Bonneville Lock & Dam Reviews

We left The Dalles around noon and headed west on historic route 30 for 7 miles then picked up 84 west. We had taken 84 east to The Dalles a few hours earlier when the views there were clear and lovely. By the time we headed back toward Portland we saw smoggy skies begin to cloud the photos I had planned to take on the way back. We stopped at the famous Bonnevile Fish Hatchery in Cascade Locks, Oregon. Signs for The Bradford Island Visitor Center pointed to the US Army Corp of Engineers. These impressive dams are well protected. There are four levels in the facility and we started our tour on the bottom level to peer in the fish ladder window inside the building. A number of lazy lamprey eels were hanging out, their not so attractive mouths stuck to the window. After a while a few Coho and Chinook salmon appeared out of the gloomy water as they headed upstream. From there we headed outside to look down on the fish ladder but the fish were less visible from this viewpoint and certainly were not “jumping” up the ladder. Docents were on hand to explain the fish life cycle, incubation, feeding and spawning cycles.

We have visited Bonneville Lock & Dam many times over the years but this time it was with teenagers. We were a little worried they would find it 'boring' like many teens seem to find things these days but they were fascinated with it. Had the salmon been running this time of year, I think they would have been even more excited but as it was late winter when we visited, there were no fish in the fish ladder viewing area but we were able to watch recorded video from the busier seasons of the ladder and that was the next best thing. Lots of information on the building of the locks and dam/power stations, great views, nice gift shop and clean restrooms. Even many lovely spots to picnic. Keep your eyes open for American Bald Eagles and Great Blue Herons, both of which we spotted along the drive to the visitor center. Best of all, there is NO CHARGE to tour the visitor center. But be warned, there is no food on site other than a few vending machines so either eat before you go or bring food with you because, as I said earlier, you'll find some great places to picnic. Plenty of parking, too!

What an education.........fascinating info about the salmon and sturgeon (named Herman) he looks so prehistoric. Here with family reunion - from ages 60-70 and we all walked away saying we had learned something. The views were stunning. We did feel sorry for the fish counter - - but are thankful someone is doing the job. Hoping someone is developing some technology so it is mechanized to relieve the human element. (Not that we want to eliminate someone's job). The grounds are a lot to maintain. The volunteers cleaning the fish pens were very helpful and answered all our questions. If you drive to the visitors center on the dam itself - you will be stopped and asked to let security inspect your trunk...YOU will have to open the trunk/lift the lid as they are NOT allowed to touch your vehicle.

Very glad we stopped by here on our trip thru WA/OR. I wasn't too excited to visit beforehand, but it is quite an impressive structure! They have an underwater viewing area where you can see several type of fish making their way up the 'fish ladder'. Literally 3-foot salmon just a few feet away from the windows (depending on time of year, I suppose). Plus a fish hatchery that was as visually appealing as any Botanical Garden. Definitely worth a stop if it's on your route. We spent nearly 2 hours at the dam, in total.. but it can certainly be enjoyed in much less time.

All the park workers were extremely friendly and happy to assist and answer any and all questions. Certainly a unique experience.

We almost passed by this but we were so glad we stopped. The sluiceway is spectacular to see and you get a good view from the top of the visitors’ centre. It’s well worth heading over to the turbine hall as the exhibition is really interesting and the building very grand.

This is a small but well maintained dam. Good tour especially of powerhouse. Good to see a fish ladder. Movie is old and uninteresting. Nice gift shop. Very informative staff.

A very educational place to go- didn’t look at first like the sort of place general public could go to.
However once there, there’s lots of interesting stuff to learn about. Best bit for us was seeing the fish climbing the fish ladder - (the way they help the fish swim over the dam up stream to spawn)on the very bottom floor.

Interesting attraction with a very good visitor center. The part we most enjoyed was watching the salmon work their way up the fish ladder to get back to their home waters to spawn. Powerhouse tours are available for those who have time. Scenery around the dam in the Columbia river gorge is worth taking the time to see.

This stop has so much to offer - viewing windows of migrating fish, a visitor area inside the dam, a multi-story visitor center with an observation area on the top floor and access to 2 small islands in the Columbia River. We did not visit the Lock because we arrived before the visitor access opened for the season. The staff and volunteers there were very informative and friendly. The dam itself and spillway are amazing.

This is one of a number of hydro electric power stations along the Columbia Gorge but here an excellent tour guide made the whole experience memorable.

We stopped here on a whim and found this most enjoyable. We learned a lot about salmon and was fascinated by the salmon ladder. The museum was very informative and easy to walk

Another highlight of our trip was visiting the Bonneville Lock & Dam. Definitely worth the stop and checking this place out. Ended up staying a little over an hour, longer than expected but worth it.

We didn't plan on stopping here but we're so glad we did! Beautiful information and learning center. Great views and happy volunteers and rangers!

Spent an hour also here, very well worthwhile taking the ranger guided 30 minute tour to orientate yourself in this facility. Huge dam and lock gates -interesting for an hour or so.

We passed through the lock going up and down in our 33' saiboat. The times for recreational vehicles are published online together with instructions on how to lock through. This was our first time but we had no problems, had the whole lock to ourselves. Lock keeper was friendly and helpful.

This a very cool dam to visit. Not too sure of what to expect we stopped in. Upon entering we were given information on how it operates and the fish ladders for the fish to go thru. They explained that there is a live person who sits in a room and counts the number and species of fish that go thru the ladders everyday. And it's amazing the number. Very cool

This is an excellent tourist site for families. The visitor center has 5 stories and excellent exhibits! ALL for free!!!!

We wanted to do some sight seeing in Oregon while were visting Washington and came across this as were driving up the Columbia Gorge Highway. It is a US Corp of Engineers park part of the National Parks system so they have the Passport stamp. The visitors center is very interesting with lots of interactive displays of how and why the dam and locks work and are needed for the area. There is also a generator room tour that we just did not have time to participate in but would be well worth the time if you have it. If we ever come back we will schedule a couple of days to spend more time in these venues. This is well worth the side trip.

It was great to stop by the Bonneville Lock and Dam. Very cool to see the fish locks, even if there was only one fish. March is not salmon season and we knew that, but wanted to show the Dam and Locks to our teenager. We saw Herman the sturgeon in his pond, that had a viewing window and that was cool to see. He is really big! Any day in along the Columbia River Gorge is a great day! Rain or shine you can make a stop anywhere along the Gorge!

You learn a lot about the dam and the lock here which was pretty cool. I enjoyed learning about how the lock system worked which was really impressive. You can see fish going through the lock but I think the hatchery is probably more fun for the kids (at least in November) as you see more fish at the hatchery.

Nice visitor center with exhibits, films, indoor viewing windows, gift shop, restrooms and outdoor viewing of the fish ladders. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff, they do offer tours throughout the day and plenty of self guided information/exhibits to see as well. No entry charge, there is a security check point when entering the ground and firearms are strictly prohibited on the property.

Free entry & parking...very interesting and enjoyable way to see and learn about the dam. Definitely a must see if you’re going through the area.

Always interested in how hydroelectric power works. This one is no different. There are periodic tours of the hydroelectric plant, so check visitor's center for times. Visitor Center is one of the best interpretive ones I have seen. There is a salmon ladder viewing area with a guide giving educational talks. Awesome views of the Columbia River, too

I loved walking through the fish hatcheries and seeing the big sturgeon. Being able to feed the fish was a cool experience and the kids loved it. The scenery was beautiful too. It was cool watching the fish trying to swim up stream. To see what the fish go through is cool.

Stopped by after a morning at Multnomah Falls. What a great place! The volunteers are knowledgeable and friendly. Every phase was so interesting. Watching the different fish swimming upstream was amazing. The fish counters actually showed us how they count the different fish. This is part of the Lewis and Clark Historic Trail.

Visited Both sides. The Oregon side includes the Fish Hatchery but the Washington side has tours of the Powerhouse and Dam. It’s very easy to do both sides just pay the toll to cross the Bridge of the Gods and you can do both sides but if you have to pick just one, either side you pick you’ll learn a lot.

While visiting the various waterfalls in the area, we made a detour to see the dam. Wow. The tour of the museum with the windows that look at the fish ladderswas amazing. I highly recommend this site. The kids were very interested in going to the fish hatchery that is on site. One of the fish at the hatchery is quite famous. His name is Herman the sturgeon. He is a 70-year-old fish and is about 12 feet long. Herman was the crowd favorite.

We were passing so we stopped and it was well worth the stop.

An Army Engineer Corp project which achieved its objective.

The fish ladder is brilliant and we saw lots of fish via the windows and outside on the actual "ladders"

They have free tours that I recommend everyone go through. We were there on a Sunday and the tours that day were at 11, 12 and 1. With the tour you are able to go over to the inside of the dam and see the generators along with memorabilia. Each floor of the visitors center provides you with views and interesting facts and of course a view of the salmon and ladders. We spent about 2 hours here. Well worth the time and very interesting!

If you ever travel on I-84 this hatchery is worth the stop. Its free and offers . Go past the guard after they check with you and drive up to main dam facility to enjoy the history of the dam and learn about the fish ladder. See the fish through the windows below the water surface. Also a nice gift shop awaits and you can watch short movies to learn more about the history of the dam and its importance to the country.( Dam and ladder area closes by 5 pm)
After this visit the fish hatchery to know cool insights into the fishery (fish incubators, holding tanks). You can purchase fish food for a quarter and watch the fish go nuts when you toss it in. There are restrooms and a gift shop/cafe on site too. Great place to stop by and look at the fishes

Inside the visitor area we watched as salmon swam upstream, and the breaks that they had to take along the way. But we could not see the actual fish ladders until we went outside and were able to see the ladders. Then we could put 2 and 2 together and realized exactly how the fish ladders worked! It was a new experience for us. If you've never seen fish ladders before, it is worth the stop!

Took girlfriend on trip to Washington Falls and then to Oregon by way of Cascade Locks. Stopped by the dam and showed her the visitor center then rest of the location.

If you visit in the summer everything is open, you can visit Oregon and Washington visitor centers. Visit the Navigation Lock in Oregon and if your lucky you can see a tug go through, also visit Powerhouse 1. See the fish ladders on the 1st floor of VC. In Washington you can take a Powerhouse tour which is worth the time and you see more fish on that side as well. Call first to make sure they are doing the tour. Don’t forget to look up to find the many Osprey and bald eagles who hang around to eat the fish.

Great History, very interesting.
Tour had a lot to learn. I will recommend a visit to this location.

We enjoyed stopping here and watching the salmon. They have windows on the lower floor so you can see them up close swimming up the river to their spawning grounds. Everyone was so nice and informative here and a really great place to learn about the workings of this dam.

Great!!! Worth seeing! We learned a lot about the history of the dam and the wonderful, clean energy effect it provides!!The ranger tour very informative..about 30 minutes long!

This is again a good place to stop and strecth your legs. It is a good photo opportunity and there is nice areas to walk around and breathe in the fresh mountain air.

Bonneville dam is located along I-84; it is well worth the stop. The visitor center on Bradford Island provides a great viewpoint of the dam, along with the history of the dam and area. There is also an area where you can watch the fish counters at work. It is also a nice place for a picnic

We toured the Bonneville Lock, Dam and Power Plant. There is no fee, and the tour was self-guided. There are very friendly and knowledgeable folks available who seemed happy to direct visitors and answer questions. We were fortunate to visit on a late afternoon, so it was not crowded.
The viewing area with the fish ladders was
mesmerising. The size and magnitude of the power plant is awesome. Allow at least 90 minutes. The scenic river drive is well worth your time.

