Bonneville Dam

You can explore Bonneville Dam via its two primary visitor centers—one is on Bradford Island in Oregon, and the other is on the Washington state side of the Columbia River. There's also a third seasonal center situated right at the navigation lock. Both of the main visitor centers feature educational displays about the dam and the region, and the Bradford Island Visitor Center has underwater windows through which you can see the dam's fish ladder.

• Bonneville Dam is a must-visit for anyone interested in engineering or fisheries.

• Admission and parking are free.

• Bonneville Dam is stroller- and wheelchair-accessible.

Bonneville Dam is located right off of I-84, a 45-minute drive from Portland. Some Columbia Gorge tours and Gorge/Mount Hood combo tours from Portland stop at the dam, either for a quick photo of the fish ladders or for a break long enough to check out the Bradford Island Visitor Center.

Both of the main visitor centers are open daily, except on Thanksgiving and during the holiday period from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. The Bradford Island Visitor Center is a popular field trip destination and can get busy on weekdays during the school year, as well as on weekends during the summer. Come first thing in the morning or in the late afternoon to avoid the rush.

Bonneville Dam takes an old-school approach to tracking fish, by employing professional fish counters to track how many fish go by. Counting takes place for 800 minutes per day and the day’s final count is used to calculate estimates of how many fish in total pass through the ladders. Counters also take individual counts of specific species, including lamprey, chinook, and steelhead. This method has been used since the dam opened back in 1938.

No, you can’t tour the Bonneville Dam wall, as it is an active hydroelectric power plant. However, you can learn about the dam at three visitor centers, watch migrating species use the fish ladder in underwater viewing rooms, and, in summer, observe the dam’s navigation lock as boats travel upstream.

Yes, there are two locks at Bonneville Dam, the original lock built in 1938 and its modern replacement added in 1993. Now, only the newer Bonneville Lock is used to allow boats to head upstream along the Columbia River. Its visitor center is open during the summer months.

Bonneville Dam is the oldest dam on the Columbia River and was constructed from 1934 to 1937 by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The dam has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark thanks to its architecture, engineering, and the way it provides river transportation and regional electricity.

Yes, Bonneville Dam is worth visiting when traveling around Portland and Oregon. The dam appeals to people fascinated by large-scale engineering projects, as well as people interested in fishing, wildlife, and the outdoors. It’s also worth visiting if you enjoy geocaching, as park rangers at the dam maintain several caches.

Yes, you can visit Bonneville Dam on your own without a guide or tour, as admission to the site is free of charge. However, there are guided tours that combine a visit to Bonneville Dam with other attractions in the region, such as Multnomah Falls and Latourell Falls.

How long you spend at Bonneville Lock & Dam depends on your level of interest in its history, construction, and fish ladder. Most visitors generally spend between 1 and 3 hours touring Bonneville Dam, with many spending an hour at the visitor center and another at the fish hatchery.