amazing is an understatement.  As we set up camp, their grandson was playing electric guitar, and the music filled the entire meadow.  Totally celestial.  The air was completely still, we were looking at this amazing snow-capped mountain, with the sounds of electric guitar for a soundtrack.  It was awe-inspiring.   We set up camp, made some grub, and settled in for stargazing.

The next day we took to some sight seeing, not exactly sure where we were going.  We ended up in a small riverside town called Bingen right along the Columbia River and the Oregon border.  We walked around a bit, and came upon a little restaurant called the Solstice Wood Fire Café.  They had outside seating, and we had the place to ourselves so the dogs loved it.  Our server, Kate, clued us in on some things to see around town, and we decided to drive along the river to watch the kite and wind surfers.  There was what seemed like hundreds of them doing their thing in Columbia River.  We watched for a while then got back on the road.

We came upon Riggleman’s Fruit Stand in White Salmon.  They had gorgeous local fruit and vegetables.  We got enough veggies for dinner and breakfast the next day, all for under seven bucks.  One of my favorite things about this trip is being able to find fresh and local produce.  It’s better for your body and your wallet!

There are many other things to do around Trout Lake that we didn’t have time for.  We had just missed an art festival the previous weekend.  Wineries line the Columbia River and surrounding area.  There are tons of hiking and biking trails around.  Kayaking is also big here with the river close by.  And within a days drive is Mount Saint Helens.  It’s gorgeous country here, and we wished we could have stayed longer.

This morning we packed up and made breakfast before heading out.  We said farewell to our wonderful hosts, and talked of a return trip someday. Goodbye Washington, hellloooo Oregon!