This is a great place to learn about the function of a hydroelctric dam. The Visitor Center was very interesting and also provided historical information about the area from before the Lewis and Clark expedition to the present. There are also displays and information about the fish species that travel up the river to spawn. We stopped here in February so there were no fish utilizing the ladders. We arrived just in time for a tour or the first federally constructed power plant, which was fascinating. There is also a fish hatchery on the property (rainbow trout) plus a Sturgeon Center where you can view Herman the Sturgeon, a live fish who is 70 years old. Well worth the time!

This dam and power plant was a cool stop on the river gorge drive. The best part is viewing the fish ladders, I have always wanted to see salmon spawning, there are 5 floors that have different educational info, plus a view deck of the entire area with views of dam and of course you can also see the retired machinery that was used prior to updating. There is a fish hatchery on the other side , which is run by oregon wildlife department as this place is run separately by the US army .The hatchery is where you can see tons of salmon and leap out of the water!

We've visited twice and recently toured both Powerhouse 1 and Powerhouse 2 (one on WA side and the other on OR side). Driving from one to the other can be easily done on national park property. There are different exhibits are in each of the powerhouses. It was interesting to learn that the town of Bonneville was literally moved to create one of the powerhouses. A fish ladder to watch the fish travel upstream can be viewed from both inside and outside the buildings. We also saw the offices of the fish counters. Locks are available on the Oregon side allowing boats to travel the river. We enjoyed watching boats on Lake Bonneville, the body of water created by building the dam. Tours are available to view the hydropower generators. During one visit, we drove to a park area on the Oregon side (great for picnics). Fisherman can cast their lines from either shore just down from the spillway. This visit was time well spent.

I have not been here for several years, and I had brought busloads of eighth grade students in the 1990s. As we approached the checkpoint, I found myself explaining September 11 to my grandchildren. A notice says no backpacks, but I showed the contents of my cinch sack that had a kid's jacket.

Staff explained the dams along the river, and the exhibits were self-explanatory. I was towed along by children and did not read them all. The movie was the same as twenty years ago.

The history of the dam is clearly from the Army Corps of Engineers' viewpoint and does not address what the Native Americans lost nor the unfulfilled in lieu fishing sites that were promised when sites were flooded.

The kids liked the children's electricity-saving ideas.

Nice gift shop with some quality souvenirs.

The Bonneville dam offers interesting information regarding the salmon and other fish movements along the river. We found very well organized tour inside and outside the visitors center.
Kids love the fish view through the window and enjoy the walk along the cascades.
Must visit if you are in the area.

I was surprised with security check at the gate, but that's only. We enjoyed viewing into the fish ladder, huge spillway and great view from the top of the visitor center.

The tour was not that interesting but worth a stop for viewing the fish ladder. Interesting history of a Works Progress Administration project that put Americans to work and developed energy to serve a region. Our country so desperately needs a similar reinvestment in infrastructure today! The pride of the tour guides in this project was evident.

The visitor center visually and verbally explores the history of the dam-building, in the context of the Depression era and the remote region's needs. The feats of engineering are amazing. Moving into the present, salmon and other fish can be observed through large underwater windows as they migrate upstream through the fish ladders. Ongoing attempts at facilitating fish routes up and down the river are well documented. The video explaining how ships and small pleasure craft pass through the huge locks is fascinating. Well worth a two-hour visit!

This place was awesome! We were waterfall viewing for the day and the falls were nuts, so we decided to go here for a little while. Nice, large, visitor center. Watching the chinook, cohos, and see lampreys come up through the fish ladder was very interesting. you could see a few from up above but the viewing windows were great. Nice displays on the dam construction and area history and a nice book/gift shop too. The dam is huge, too. Way bigger than I expected. We have a functioning river lock system he in northeast Wisconsin, but the ones here are tiny compared to the huge gates on these locks.

Easy trip from Portland Or and Vancouver, Washington. The fish hatchery is very educational as is the museum. Nice place for a picnic and an attractive gift shop

This is a large and very impressive dam. It is large and so you may feel small. On the lower portion there is a viewing area where you can look through the windows and see fish navigating the fish ladder. A step out the door and you can look down at the fish ladder.

The displays are well done and a good visit.

This is a great place to visit to see the dam. Just an amazing place with a lot of interesting history.

My family visited the salmon ladders on a whim in September 2015 on our visit through the gorge. We flew into Portland late and stayed in a hotel. Someone at breakfast told us that we just had to take the kids since the salmon were running.

Let me just say, it’s been two years and my 10 and 8 year old still talk about it. I had no idea that they would retain so much knowledge or memory from our last minute visit. They’re able to relate it in school as well. I bought a children’s book from the area that talks about the process too.

Honestly, it was a great stop to better understand what’s going on in nature. Later in our trip we were able to recognize trout running that we probably wouldn’t have had a clue about had we not stopped.

Enjoy!

We really enjoyed our afternoon here, it was both fun and educational. It was a nice break from all of the overcrowded waterfalls and extremely interesting. We also enjoyed the fish hatchery, it was worth stopping in and a nice quiet place to spend the afternoon!!

Multiple areas available. Swing bridge with the locks, multiple recreation areas, visitor center with a fish ladder and exhibits, view of the dam/powerhouse, as well as a fish hatchery. Doesn't take long to see everything and they had rangers speaking about the different fish and their journey. Great education and views.

The visitor center and tour of the dam are fantastic. Felt like we got a better view and understanding of the workings of the dam than at any other one we've visited. You get right next to the generators an the diagrams are well done. An added bonus is the fish ladder and the viewing windows to watch the fish migrating upstream. The US Army Corps of Engineers guide was very knowledgeable and information.

Check out the Fish Viewing Building from the north side of the Columbia River, just a few miles west of the Bridge of the Gods. It is really cool to see the salmon swimming upstream through the underwater windows on the first floor. It is really cool (gross?) to see all of the lampreys (more closely related to sharks than eels) suckered up to the windows, fighting the current, and apparently "hoping" to latch on to a fish. The parking lot is right outside of the door of the Fish Viewing Building, so you don't need to enter through the Visitor Orientation Building. I was so enthralled by the underwater window scenes that we went there twice on our 3-day trip to the Stevenson, WA area. The elevator down to the 1st floor wasn't working, so the area is currently not wheelchair accessible. There is no admission fee. The staff person told us how they use volunteers to count the fish et al swimming upstream, and, through a closed door/window to the right of the viewing windows, you could see the narrow channel that the fish, etc., pass through so they can be counted. Well worth a half hour of your time and some cheap thrills (and cool videos).

August 23, 2017 - Just before visiting Multnoham Halls, we stopped for a short visit at the Bonneville Lock and Dam. We were able to walk outside to get a view of the dam area and to take a quick stroll through some of the interior exhibits plus go to the roof for a better view of the dam.

The exhibits that dealt with salmon and other fish swimming upstream were very interesting. You could actually see in the glassed in water the water flow and the struggles the salmon swimming against the current.

Wish we had scheduled more time.

This dam is huge and offers a unique opportunity to see the turbines and water in action. There are plenty of details displayed showing in detail how the water is converted into electricity.

This is a wonderful self guided tour for individuals as well as groups and families.

We took the exit looking for somewhere to have lunch, and after going through the security check point, decided to actually go see what was at Bonneville Lack & Dam. This is a massive dam, the engineering is impressive. We did not do the ranger guided tour because our curiosity about what a "fish ladder" took over. We had to see the fish ladder. Well worth it!! Watching the fish swim by, fighting their way upstream, was fascinating. We continued our tour outside to see the fish ladder from the top. For a 45 minute side trip which cost nothing, it was a happy accidental stop on our way to find lunch.

What a great site seems like a real engineering marvel ! Fish ladder was a very cool site to see also.

Amazing size of this dam!! Goes across the entire Columbia River. Grounds are lovely, the staff is very knowledgeable and informative. There is a viewing area where you can see fish.

The trip to the Bonneville Dam is wonderful with fabulous views of the Columbia River Gorge. The dam itself is a clean well organized Army Corps of Engineers facility but it is not overly impressive in itself. If you want that, try the Hoover Dam or the Grand Cooley. What made this trip worthwhile was the salmon running over the fish ladders. Apparently in September, they reach their maximum and it was a fantastic opportunity to see wildlife in their natural habitat heading back to spawn and to die. That itself is worth the trip. The dam was interesting.

This is a great place to explore and see amazing engineering in practice. There is so many activities to do and the area is very accessible.

We spent at least three hours. After we paid, we were heading to see the fish going through the dam. The fish can go through with no complications.

We found some other tanks, where fish went over the dam. That was so cool!

Wherever we went, everyone was so nice and they liked to explain what we saw.

Franklin Roosevelt promised if he was elected, he will built a dam here.

There was a museum here as well. There were lots of topics: Fish, Chinook Indians, Exploration, Lewis & Clark was here as well, the Settlers and way more.

We had fun and we learned a lot about this dam. Wow!

This is a must see!

A very impressive structure and interesting exhibits. And it is free! I was lucky enough to actually see a barge as it traveled through the locks.

A don't miss.

We were headed along 14 to Portland on our way to the airport and decided to stop at the Bonneville Dam and Power Plant. What a great decision. There was only a half dozen people there and we got on a most interesting and informative tour of the power plant. The guide was pleasant and very knowledgable. We gained entrance into the power generation area and actually stood on top of the generators. The fish ladders were also interesting and the area outside of the dam along the river offers many great places to stop for scenic views. We highly recommend this visit and best of all it's free.

The construction of the Bonneville Dam and Locks is an impressive engineering story. The visitor center is well maintained and the movie (although very old) is fascinating. There are lots of issues of dams such as Bonneville, and the impacts on wildlife and the river ecosystem, but visitors can't help but be impressed with the story of the dam's construction and the power benefits. They apparently have a guided tour of the powerhouse, but we were too late to join. Still a cool visit.

This is a hidden gem on the way through the Columbia Gorge! The dam facility is unbelievably huge! And you can see many interesting things there - from the descriptions of the technical background, the history of building the dam, the native inhabitants of the area before the dam was built...You can pretty much can walk all over the place, except the areas for the employees, of course :-)

What is absolutely the best on this place though? The fish ladders!!! We had spent nearly half an hour watching the fishes through the glass, trying to get "upstairs". So much fun, and so interesting! I cannot believe such a cool place to visit did not have any paid admission this September. Solid 5 stars, recommending to everybody who likes interesting places that are not necessarily a "touristy-no-1". Thank you for this wonderful experience!

Driving through the whole dam area (with lots of dam jokes!) is pretty awe-inspiring. Not much water spilling at this time of year, but when it is, it's pretty incredible! We drove around and saw eagles in the trees, which were easier to see without the leaves.

We spent quite a bit of time absorbing the history in the Visitor's Center, as well as browsing the books, etc. in the Gift Shop. The guide there was quite helpful, especially pointing out things about the Eagle Creek fire in '17. We enjoyed trying to see fish (not much happening right now) but we'll be sure to come back when the fish are running in spring through fall. Thanks for hosting this place for us!

The Bonneville Dam draws tourists to the control of the Columbia River and to the direction of salmon up the fish ladder. Nothing much to see but concrete.

If you've ever wondered what it is the US Army Core of Engineers does. This is it! They got a lot of flack for Katrina, but most of their work is sound and this attraction is cool and you can even have a picnic on site too!

