Camping -- Camping in the Gorge isn't quite the wonderful experience you might think. With an interstate highway and a very active railway line paralleling the river on the Oregon side and another railroad and a secondary highway on the Washington side, the Gorge tends to be quite noisy. However, there are a few camping options between Portland and Hood River, and these campgrounds do what they can to minimize the traffic noises. Ainsworth State Park, 3 1/2 miles east of Multnomah Falls, has showers, and the RV sites are quite nice. At exit 41 off I-84, there is Eagle Creek Campground, the oldest campground in the National Forest system and popular for its access to the Eagle Creek Trail. At exit 51 off of I-84, there is Wyeth Campground, a U.S. Forest Service campground on the bank of Gordon Creek. Over on the Washington side of the Columbia River, there is also first-come, first-served camping at Beacon Rock State Park, which is located 7 miles west of the Bridge of the Gods. Because it is tucked back away from the highway and railroad tracks, this is just about the quietest campground in the Gorge.
