About Vista House (Crown Point)
Crown Point, perched 693 feet above the Columbia River, is home to Vista House, an octagonal stone observatory built in 1918 as a rest stop and memorial along the historic Columbia River Highway. Designed by architect Edgar M. Lazarus, the building features marble floors, stained glass windows, and stone panels inscribed with the names of Oregon Trail settler families, honoring those who traveled the final stretch of the trail. It was dedicated as a tribute to the natural beauty of the Gorge and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
Today, Vista House serves as a museum and interpretive center, offering views of the river and surrounding cliffs, along with exhibits on the region’s geology and history. The site marks the start of the Waterfall Corridor, which includes Multnomah Falls and seven other cascades along the historic highway. Parking is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the building closes when winds exceed 50 mph.