This dam is incredible! The visitor’s center offers SO much free knowledge and entertainment that it is just too good to pass up. You can view the fish ladders inside and out, go up to the observation tower to see the vastness of this huge dam. Well worth the stop!

We stopped by here to see the dam. The sound of gushing water with a nice view. Parking was easily available.

Nice one hour visit with some minor walking involved. Accessible for all and has carpeted walk areas. Stand on a generator and view how it works

The fish ladders are really interesting and the windows where you can see the fish go by are incredible. The gentleman who took us on the tour was very interesting and made our visit even better. The mural that must be 80 feet long was painted by a member of stafff during lockdown and is a work of art. Try and spot Bigfoot!
Well worth a visit and Free too

This was my second visit there & how interesting it is indeed. I was fortunate to be there with family from the Gresham area who were also very good guides for interesting visits in the area. Harold from Grants Pass, OR W2HR

This dam provides power to the greater northwest and we are most grateful for the cheap electricity. To actually see how the water generates the power is phenomenal. Take the time to have a look.

Decided to take our granddaughter and her friend for the day to the Gorge Interpretive Center in Stevenson and they weren't quite done looking at things so swung across the bridge and went to the visitor area for Bonneville Dam. Always a good time, looking at the fish being raised at the hatchery and the big ponds with Herman the sturgeon and all of the rainbow trout ponds where you can "feed" the fish. Gift shop is good for a cold drink and an ice cream.

We visited Powerhouse #2 of this dam and were given a tour by a U.S. Parks Dept Ranger. The tour lasted approximately 30 minutes and was very informative. There is a slight amount of walking, approximately 1/2 mile, but no stairs to climb...it is all escalators. The tour is up and close and two generators are modified so as to be able to see the inner rotation.

The fish were running in June and the underwater viewing area allowed good access to get a view. Particularly interesting were the Lamprey that stick their mouths on the glass for an extended period and show their teeth. There were also many Salmon and Shad.

We have also toured the Hoover Dam, which is much larger, but found this tour to be even more interesting.

As an engineer, I was amazed at the accomplishment of my predecessors a couple of generations before me. The exhibits in the powerhouse show the principle of extracting energy from the moving water by turbines. There is a single turbine blade on display whose size even blew me away, seeing it up-close. Of course the sight of the 10 turbo generators neatly lined up in a row is also very impressive.
Next to the electrical generating installation, what impressed me the most is how the salmon are protected by the management of the fish ladders, water levels, and so on, to be sure they can return safely to spawn.
The Army Corps of Engineers who run the facility are also responsible for entertaining the visitors, and they are the most pleasant and friendly people one will ever meet. The visitor center includes a childrens’ show that talks about the fish and the challenges of making life possible for them.
This visit was one of the high points of our visit to the Pacific Northwest.
We did not tour the locks, as we were running late, and have been through locks in a boat before, but I can safely recommend it to anyone who has not seen one.
There is plenty of parking and rest room facilities available at the Visitor Center.

A great stop to view Fish Ladders with Salmon swimming up river. The Visitor Center was closed but Gate Officer allowed us in and we were able to walk the grounds and visit the Fish Hatchery with sturgeon and trout.

Beautiful surroundings. Learnt a lot. Don’t miss fish ladder and fish farm. Herman the 80 year old sturgeon. There are theee tours of dam and power station a day. You can’t access power station outside of official tour. We missed the 10.39 and next wasn’t till 13.30. We still learned a great deal on self guided tour

I myself had never been to the Lock and Dam but my family had been.
My 13 granddaughter was here visiting and we wanted to show her somethings around the area.
We had a great time exploring the generator, fish ladders where we saw native fish making their way up past the dam. There is room that has a great deal of history on the Dam and Locks. There were people of all ages walking through the different exhibits and this is handicapped accessible.
I will return to this site again.

I took a tour as part of my first visit to the Columbia Gorge today...fascinating visit - the weather was typical March weather, so the indoor portion was especially good today!

Enjoyed the video regarding the process of harvesting the eggs; fertilizing and caring for the growing fish until their release. Would like to return in Sept. - Oct to see actual process taking place. The Salmon ladder viewing area is a must; and the beautiful park-like setting of the hatchery is a great picnic area and being awed by the power of the water being emitted from the dam.

We came across this attraction as we had a couple of hours to kill befor we could book in to our hotel. There is a self guided tour which leads you round most of the dam and lock complex, but if you sign up for one of the three daily Ranger Tours you get to go behind the scenes as well to restricted areas. The tour takes in a visitors centre and takes you down in to the turbine hall which is not normally accessible tot the public and a behind the scenes look at the power generation equipment. The tour ends with a visit to the fish ladders that bypass the dam where you can see salmon, trout and other species making there way up river. There are only three tours a day but if you can get on one it is very informative and rewarding and it's free!

In 1933 this first dam on the Columbia was authorized to #1 improve navigation, #2 Produce Electrical power, #3 act to manage seasonal flooding, #4 Create Jobs for peoples displaced due to the great depression.

The first power house and one narrow lock was in place in 1938 within the labor of about 3000 construction workers. By 1943 (to aid in the war effort a total of 10 generators were in place. By 1982 a second power house was in place, bringing the total of 18 generators on the line (1,227 Megawatts), and a second much wider lock.

We visited power house #1, where this time of the year all the turbines are shutdown (due to lack of water), and only the #2 power house is generating electricity. The original water wheel turbines have all been replaced with an adjustable blade (similar to a ships propeller). There is only one control room (for both power houses) manned by two operators and that control room is in power house #1.
next to the visitor center we were able to observe the fish ladders the Salmon use to get around the dam. Turns out the salmon DO NOT jump up and over the 2 ft steps, rather they swim through tunnels under them. The pictures you may have seen with fish jumping over the latter steps is another species of fish = American Shad!

Taming of the Columbia River for hydro power was an amazing feat. See this part of the history as well as past uses of the river. The fish ladder was also an interesting part of the experience here. Spent some time at the locks as well, unfortunately no ships went through. There is still quite of bit of commerce up and down the Columbia River.

We stopped at the Bonneville Dam after doing the Waterfall drive on a late July Oregon vacation. We did a self-tour of the museum and the grounds (including the fish hatchery), the kids had fun with it but as an adult not all that interested in dams I was less enthralled.

The museum had some interesting information about the dam system on the Columbia River, as well as the history of the Bonneville facility, and seeing the water flowing out of the dam was certainly impressive. It was also cool seeing the salmon at the fish ladder. The fish hatchery was less interesting, lots of tanks with salmon (and a few other fish) being bred for release into the Columbia.

The kids were happy we stopped, so that's a reason to visit, otherwise I would have rather spent more time viewing and enjoying the waterfalls.

At the end of US30 drive through historic Columbia River Gorge we stopped here for the kids and myself. What a great engineering marvel looking at the Lock & Dam with the beautiful backdrop of nature. The visitor center has 4 floors where you can see fishes at the lower level and nice views of the dam from the upper floor. It was definitely worth a stop for a few pictures, relaxing and maybe even a picnic. While your on the facility and driving out they have a campground park where you can drive into, park your car and relax. We had a nice family picnic here. Please note that this is a federal facility and they do ask you to open your trunk and give your car a once over before letting you enter.

The Bonneville Dam was not really on our to do list. Our intention was to go to the falls, however the parking lot was full and the exit closed.

The dam had an interesting visitors center and an underground fish viewing area where you can watch salmon swimming upstream. Located in a very nice nature area.

I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to visit the dam, but if you are in the area in makes for an interesting short stop.

Just drove through, took a few pics.
The water rushing trough the dam was very pretty and the grounds were very nice.

We visited the Bonneville Lock & Dam on the Washington side. It is self-guided with a theater that runs a video explaining a lot of how the area was formed. The turbine viewing room was awesome to see. They have lots of informational stations explaining things all along the way. The fish ladders are amazing, but the fish viewing room was fabulous! There were so many fish swimming through, it was hard to keep track of what types of fish each of them were! They have information cards to help identify the fish. It is a must-see place. Great place for kids! The grounds are beautiful and the staff are friendly and helpful.

We were traveling on 84 to someplace else & saw this sign & decided to check the place out. All the people there were very friendly & knowledgeable. We listened to a lecture on the fish counting & migration which was interesting. We spoke with a volunteer near the fish ladders outside & she gave us all kinds of information while pointing out "where some of the fish hang out."

We just saw the sign for this on the freeway and decided to stop by. This is not your usual tourist stop (for us anyway). It is a set of facilities around the Bonneville Dam and Lock system on the Columbia river. This system harnesses the power of the water to create electrocity. The power of the rushing water can be felt as you stand the ramparts. The very interesting part is all the work they've done for 'fish management'. They have an amazing amount of technology to help fish get up river and not get killed by the hydroelectric generating process. This technology includes, fish ladders, special pathways around turbines, and a gate system where each fish is actually counted as it goes by...they count over 250,000 fish/year. It is an interesting, well done place to see how technology and nature can live together. Well worth the stop...it's free!!

This free facility has terrific exhibits and viewing on four floors. Observe the easy to see fish ladder; there are also viewing cans inside the Visitor Center. Rangers happily answer questions. Some times the power house is open for visiting.
Nearby, just before the entrance to the security leading to Bonneville Lock and Dam Visitor Center is a free fish hatchery of trout and sturgeon.

I've been there several times and always learned something. Most popular with visitors are the Salmon and Sturgeon ponds where the prehistoric looking Sturgeon up to 6 ft. long and mature salmon of 30 lb. or more can be seen. A glass fronted lower viewing area lets you see the fish underwater. A fish hatchery is on the grounds as well as a gift shop and a limited picnic area. The south side of the dam is easily accessible off I-84 about 30 miiles east of Portland. The north side of the dam, accessible on Washington Hwy 14 has a viewing area of the fish ladder that lets visitor see the migrating salmon working their way upriver to spawn. There are guided tours available on the WA. side visitor center that will take you into the dam and guides will explain the workings of the facility. Best to call and check tour times as they are scheduled. The Dam was built in the early 1930s to provide inexpensive public power to encourage development of the Pacific NW. When WWII began the power from the turbines in the dam enabled start up of aluminum smelters which provided much needed metal to building airplanes that helped win the war. Also worth seeing are the navigation locks on the south side that enable large tug boats pushing loaded barges to towns up and down the Columbia. A lot of grain from inland areas and wood products are transported efficiently and relatively inexpensively in this manner. Watching the ships and small recreational boats navigate the locks is educational and enjoyable. You can easily spend all day or just a few hours at Bonneville Dam.

Loved touring this area! The fishing viewing area was amazing and frightening! A must see when traveling through the gorge!

We ended up here when all the exits were closed for the waterfall. We were glad to have stumbled upon the dam. Our 7 year old had a nice time exploring the property. Free tour and lots to look at.

Your first shock at going to the Bradford Island Visitors center is that security will stop you at a gate, ask if you are bringing any weapons in and ask to check your trunk. A sign of the times I guess.

Once at the visitor center, you will find several floors - an outside deck looking down at the fish ladders , windows for viewing the fish and information about the dam and fish. It's very informative and the Rangers provided very useful information.

Walking the grounds is necessary to try to get the best views of the dam (some signage would be useful). Overall, a great place for both adults and kids.

Very interesting, well thought-out explanation of hydro power dam and fish ladder facility. Movie and history of area including dam system and environmental concerns well done. The rangers on duty were friendly and enjoyed sharing their knowledge; very personable. Would recommend.

This was a chance visit and it turned out to be a great stop. A very I
Portland part of us history and specifically the pacific north west. The first Dan in the Columbia River that revived the local economy during the great depression and supplied. Power and helped make the River navigable. An excellent experience for all snd kudos to the park service. For such good treatment

The fish ladder viewing area alone would be a reason to stop here but you will also enjoy a visitors center and fish hatchery on site. The area has nice walking trails, gardens And areas to simply sit back and enjoy views of the dam and the Columbia River.
This is an easy stop with a quick on and off of Interstate 84.

We had a great time learning the history of the dam and area later. Our kids enjoyed hearing about the locks. Being winter we didn't see many fish but there were a lot of Bald Eagles! The employees were full of information and even earned a Junior Ranger Badge here. We definitely want to visit in spring or summer and picnic on the islands!

Bonneville dam is totally worth a visit while driving the scenic highway. Don't miss the fish windows on first floor. We took a pic of lamprey sticking with it ugly mouth to the window.
The exhibits are also interesting.
It's fun to look at the roaring waters too, and you can feel the spray.

Interesting and handicap accessible. It is mesmerizing to watch the salmon work their way up the ladder. Also the film about its construction is all the more impressive when you consider when they built it. Very forward thinking!

We really liked the high-quality, ranger-lead tour that we did at Bonneville Dam. The fish viewing windows were very interesting. We liked watching the fish, including the lampreys. We also really enjoyed the navigation locks. We were even there when the stern wheeler came through the locks. Very cool!

When we got here we were informed that the locks weren't working properly but he did explain how it all worked. He gave us a better view than anyone could of including time facts. That was totally wonderful and worth our stopping. He answered every question and filled in the blanks. Thank you for all your help and thoughtful information. We'll be back.

Nice grounds and facilities to take in the engineering magnificence of the Bonneville Dam and locks. All will enjoy the fish viewing area, but this time of year you'll see lots of Lampreys and that's about it. You will go through a security screening to enter the site, but it's a nice quiet relief from the other gorge attractions that are mobbed with visitors.

Nice visitors center with exhibits and movies on the history of construction of the Bonneville Lock and Dam. Right in the same area as the major falls of the Columbia River Gorge. Worth a one hour visit.

There is a lot of interesting information to be had at the Dam. Best time of year for the fish ladder is from late spring thru fall. I've been in the fall and winter, only a few fish in the winter. So much fun to see the working of the dam, and the huge ancient sturgeon in the ponds.

This dam has a fantastic visitors center with an amazing self guided tour and there is also a guided tour available. There are 5 levels which also included a fish viewing area and on the top there were panoramic views as well as 2 osprey nests and there was a telescope available for viewing the birds.

This was my husband's idea to stop here and I was not thrilled to sat the least. After going through the buildings, grounds and especially the "fish ladder", I was so glad we visited. The personnel are friendly and very knowledgeable. We were not lucky enough to see a barge go through the locks, but it was definitely worth stopping.

We were driving the US30 and 26 loop. This was so magnificent to see the engineering construction and the power it harnesses from the Columbia River. We drove by the locks They have a small museum and a great view of the salmon as they make their way up the ladders. Fish counters sit for 8 hour shifts, counting the different type of salmon, which route they take, and whether they are hatchlings. You can spend as much time as you like to picnic, tour, read about the history etc. Just make sure you take in the beauty and commit it to memory!

We liked the fish ladder where you can watch the fish, the short movie and the bird watching on the roof. Very informative!

We spent some time at the visitor center. There is a safety inspection before you drive into the visitor center.

We first visited the locks visitor center. This is where the boats go through locks to go past the dam to continue on their cruise up (or down) river. It was interesting to see.

We then stopped at the dam visitor center. There is a very nice outdoor overlook of the dam. In the visitor center, there is various levels. On the top floor there is an outdoor viewing area. On the entrance floor several exhibits.

On another floor they have movies. This one to me was a bit odd. The movies were not on the dam but on water safety. It was interesting but not what I expected.
There was also a kid's movie called Bobber the Water Safety Dog. It was cute and Iiked the characters in it. But since I do not speak Spanish and the movie was in Spanish (or at least it was the day we were there) I wondered why it was not in English.

On the bottom floor there is the fish viewing station. One can also see the fish ladders from the top floor observation deck.

Overall, it was a fun day on a spectacular warm spring day.

First of all, who puts a visitor center behind a security checkpoint? Moving on… I came for the fish ladder, I stayed for the tour of a power plant. Everything was fascinating, and the views are incredible. Best of all, it’s free!

Established in the early 20th century the dam provides power and water controls to the Columbia River.

Pros:
FREE!!!!! My favorite word.. right next to food. You put them together and...
Educational. Kids should really enjoy this --- I did..uhhhh
Large site with many things to see

Cons:
Active place --- be careful people are working and guards are watching.

Best to come when salmon are moving (Aug/Sept). The under water viewing at the Brandford Island Visitor's Center was cool. Access to the center as well as entrance to the area is free - however, guards will look at your vehicle and trunk. It is a government site and security is present.

There is a hatchery as well but did not go to it so can not comment.

I feel this would be a great family activity. It was not planned for me but was a happy discovery.

The curators have a lot of information to share on the building and history of the dam. There is also a book shop on sight. Be sure to go to the top and lower levels to see the dam and the salmon ladder.

Drove the Columbia Highway in mid-August. If you don't remember, the
weather in Portland and the Gorge was HOT!!! After sitting in traffic
and watching the tow truck pull cars off the highway of unsuspecting
"bathers", we decided to stop. What a hidden gem! Not overrun with people!
Very interesting viewing the fish using the fish ladder from the underwater
viewing room and the above ground deck. Would recommend as educational
for kids of all ages!

I was surprised to see the Bonneville dam being run by the US Army Corps of engineers. Impressed. I enjoyed seeing the fish ladder and the counting system set up. The underwater viewing was keen. Got to see salmon but mostly shad swim thru. The generator room was impressive too. And of course the two dam system. Complete with a lock. And spillway. Totally impressed. I wish I took the tour. Maybe next time.

While the Columbia River features a number of dams and visitor centers, this is by far the best one. And, it's located adjacent to the Bonneville Hatchery which is also open to the public.

Unlike many dams, most of the Bonneville Dam complex is open to the public, and you can drive and / or walk around most of it.

Vehicles pass through a security checkpoint after which you can head to the locks and a small visitor center, or past the Powerhouse to the main 5-story visitor center. In either case, you're driving up-close-and-personal past the really interesting parts of the dam complex.

The main visitor's center include underwater windows looking into the fish ladders, and offers guided tours of the Powerhouse, which is easily the high point of the tour.

It offers something for entire family, and is well worth a visit.

Go here! We arrived late and didn't get to stay very long. They closed on us. But the hatchery stays open
until dusk and it was amazing! Won't go wrong and the kids will love it!

The Bonneville Lock & Dam, as entered from the Washington side, is a very modern, ‘Gattaca’ feeling building of concrete and glass. One can take a self-guided tour of how and why it was built, visit the turbine room and interact with many exhibits. A big part of the dam is the fish ladder which is very cool to see all the fish making their way up through the dam. There is also a fish-viewing room where you can see the fish swimming through big windows.

Time it for the 45min tour. There is one at 10:30 and 1:30 at least.
The tour (free) takes you into the power house and covers a lot of the history of the dam etc. Very informative.

Without the tour there is still a lot to see and they have an information brochure.

There is another information centre on the other side of the river but the road was closed due to the fires.

After going to the Oregon side of Bonneville Dam, we decided to view the Washington side. My wife is confined to a wheelchair and I need to use a walker. The parking for the Washington side of the dam is not handicap friendly. The parking is a little ways away and on a slope, making it difficult to navigate. After entering the visitor center, doors are hard to open with a large 'lip' at the inside door. Once inside the carpet is so thick that it is almost impossible to roll a wheelchair or walker. Than to see anything, you must travel up and down elevators over a long path. There were no employees to help us in any way. We decided to bypass the inside area and go to the fish ladder viewing area. After seeing the LONG ramp down to the area, we could not see where it was worth the trip. We will not return to the Washington side but will continue using the much more friendly Oregon side.

We had a great time here. Pleasantly surprised how how much I enjoyed myself. so many wonderful displays with the history if Lewis and Clark to how the Dam works to all about the fish. This is something I really recommend to do.

A visit to the site, like others have said, is worth the effort, especially during the salmon run season. Another unexpected pleasure was to find Bigfoot in the shop store! Not the everyday run of the mill Bigfoot, but a cool Bobble Head Bigfoot. Now my Bigfoot has been seen in Munich Germany. Where has your Bigfoot been seen?

Cool destination on our way to the train and the steamboat. Stopped to take some photos. We did not go in the visitor center that we remained outside and took some very cool photos.

I approached this from the Washington side, and it was an enjoyable stop of about 45 minutes. It's a good place to take kids; there are a lot of informative exhibits and cool things to look at, particularly the turbine room and the fish viewing room. If you're photographing, the views of the river from immediately in or near the building are not that good (the windows were dirty when I was there); they're prettier from a few spots on the the long driveway in. Free admission never hurts.

It was a great surprise from the Oregon side. The visitor center was good, the access to the fish ladders was quite fun - lots of opportunities for pictures. Picnic areas as part of the complex. Google maps did one of those things where it wanted to route us across the river to Washington, until 20 feet from the closed gate. easy u-turn. you get to go through a rather surprising security check on the way in. got delayed a bit on the way out with apparently a vessel locking through.

The center here was very informative, with videos, photos, artifacts, and interactive displays of the story of the Columbia River. We enjoyed watching salmon swim upstream in the "fish ladder." We missed the actual tour of the dam (scheduling), but we did like what we were able to see in the center alone.

If you want to see the inner-workings of a hydroelectric plant, this is the best one to see. It is small enough that it isn't very crowded and it is easy to walk through on the tour. The tour guide we had was very knowledgeable and fun to be with, too. You got to walk out on top of a working generator, a pretty cool experience. The tour concludes with a view into the salmon ladder. You go to the station where they count the fish as they pass through and get to see how the fish navigate the fast currents in the river. A great stop!

I've seen locks and dams before, but this was super interesting. The dam is big and the mist carries throughout the area. You can also see the fish ladder from above ground and then visit the visitors center to see the fish going through the ladder. You find yourself cheering them on as they fight the current upstream! The staff in the visitors center were awesome, super helpful and friendly and very informative. This was a great stop!

This is an amazing place. We enjoyed the fish ladder and seeing inside the powerhouse, as well as experiencing the swinging bridge when a vessel was going through the lock!

Great to see how the dam was built and why. Also get to see bit of detail about fish in the river and how they built the dam to also look after them.

I was disappointed that the visitor center was within the fenced in area of the dam. We were met at the entrance by an armed guard. Since we had "contraband" we were not allowed to enter.

The tour was excellent with viewing of the powerhouse from inside to the dam. Security was tight however. Well worth a visit to see and hear about why it was built and how it is impacting fish migration.

We had the good fortune of being able to travel through the locks and being able to see first hand and up close how it works when you are in a vessel on the river. We were aboard one of the Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler Cruises, and it was so interesting watching the gates close, the river water drop, and then opening the other gate and heading on down the river. The only disadvantage is that when there is another boat traveling through the locks, you have to wait your turn, and in our case it meant cutting our cruise short and not being able to see Multnomah Falls and other sights that we had paid extra to see on the Landmarks of the Gorge Riverboat Cruise.

Herman the sturgeon and the sturgeon viewing area was wonderful. The hatchery is a lot of fun to walk around it has a fantastic gift store I really enjoyed it a lot. The damn experience was extremely interesting definitely go to the large theater and watch the informative movie that they played it’s very well done and I really liked it. The workers are helpful and friendly and informative. Parking is great it’s handicap assessable and the views are spectacular

Took elementary age kids plus out-of-town guests to visit Dam. Super interesting and fun. Ranger talk on level 1 was interactive and informative--saw lots of fish and practiced counting. Kids have decided their career goal is to be a fish counter at Bonneville!
Highly recommend as a cheap and cheerful activity. We did as part of day trip to Multnomah Falls and then late lunch at Locks Waterfront Grill down the road at Cascade Locks.

Gorgeous views and very informative. Entry is free and there are nice day use areas to have a break or eat your lunch. Located in the Columbia River Scenic Area 40 miles east of Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington, Bonneville Lock and Dam spans the Columbia and links the two states.. Since 1938, Bonneville Dam has supplied the region with inexpensive electrical power. Visitors can experience first-hand the operation of two hydroelectric powerhouses and watch migrating fish traveling upstream at the underwater viewing rooms next to the fish ladders.

We visited the Oregon side and saw salmon, fish ladders, trout, lampreys, huge sturgeon and the huge dam with vigorous rushing water. All free. Worthwhile and lots to see.

Not a place I dreamed of visiting for years, but happened to be driving by it on a vacation, so thought it would be interesting. Well, it was. One can go down to a lower level and see the fish migrating up the fish ladder bypassing the dam. Fascinating! I'm glad I stopped.

This is a very interesting place to visit and you can learn a lot by coming here. The staff are very informative and kind and I'm glad that it's part of the National Park System. The fish ladders were so interesting to see after reading about them for years and it was very fun to visit here on our road trip.

It’s a ways I’m off the highway to the visitor center. Be sure to go down to the first floor to see the fish in the fish ladders! The hatchery area is beautifully done with ponds holding enormous trout and sturgeon. Cute gift shop. Army corps of engineers run site.

We visited both sides of the dam. The Oregon side has the locks which you can watch in operation if you visit in the early afternoon. The Washington side has the power house which you and get a tour of 3 times a day. Be early as the tours can fill up and they are limited to 25 people. A very worth while stop we had a lot of fun.

I visited the North Bonneville Lock and Dam while stopping on the river as part of a river cruise. This is one of the most interesting "dam" tours that I have taken. Our volunteer guide; Lindi, did an excellent job of showing us around and answering our questions. The Visitor Center is really 2 tours; 1) the powerhouse, where you can walk out into the turbine room and get up close and personal to the turbine generators. There are viewing Windows into the turbines. The second tour is of the "fish ladder" and the fish counting area. This is absolutely amazing and I believe it would be of interest to anyone, even if you aren't particularly interested in fish. The fish ladder system is visible through plexiglass windows where you can observe the movements of all kinds of fish. I saw very small fish as well as quite large salmon and steelhead trout a coup,e of feet long. They post daily statistics on the fish count (yesterday the count was a little over 11,000 fish going up the ladder). They also give year to date counts, last 2 years and 10 year averages by fish species. You can draw your own conclusions as to whether or not the specific fish species is getting smaller or larger. I really loved this exhibit.

Went to see the working dam and power plant that is bonneville. Great visitor center with knowledgeable people awaiting any questions. The fish ladders were also a great place to be informed and amazed. Nice little gift shop with interesting things to purchase.

This was a very interesting site. There's the dam, the turbine and electrical equipment, and a visitor's center. Inside the visitor's center, you can view the fish-ladders from underwater and see the fish swimming back up the river. It is a good place to go on a rainy day (which this was). Watching the fish swim upstream was fun.

Had never visited Bonneville before, and was glad to have the opportunity to do so. This dam was the first to tame the mighty Columbia River, and it set the pace for those which came after. It was a massive undertaking during the early years of the Great Depression, and it served its purpose well by providing employment and electric power to the the Northwest. The dam, spillways, locks and fish ladder all are wonderful viewing opportunities, and you should also view the movie on the construction of the dam. What a gutsy undertaking!

More than the physical presence, the dam offers something if you are interested in how electricity is provided to the northwest, if you are interested in construction of such a massive structure, if you are interested in fish and ecology of the river, if you are interested in transportation and commerce on the river, and even a bit about the native cultures of the area. There are several floors of exhibits and viewing areas, a couple of recreation areas where you can picnic, and movies and slide shows. Hosts offer tours that go into the power plant a couple of times each day (see website), and are available to answer questions at their information desk. There is also a small gift shop and clean restrooms. So you can spend 3-4 hours here, or as little time as you wish. There is no admission charge and lots of free parking. The grounds and setting are beautiful. You are just a few minutes away from Multnomah Falls, so it is easy to combine the two for a day trip out of Portland.

We were driving from the airport to our B & B in Hood River and were early so we stopped in. It's a very interesting place. We saw fish trying to swim upstream from underground and we walked around and saw the big sturgeon. We snagged some fantastic hot dogs from a vendor outside. They have a great gift shop and all in all we're glad we stopped.

Visited on our trip to Oregon. Interesting historical items. Saw fish ladder and osprey nest. Lots of educational information.

I favor informative trips and if the views are good is even better. This location has both. It is clearly made for visitors to be informed and have access to the varios parts of such a large facility. The fish steps, proximity to the fish hatchery, the locks, the power generation plant, the actual dam, and other outdoor oriented activities was great. It also does not require a lot of time to do.

I've visited the Dam more than once and always find it interesting and educational. The facility is always clean and the staff are always cordial and helpful from the first minute you're on the property until you've completed your visit. Go back in different seasons too.

This is a great family friendly free place to visit. The kids were fascinated with the fish ladder and the ability to see them at the lower level
The movies were helpful to learn what a great engineering feat it was to build the dam
In addition the fish hatchery on the site right next to the dam was really awesome and we'll organized

This was a great visit as we got to learn how a dam works and how they deal with the fish as they need to cross the dam.
Excellent guided tour which is free. Totally recommend!! Very knowledgeable guides will answer questions and explain in detail how it all started up to how the fish stairs work, etc. Adults and kids can ask questions after the tour is done.
The turbine site is awesome. And you can only visit that if you take the tour so make sure you check their website or call in advance as to plan your visit with time to make it to the tour.
It was raining and cold when we visited and they still did the tour so weather is not an issue.

Don't miss Herman the 70-year-old Sturgeon! Huge.
The dam has an excellent learning center and a window view of a working fish ladder.

The fish hatchery for salmon, trout and sturgeon is not only really well done from and educational standpoint it is on lovely grounds. Great place for a picnic and for kids to run around

An exciting place to visit. Go down in the lift and see the salmon. get to know the history of the locks. Very educational.

This impressive dam was originally opened in 1937 in the Columbia river gorge to provide electrical power generation. The reservoir formed behind the dam is Lake Bonneville. Building this structure had an effect on fish migration along the river, therefore the dam features 'fish ladders' to help salmon and steelhead get past the dam on their journey upstream to spawn. This is a popular attraction for visitors during the spawning season. Amazingly California sea lions may also be seen as they are also attracted to the large number of fish. Knowledgable staff are on site to answer questions and provide useful information.

You can visit the powerhouse of the dam on a free self guided tour. On the internet it said that this part of the dam can only be visited on a guided tour at fixed hours but that has been cancelled for the permanent self guided tour. There is a ranger present to answer all you questions. The building and the huge turbines are very impressive. The visitor center with the underwater windows on the fish steps on the lowest floor level is very impressive as well. If possible, listen to a talk by the ranger to explain things. The underwater windows looking out on the fish steps are crowded with trout, salmon and lamprey. You can also look at the fish steps outside and see the trout and salmon jump from step to step. The visit is completely free.

Great place to visit! Go in conjunction with a very interesting visit to the neighboring fish hatchery. Both are highly educational in regards to the fish migration & fish ladder.

Very good visitor center. We went on the tour and had Jon as our guide. He was very good and answered all the questions. It was fun to visit the lower level and see the fish ladder and how they are counted.

It is interesting to see the fish ladder that was built for the fish to use to get over the dam. The displays are so interesting. In addition, the site has beautiful flowers. We always stop here when we go to the Columbia Gorge.

the museum and the grounds are very informative about the current grounds and the history. be prepared for a certain wait for security scrutiny before entering

knowledgeable staff and large facility to explore. Depends on the time of the year as to what you will see. Great engineering experience

Don't forget to see the movie, go up on the observation deck, and tour the power plant. The dam/locks operations were very interesting. We saw sea lions out in the water. The inside museum is interesting and it also has big windows for viewing the salmon as they swim upstream with the use of the manmade "ladders." You can also see them outside where the ladders are located. Gift shop and clean restrooms.

We hadn't planned to visit this spot but saw the sign and decided to stop. The man at the info desk was very welcoming, enthusiastic and knowledgeable. He gave us a lot of good information before we took a self-guided tour. We have enjoyed visiting other locks and dams, but this one is different because of the fish hatchery. The fish viewing area and fish ladder were great. So glad we visited.

Great area to find out about the fish ladders, also the history of Bonneville dam. If you get the opportunity to go on the tour of the power house it is very informative

This was a hidden stop for us, we saw a sign for it & were curious about what it was, so we decided to stop. We are glad that we did. There was information about the dam, & locks, & how the fish migrate. There are viewing areas so that you can watch the fish. Overall it was a very informative stop, and I would highly suggest it.

Some people find this an interest day out but I detest each and every one of the nine dams that are located on the Columbia river , especially the Grand Coulee which single handedly wiped out an entire species of salmon since it was not required at the time of it's construction to include a fish ladder vital to the survival of this prolific species , the incredibly important salmon robbing the Native Americans and their future generations of their traditional way of life and livelihood . Those dams have caused all sorts of unnatural dilemmas for all river fish and their reproduction cycles and hatchery raised fish are not the answer know how great we humans think they are . Many wild species are sadly already extinct on this the third largest river in the USA , pitiful !

Worth stopping to see this! You have to go through a security gate to enter. This is an Army Corp feat!

This is a wonderful stop after joining all of the tourists that visit the falls. You can see a fish ladder from above ground as well as below through several windows. The power generating story and tour is well worth while as well as the fish hatchery nearby. Don't be afraid of the armed guards that stop you before you can enter the site. It only shows the importance of the dam and generating station.

We were staying in Hood River for a few days and were on a scenic drive from Hood River towards Portland. We intended to make the usual stops at waterfalls, but then we stumbled across the Bonneville Lock & Dam. Oh my gosh! What a find. You must enter through security as it is run by the Army Corp of Engineers. We head straight up to the Visitor Center and to get an overview of what they had to offer. Such the educational site!! We took the stairs down four flights (elevator is available) to a large viewing room of the salmon climbing the ladder, along with the Pacific lamprey as they migrate upstream in the Columbia River to spawn. There are multiple windows for viewing. We were lucky enough to be there at the time for the talk and explanation of what we were seeing and how the Bonneville Lock & Dam all came about. Outside there is a wonderful viewing area to watch the salmon climb the ladder. Visitors are able to walk around and view the Dam. There is a gift shop for souvenirs. One could expect to spend 2 -3 hours depending on your interest. I wish we had more time. We would have liked to drive to the Washington side of the river for a tour they offer. We were so impressed. Highly recommend a stop if you have time in the area.

Both sides of the Bonneville Dam are open to tourists. We visited the powerhouse on the north side and took the tour of the powerhouse. We also visited the fish ladder and were able to view the fish through windows in a lower room. We then visited the south side of the dam and toured the lock. We were able to watch a towboat and barges being raised in the lock. There was adequate parking everywhere. The Corps staff and volunteers were very helpful. Do be aware that if you go to the visitor's center on the south side you may be stuck there for a while if a ship goes through the locks since access to the visitor's center is via a swinging bridge over the lock.

My wife and I recently visited the Bonneville Lock and Dam and had a great time. There are wall placards with descriptions with explanations of the area as well as some windows through which you can watch the salmon climbing up "ladders." You are pretty much on your own here and can wander through the power house as you wish. There is a security gate through which you must pass to gain entry to the grounds.

If your on the CRG highway...check this out. There is a visitors center with some interesting info and places to view the dam and picnic if you like. Drive around and see the locks and all the things around them.

This is a free tour with very knowledgeable and friendly volunteers. Even the gate guards are very friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed the visit

The visitor center was very nice. The displays were informative and well done. It was fascinating to watch the fish swim up the fish ladder to get around the dam. You could watch underwater from the lower level in the visitor center, or from outside next to the ladder. The view of the spillway was also very good.

Informative and interesting study of a working dam, including the history, the locks, water management, electric generation, and measures to protect the fish population. Something that city folk need to see to better appreciate the wonders and harnessing of nature to provide electric power for the northwest.

Wow great appreciation of environment changes when it come to Salmon species plus the endangered Sturgeon. Programs enlighten public to migration and hatchery for fish. The damn spillway is breathtakingly beautiful and it’s fascinating to see up close salmon swimming up designed areas that make it easy for them to get to spawning areas. You can see up close in visitors area on lower level fish swimming by windows as well as upper deck view. The grounds are easy to navigate and before entering area you will be stopped and ask to check car for security. Well worth the visit.

We went there end of Aug. The Powerhouse was open to public to visit. Just rang the bell at the entrance. A ranger would open the door and you could see some exhisbits about the the Powerhouse.

Definitely worth a visit!! Beautiful setting, great visitor center. Be sure to see the movie on the making of the dam. Was able to view ospreys in their best. Wheelchair accessible. Easy parking and no admission fees

We loved this experience and were lucky enough to view the lock in operation. It was so cool to see the barges lowered to be sent on their way down the river! The viewing areas are very informative. Stay as long and learn as much as you want. Nice gift shop. Friendly and knowledgeable volunteers.

Bonneville Lock & Dam, Bradford Island Visitor Center. Stop in and see the sights, impressive engineering and beauty in one place. Our Powerhouse Tour by Sheryl was outstanding!

My brother and Mom loved the dam, thought it was very interesting. To give a teenage girl perspective, I thought it was boring. I took a nice picture near the dam and we saw some cool fish. Other than that, unless you are interested in the engineering/environmental or historical aspect, I do not reccomend.

I stopped at the Bonneville Dam area. It’s actually on both states, Oregon and Washington but I stopped on the Oregon side. It was a cool place to see all that electricity generated and also to see how they have constructed “steps” where fish can get by the dam. It was a very cool place and its’ very educational and informative. It was free to get in and worth a quick trip to explore!!!!

Very educational. Has a lot of information regarding the history of the dam, fish, power generation, navigation and locks. Staff at the information center were fantastic in providing an overview of what the place as well as additional information. They were eager to answer questions and give suggestions on other sites to visit. It was at their suggestion that we visited the Fish Hatchery and we were so glad we did. We got to see Herman the 87 yr old Sturgeon as well as check out the fish swimming against the strong current to travel upstream in the fish ladders.
Get there early to avoid possible long waits - owing to increased security. They inspect the vehicles, inside and out, before permitting you to the visitor center. This pertains only to entrance to the dam - the fish hatchery is a straight up visit. Budget about an hour for the dam visit and an additional hour for the hatchery for a basic visit. It may be a a little more or less based on your interest level.

Now almost 80 years old, the Bonneville Dam is showing its age, at least in the buildings that house the offices and other structures where the public are permitted access. As with other fish ladders that we visited in the Northwest during April the fish were few and far between. Many visitors stood for half an hour or more at the underground portals where migrating fish pass without seeing a single one. Whether this is a temporary loss or something more permanent was not clear from the information provided. The dam and its attendant systems is very well explained on many cutaway and aerial illustrations so there is much to be learned by those who care to investigate them.

I sat through a short movie about the history and worth your time. There is a person who also gives a speech about the dam and fish that swim by. Then, takes you to the dam area to view its inside, short but sweat.

This was one of the most breath taking view of the Columbia river. The power of the river captured.This is well worth the review.

Highly informative. This is my first visit to an attraction managed by us army corps of engineers. The exhibition was informative and interactive. I could not see salmons flowing through the stream due to the muddy water condition, but my visit was worth it. Expect to spend about an hour if you are interested in knowing more about history and science.

We took the Dam Tour on the Washington state side of the gorge. The tour was very good. There were viewing windows to see the fish trying to swim upstream to spawn. We saw the turbines up close. It is not as crowded on the Washington side. On the Oregon side we went to the fish hatchery which was interesting.

Great place to visit! So much history on this lock and dam site. Great views of the water....lots of information on the walls, can take a tour, and fun, fun watching the fish swim up the fish ladders.

Bonneville is very interesting. There is a short movie in the Visitor Center (on the Oregon side) where you can learn about the history of the lock and dam. The Visitor Center has a lot of photos and information and on the bottom floor you can see the fish ladders, where the salmon and other fish swim up stream. It is extremely interesting. We really enjoyed our visit.
After visiting here you can drive to the fish hatchery (on the same property) and see (among other things), Herman the Sturgeon. If you don't know who he is check out his socials. It's definitely worth the visit!

We dropped by early one morning but found that the dam doesn't accept visitors before 0900. So, to kill some time we dropped by the adjacent fish hatchery, which opened at 0800, and were very pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. First off, the grounds were wonderfully landscaped, with flowers and natural looking pools and even a small waterfall. The sturgeon pool was absolutely fantastic - it had a couple of "fish" that were over seven feet long! There was even a viewing window that showed the pond from underwater - and the big fish swam right by the window for a fantastic view. The dam was nice, with a very well-done visitor center and lots of historical information. The underwater windows looking out into the fish ladders were wonderful and kept us interested watching the salmon, smelt, and lampreys swim by. The power-plant is now open for viewing and shouldn't be missed. All in all, we enjoyed it more than we did the near-by and much more famous waterfalls.

When we drove to Portland last summer from Chicago this was the route we took. It was beautiful, but it was dark out. We’re back again & Multnomah parking was full so we drove a little further to see to Bonneville lock. My grandson was very interested in the fish ladder, watching the fish swim up while the water is going down. The volunteers were very helpful & we even saw the lock draining, the bridge turning & the barge moving through. I must say, don’t miss it, very interesting & doesn’t cost anything!!!!

Good experience at historic dam that is still fully operational. The museum and grounds provide for an Intellectual and fun tour. Recommended.

We visited this place because I'm a power engineer but my wife found it fascinating.We first visited the old generation station. The water turbines can be started in only 5 minutes as power requirements dictate. Like every well run power house, the place was spotless.Next we visited the fish ladder. Several varieties of fish were traveling up the ladder. Visitors can watch them by walking alongside the ladder or by going into the viewing room where the fish are counted.The fish were running heavy this day.The new dam was releasing a torrent of water this day. This place is worth the visit even if you aren't an engineer.

The dam itself is worth a visit. The engineering that go into a dam and locks is fascinating. Security is tight when you enter, but once you get to the visitors center there are people there to answer any questions you have about the area. They also have a nice little gift shop area with some unique offerings. The dam is huge, and they have the largest fish ladder that I have seen so far. No cost to enter, and there are nice restrooms available. Well worth a stop.

The whole complex is very interesting, the 2 dams (one for each channel, WA &OR)the fish ladders, the counting windows and tour guide provides some good info'.

This was a really entertaining and educational experience for adults and children. Understanding what the dam and fish ladder do was very interesting. This is a must do for people visiting Portland. By the way the best viewing for a large amount of fish in the viewing windows is September.

Very good displays, movies and tour without any costt. The Corps of Engineers offers a free tour and a look at the dam's power house for those interested in the history and interworkings of the lock and dam. On the lower level there are large viewing windows to watch fish maneuver their way up and down the fish ladder. On the top floor there is an observation deck. There are displays on different levels to provide information about the location and the history of the lock and dam. Volunteers share their knowledge of the lock and dam.
Also located on the property as you first arrive is a turn off to a fish hatchery. You can view lots of fish in the large tanks. In one tank that is in a small building you can see Herman, the 70 year old sturgeon who weighs about 425 pounds. He hangs out there with some other very large friends.

We took some friends who were visiting for a day to the Bonneville Dam and Locks on the Washington Side. It was a cold and rainy day with some snow still on the ground but it was warm inside the facility. Our tour guide was excellent! He knew everything about the dam, from its operation, construction, energy generation, and its impact on the environment and the native people who rely on the river. The viewing area for fish migrating upstream would have been interesting but it was too early in the season to see any fish. It was a very good tour. I highly recommend it.

This is a large hydroelectric dam on the Columbia River. It has interesting exhibits on electricity (especially hydroelectricity), area information (including about the Native people and Lewis and Clark), and windows into the fish ladders.
We always hear about salmon using fish ladders - but lampreys also make the same sort of migration. And we were in lamprey migration season rather than salmon migration season. I never imagined seeing so many lampreys in one place.

We stopped here on recommendation from a park ranger as we were finding so many roads closed throughout the River Gorge area. We enjoyed our time here. It was nice to be inside on a hot day and there were many interesting exhibits and view points. The fish ladder was very interesting. Children would be especially interested in this place.

Interesting historically, but so-so as an attraction - this is not the Hoover dam! Worth a stop and photo if you are following the river as we were, but wouldn't go out of our way to be there.

This place was great. I had read good reviews and wanted to check it out after waterfall overload. So glad we spent a couple of hours here. Had planned for a shorter visit but we actually spent over 2 hours. Arrived in time to learn something from the host when checking in, then watched the video, checked out the fish ladder and then powerhouse 1. Really enjoyed watching around the facility and everyone there was super knowledgeable. Went over to fish hatchery after which was pretty impressive as well. Make time to visit when you are in the area.

The Bonneville dam, lock, and fish ladder are a great place to stop if traveling I84. There is a visitor center which has many displays to explain the dam and ladders along with the fish you will see. We all enjoyed the fish ladder. Our 2 1/2 yo loved this stop.

A must-see for so many reasons - the natural and human history, the competition between nature and harnessing nature. We came from the Oregon side, through the security check, and headed for the visitors center. One of the best views of the dam is from the rooftop viewing area, displaying its size and the power of the river at the same time. The dam is built across a narrow section of river created when a Washington-side mountainslide slid into and across the river, mythically creating a path for the Cascade-volcano gods to walk across the river. Of course the river broke a channel through, and that is where the dam and the "Bridge of the Gods" sit.
Inside the visitors center, our highlight was the bottom-level viewing area for the fish ladder. The underwater allow you to see the fish making their way up. Traffic was slow on the cloudy morning we visited, but it was fascinating to see even a few fish migrating through. You can also walk along the channel of steps, and the rooftop viewing area must be exciting when there is a big fish run.
We weren't interesting in taking the tour of the powerhouse, but it sounded like a great visit for seeing big machinery.

Loved visiting the Dam. Very informative and the kids enjoyed it young and old.. Guided tours are available also which was awesome

The trip through the lock on the sternwheeler was very interesting. Bonneville Dam fish ladder is worth the time, and this year they've started doing tours so you can ask questions.

I wanted to go, my wife didn't. I was driving, so we went. ;-)
Both of us were glad we did.
My wife loved the views of the river and the fish ladder, and the history recounted in the visitor center. I liked that and the tour of the turbine station (which I think she even found interesting, though less than me).
We both agreed it was a highlight of our Columbia River Gorge trip. And, the price was right!

Easy exit going both directions off of I84.

Four separate things to see. The Dam itself, which is amazing. The fish ladder which can been above and below water level. The navigation lock which has a different parking lot and viewing area. And the fish hatchery.

The kids will love the fish hatchery. Fingerlings all the way to huge rainbow trout and sturgeons.

Ask the volunteers at the Dam if there is river traffic coming to go through the locks. Takes about 30 minutes. The lock is 676 feet long and rises 90 feet.

We had a fascinating guided tour of the power house followed by a self-guided tour to look through viewing windows into the fish ladder. Everyone should visit here.

A lot to see and do. very modern with restrooms and souvenir shop on site. Watch the fish pass through the dam through the glass windows. a good place to stretch your legs .

Lots of water going through this Dam. The Visitor Center is very nice, and viewing from different levels via elevator.
The views are really impressive.

This place is awesome. So glad the volunteer told us about the power plant tour that was available until 4 pm - we just made it and worth it. The fish ladders were so interesting to watch and then to go under them and watch thru glass at fish going was amazing. There is observation floor on top and great views of dam outside as well. This is nice side trip off Hwy 84.

Most people visit the Oregon side to see the original Dam, Powerhouse1, and fish ladder. You can also stop at the Fish Hatchery and Locks (each a short drive from the Dam with their own parking lots. Locks only open in the afternoon.) But the newer Powerhouse2 on the WA side offers free tours of the power plant, and also a Visitors Center and fish ladder with underwater viewing. Tours offered 10:30, 1:30, 4:30 (check website). To get to the Washington side from the Oregon side you have to drive farther east on I-84 to next exit - Cascade Locks and cross the Bridge of the Gods ($2 toll), then go back west to the WA Visitor Center. The guided tour was definitely worth it - you go all through the power plant to see it working (skeleton staff Fri-Sun).

The visit to this dam was very interesting. The underground viewing windows of the salmon ladder are the highlight. We could have spent hours watching the fish and lamprey eels. Learned a lot. Had a nice picnic on the grounds overlooking the Columbia River.

Impromptu stop to check it out. Unaware was even there. Very nice well maintained facility. Interesting watching the fish swim against current in fish ladders

The Bonneville Dam has a great Visitor's Center with friendly and knowledgeable staff. The exhibit that shows how fish use the ladders to get upstream to spawn is fascinating! There are many hiking trails too but I did not have time on this visit to try any. Interesting stop for history buffs and nerdy science types :-)

This was an unexpected but incredibly awesome stop on the way to Portland. First, the drive to the visitor center is amazing, as you actually get to drive over the dam. The visitor center is five stories, and full of engaging and exciting exhibits. It is run by the National Park Service, and it does not disappoint. In the fall spring and summer, you can actually watch the fish swim through the locks. Since I went during the winter, they were closed for maintenance, but there were still great exhibits to learn about the different types of fish. The hatchery is a must see while you were there. The sturgeon tank is especially cool.

This is a very interesting place. There is a small exhibit as well as several views is the dam. Prior to the dam there is a large fish hatchery. Go check out the large trout and salmon towards the back.

This was the highlights during our stay at the Columbia George area. You will find water falls and vista of river everywhere, but this place is one of a kind you won't find anywhere else. There are several things to visit. You will see how they lower the water to allow the boats pass through, if you come at the right time(open 1pm to 5pm only). Make sure to go to the visitor center. We had a clear view of the dam outside the visitor center. The main level has exhibitions about Bonneville. Lower level allows you to watch under the water how fish pass through the dam. Walking outside the lower level are fish ladders, offering a different view of salmon run. The highest level of the building has a outlook platform. There is also a theatre. If you join the free tour by the ranger, you will not only get information about the dam, fish ladder, but also tour the power house. It was very interesting and informative. I Strongly recommend to spend one hour to half day there, especially if you have kids.

This no charge attraction is well worth the visit.Small museum, movie auditorium, and a great view of fish coming through the fish ladders.

Seeing the fish through the windows on the side of the ladders can be frustrating trying to figure out what's going on. Step outside on the observation deck to see the ladders from above and it all makes sense.

Note, the hatchery is co-located with the dam. If you arrive late in the afternoon see the dam museum first as it closes at 5. The hatchery remains open until sundown.

So my husband takes us to see Lock & Dam sites whenever we travel. This one was nice and we could get up close. They even have a tour, but we needed to eat lunch more than we needed to tour, unfortunately. (My husband is still sad about this.)

The people there are just adorable. Our girls had to buy buttons that they were making to sell for donations. Cheesy, silly, buttons! They were so kind, trying to interest us in the dam.

We thought the fish ladder was fun to see - first time we've gotten to see one of those in person :)

Stopped on a whim great choice took the tour rooted for the salmon as they went up the fish ladder. National Park. It was not crowded and very informative.

Sea Lions at the dam! So fun to find them..Great day trip..Nicest, knowledgeable staff! Definitely recommend..

This is a very informative stop, we stopped with our eco tour. We were able to see first hand how the fish ladders work. There are many educational displays in the visitor's center as well. I would recommend this as a side trip.

We visited the Columbia River Gorge on a very rainy day, which unfortunately resulted in us seeing very little of the gorge. The Bonneville Dam saved our day from being a complete washout. We went to the visitor centers on both sides of the river. Both were interesting, but we spent spent more time in the Washington side visitor center. They have a tour where you can walk right down onto one of the hydropower generators. And their fish viewing facilities are a bit more expansive than those on the Oregon side. Salmon migration was well underway and we spent quite a bit of time watching the fish swim by and trying to identify them.

We picked a great time to visit as the salmon were running through the dam and we got a great view, especially from the underwater viewing area. This is a free attraction and is great for adults and children alike.

Most big dams have visitor centers, but this is one of the better ones. Bonneville was the first dam on the Columbia, so it's historically interesting, but it also went through multiple episodes of upgrades and expansion, and the visitor center has kept pace with that, so it's a modern and well-thought-out facility. It has the usual stuff about electric power, salmon, and construction of the facility. It also has an excellent fish ladder viewing facility, which was shut down at the time of our visit because they were adding a lamprey flume, which will be unique. There's also a pretty well-equipped gift shop (I found the steel salmon and stuffed-animal lampreys with magnets in their mouths especially entertaining), and the facility grounds offer nice landscaping, a pleasant garden if you visit in the spring. If you go, be sure to take in the associateed fish hatchery and sturgeon pool.

Our family so enjoyed this place! There were 2 grandparents, 2 parents and 3 kids, 8,6, & 4. We had an amazing time watching all the fish and lampreys pass the windows where they are all actually counted by humans!! The people there were incredibly knowledgeable and gracious!! The kids got to board an early 1900’s fire truck, we went and watched the dam flowing. There were several floors to watch movies, play games, read really cool info.... it was a great day!

If you are into dams and in the area, make this a stop over tour. I did this after I did a tour of the dam on the Washington side and found it ok.

The gift shop is a place where you can buy international Stamps if the post office is closed and the volunteers KNOW their history and everything about the dam.

We spend a good afternoon there appreciating the dam itself and also got a few shad. Beautiful place.

The visitor center Increased our understanding of the many uses of the river. Free tour of the hydroelectric plant. Loved the underwater view of the fish ladders and the lady who is tasked with counting each fish, its size and type as it travels the ladders. Picnic grounds nearby. Good gift shop.

We drove in but could not see anything. The visitor's center and the hatchery were closed. We had to turn around and leave.

Fun place to stop on your way through the Gorge. Take your National Parks passport! Amazing structure, educational and beautiful scenery.

The Bonneville Lock and Dam is an impressive site, by the Army Core of Engineers. We walked around outside and also went inside to watch the fish that were in the locks and walk through history. Staff on hand to answer questions and everyone was so nice.

The Bonneville Lock and Dam consists of several dam structures across the Columbia River on the border of Oregon and Washington.
The Bonneville Locks and Dam is located 40-miles east of Portland, in the Columbia River Gorge. The primary functions of Bonneville Lock and Dam are electrical power generation and river navigation.
The dam was built and is managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. At the time of its construction in the 1930's it was the largest water project of its type in the nation, able to withstand flooding on an unprecedented scale.
The Bonneville Dam Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1987. The dam creates Lake Bonneville. The two Bonneville powerhouses generate about 5 billion kWh of electricity each year. The Bonneville Dam supplies nearly 500,000 homes with electricity, assuming each household consumes 10,000 kWh of electricity per year.
Free tours are given daily thorough the Bradford Island Visitor Center, or you can take a much more limited look yourself. This is what we did.

Leaned a lot about not only hydroelectric but also about the fish in the area and conservation. Much of the area is also open for trails and fishing

Interesting sidetrip for an hour or two, for all ages. Children enjoy watching fish struggle through the water. There is a nearby fish hatchery, where you can feed the fish. It is also interesting to learn about construction and electrical power generation. There is a small movie theater where you can rest and watch the movie. All this and the price is zero. There are walking paths if you need some exercise. Security is tight.

Bonneville Dam and Locks was an interesting experience. There is a tour of the power plant. Call to find out the time. There are windows at the bottom of the facility where you can watch the fish swim through. Make sure to check out the fish hatchery right outside the gate.

Met at the site by an armed federal agent who searched our trunk. It was a rainy and foggy day as the fog hung low on the gorge walls. The visitor center is warm and inviting with much to see. We enjoyed watching the fish in the fish ladders and they have a nice store there with many exhibits.

We loved our visit to the Bonneville Lock & Dam. Even better—it’s free! We chose the self-guided option, which was easy to follow and very informative. I’d recommend planning about an hour to explore the dam and the fish ladder.

The displays do an excellent job of explaining how the dam was built and how the fish ladder helps salmon migrate. It was fascinating to see both the engineering side and the natural side come together in one place. Truly an engineering wonder!

Afterward, we enjoyed hiking down to the river on nearby trails and watching people fish along the banks. It made for a perfect mix of learning and outdoor activity.

If you’re traveling through the Columbia River Gorge, this is a must-see stop that’s both educational and enjoyable for all ages.

Fascinating look at the dam but be warned, if no ranger staff available between tours then you are left to wander in limited areas. We were travelling through so had to move on without the tour.

Wandering up through the mountains, following our noses on a leisurely day of sight-seeing. Turned off here, and had the time of a lifetime! See the dam and locks! Fish ladder viewing! See HERMAN the Giant Sturgeon! An amazing visit!

The dam is very impressive and the displays in the information center are very informative. Be sure to get a guided tour of the dam to get even more information and to be able to enter the turbine room. This is very interesting. Considering that the dam was built in the 1930s, it is pretty amazing what they accomplished with the tools they had at that time.

The fish ladders are also very interesting and the underwater viewing area is great for seeing the salmon going upstream and to see lampreys. The fish counting area and the technique used to count the salmon migration is also very interesting.

all members of our family thoroughly enjoyed the views of this huge damn along with the drive into the visitor center where we were able to see the fish ladder and actual fish swimming Upstream.

It's amazing to be able to see what's involved with the design and engineering of building a dam and locks. Just look at the big turbine! Even more amazing that you can see the ladders that the fish use and find out that people used to sit in front of the window and count fish before it was automated.

As others have mentioned this is a true engineering marvel! A very worthwhile trip, even if you don't have an engineering background you could truly appreciate the obstacles that they had to overcome in order to harness the energy from the powerful Columbia River. Anyone would marvel at the locks as you drive from the front entrance to the main Bradford Island Visitor Center/ U.S. Corps of Engineers structure. Definitely go downstairs to view the underwater migration of salmon as they make their way to their spawning grounds.Looking at the tables it looked like the summer time and especially around this time of year is when the run is at its highest. I could be wrong but you could probably call to get that type of information. There is a great informative center at the main entrance, helpful staff and volunteers that answer all your questions. Take some time on the 3rd floor where there are a couple of theatres showing film productions of the history and construction of the dam, a real walk back in time. Depending on the time of year they hold a 45 min. tour a few times a day of the powerhouse which unfortunately we did not have the time to see. Make this stop a part of your agenda if possible, very worthwhile.

Less than an hour's drive from Portland, this active dam offers a fascinating slice of history. FDR authorized it in 1933 not only provide power to the NW, but to get men working during the Depression. Essentially, it employed 3000 during its four year construction. A small museum places the location in context, beginning with Native Americans through present. I saw the fish ladders from above and underwater (some Pacific lampreys were attached to the glass). The free tour of the power facility is also first rate. Tours only occur at certain times -- it might help to call ahead. Had I known, I would have timed my visit to tour the 2nd facility (Washington side), which enables you to walk above an actual turbine.

Took the guided tour. The leader was very earnest and animated, but in the powerhouse you only get to stand on a platform and look out over the row of generators, that's it. You don't actually get to walk down or around anything. In other dams, e.g. Hoover Dam, I recall being able to see a lot of more. Also, while large, the whole Bonneville complex is not particularly scenic or beautiful, more grungy industrial. Worth a short stop, but keep your expectations low. Would have been more fun if it was the season to see fish swimming upstream.

We went here on our vacation to the Gorge. It's a beautiful location and it's interesting to see the salmon run. Worth some of your time if you are near the area. Great for kids.

My family and I really enjoy visiting places like this while on vacation. It's free, it's full of educational information, and you get to see some pretty amazing things. First of all the dam itself is a wonder of engineering, plus the frothing spillway is pretty darn impressive. The visitor's center has four floors available for various activities - on the roof is a 360 degree view of the area; next floor down has education exhibits and a book store; next one down is the theater, which has a couple of viewing areas. We watched the movie about the making of the dam in the larger theater. Then down below is the fish ladder viewing area, where you can watch the fish stream by. When we were there, there was a large cluster of lampreys all sucked onto the viewing window, maybe 15 or 20 of them, all with their mouths latched to the window and their bodies streaming out behind like Medusa's hairdo. Creepy fun! Plus you can watch through a window as the fish counter does her thing. Outside, you can look down at the fish ladder as the various fish leap up the steps, and then walk over to the power plan to see the massive generators.

We really enjoyed touring this dam and fish ladders. The exhibits were very interesting. I especially like the display on Lewis and Clark and their journey, it was also fun to see the fish trying to climb the ladder.

Been here a few times. Elementary age kids found the theater videos boring, but loved the fish viewing area and also finding a couple geocaches close by.

If you are driving through to go see the Oregon coast this is a Great place to stop and stretch your legs ( and use the rest room) for no charge. This place has an amazing view of the river, locks and channels. then inside the visitor center you have an awesome presentation of the history and use of the locks and dam established through out the whole Washington Idaho Oregon area. It also has an awesome display on the lower levels for the fish ladders. a whole observation wall for the Fish ladder. You can watch the salmon climb back up the ladder.
This place is located outside of portland not to far from the falls. I highly reccomend it.

It was a wonderful place to visit. Would be worth it to go when the salmon are migrating back, we saw one but it wasn't busy.

The immense power of the water from the dam is worth the stop by itself. Super cool. But there’s so much more. The lock system is fascinating, and I’d love to see a boat moving through, but if you ask questions they gladly explain what takes place. And of course, the famous fish viewing windows are mesmerizing. I can only imagine at the height of the salmon runs that it’s incredible. Also, don’t miss Herman the Sturgeon!

Amazing how much work goes into ensuring the fish can swim up-river even when faced with a large dam. Amazing too that they keep refining the system to get an even better outcome for the fish. They have a near 98% rate of survival. The person welcoming us in was super knowledgeable and friendly. It was sad to see the place near empty - come visit, especially with kids it is great to see the fish and the lamprey swim by against the strong current. I cannot, however, imagine being one of the fish counter for 8 hours a day! That is a lot of concentration...

the dam spans two different states (oregon and washington) and can be visited from either end. however, there is no road connecting in straight line from one end of the OR dam to the other end of WA dam.

I have visited the WA side (Cascades Island) several years ago. his time around, I had the chance to visit the dam on OR side (Robins and Bradford Islands). you can do all 3 islands in one day, just require a U-shape loop, and make sure you arrive before it closes at 5 pm.

I would say the visits to both are fairly similar, with fish ladders being the main attraction. but I think there are more things to see / do on the OR side

The fish ladder and all the information at the visitor center was quite interesting. Great Place to see the fish for kids in the summer or early fall. Not very wheelchair accessible because the elevator was shut down when I visited.

Between the Fish ladder, the dam, the Navigation Lock and the fish hatchery, there is a lot to see here. Finished up spending a lot more time here than we anticipated as there was so much to do

We thought we were going to see just the lock and dam, but the Corp of Engineer building offered much much more information. Our trunk was searched before we were allowed to enter. History and visuals were located inside the building. The fish ladder was outside. You can view the water under the fish ladder from the building. There was someone there to help you understand the process.

Bonneville Locks made for a very interesting experience. Power is supplied all over the Northwest from this facility. Shipping also moves up and down the Columbia River Gorge through the Lockes. The fish ladders are amazing. The efforts to enable the areas’ fish to maintain their lifecycle is fascinating. Loved the entire time we spent there. Highly recommend.

We stopped here after seeing the hatchery. The facility is nice and the exhibits are interesting. With effort you can see fish swimming up the ladder via an underwater viewing platform. If you're in a rush though, you probably won't like the extra time to stop.

It was beautiful and educational
Peaceful and tranquil. I even got the kiss Bigfoot! It is a worth wild stop as you explore the Columbia River Gorge. The up close view of NW native fish species and the folliage alone make it a must see. Clean and family friendly. Plenty of parking and a great back drop for family photos.

At the entrance your vehicle will be checked, so just be prepared. Nothing to worry about, just a security precaution. When you arrive at the Bradford Island Visitors Center you will get to check out several floors of information. The lower floor has the fish counters and viewing areas where you can see the fish swimming through. The fish counters keep track of each species and the number that travel through the fish ladder safely upriver. There is a lot of information regarding the fish and the lock and dam.

Came here to see the dam and were surprised by the level of information available.

Information covered the whole hydro system, the construction, how it works and the salmon and other fish migration.

An interesting place. Took some time to find the access to drive to get a good view. Worth a stop otherwise.

Incredible infrastructure projects as part of the New Deal. Controversial because of the incredibly negative effects on fisheries, Native Americans. But, great to tour the powerhouse to see the generators, hear the roar of the spillway. Incredible to think how this was built, incredible setting.
Be sure to see the fish ladders, too. Shad at this time of year.

Having read so much about the destruction of the salmon due to dam construction on the river, I was dubious about this visit. But they've done a good job turning this into a federal facility and demonstration center. All vehicles are inspected on the way in.

There are rangers at the entrance and if you're lucky, you can take a 45 minute tour through the power plant, walking above the turbines. You can often see seals waiting by the fish ladder to catch salmon
At the fish viewing area, you can view the fish on the ladders first from above and then under water. It's an amazing site when the fish are running. We saw various type of salmon, including the large Chinook, smaller fish, and lamprey eel. The fish count the day before said over 20,000 Chinook had passed up the ladder.

About 80%of the fish counted in recent years are hatchlings, raised above the dams and released to the sea where they live up to 4 years before returning to where they were hatched--they clip the fish and can tell. Fish counters sit for 8 hour shifts, counting the different type of salmon, which route they take, and whether they are hatchlings. Phew--a hard job.

We visited the modern Washingto side where the second dam was built in 1976 but you can visit the Oregon side as well. The lock for ships passes on the Oregon side.

My husband and I spent a little over an hour at the Bonneville Lock and Dam. We attended the free tour of one of the dams as well. Our tour was interesting. We learned about the Dam and fish ladders. I could hardly believe how clean the dam interior was. We enjoyed watching the salmon jump the fish ladder. There is a small museum. On the lower level of the museum, there is a window where we watched salmon jumping the ladder from under water level. Bonneville Lock and Dam is a must see and do. And it is free.

Bonneville Lock & Dam is very good place to take the family. They have the fish ladders when you can see the fish making the way up river, they swim right be the window. They have fish ponds where you can feed the fish, and learn about them too. Sturgeon pond, trout and Salmon.

We were there in April 2019 which is not good fish time but still a fascinating place.
Really enjoyed the trip. We did not do the tour but walked around ourselves. saw heaps and there was so much to learn form material provided. I bought some great souvenirs at gift shop that were uniquely educational about the area. i learnt so much here.
The fish ladder impressive and the sturgeon were enormous

We ended up here almost by accident when the parking lot for Multnomah Falls was full - and we were very glad we did. Our boys - 11 and 12 - actually learned something and enjoyed watching the fish in the ladders and looking for osprey. Seeing all that water rushing out of the spillways was quite something. The visitor centre had lots of information and interactive displays (ie buttons the boys could push) and the volunteers were friendly and knowledgeable. Visitors are allowed inside the power station, which was interesting for the adults; but, since all the action is hidden from view, the boys were bored by it. We stopped on a whim, and ended up spending almost 2 hours here. Oh, and it was all free.

Well setout with easy access for viewing. The fish ladder underwater view was interesting. Crossing the dam by vehicle was an adventure. Well worth a stop.

We had a wonderful visit and tour with Caelan. Caelan was very knowledgeable about the dam and its history. If travelling the Columbia River Gorge, the Bonneville Lock, Dam and Power Plant is a must see. A small gift shop is on site. The visit and tour are free.

We had just traveled down the Columbia through all the locks and I wanted to see the fish part of the dam. I wanted to see the fish ladder. It was interesting to see the ladder and the maze like structures they have for the fish to follow on the way "home". The visitors center inside was set up so that you could see through windows to see the fish. I am sure that during a fish run it would be an exciting thing to watch.

Getting to experience an Engineering marvel first hand was enjoyable for the kids. Watching the fish ladder was and don’t miss Herman the sturgeon , 10 feet long

It was a rainy day and we were looking for something to do rather than hike around in the rain. This was a perfect place to visit. Nicole, the guide, did a very good job explaining things. She had a good style and was perfect for the job.

We were with family who live in the area and they provided a lot of information about the dam and showed us the lower level where we saw the salmon trying to swim against the current. They have informative exhibits that explain not only the building of the dam, but also tell how it affected the natural salmon fishing areas the Native Americans used.

Very educational and scenic. Water thundering out of the spillway was quite impressive. Watching the fish through the viewing window was interesting, but of more interest was watching the fish from above in the fish ladder across the road where you could see hundreds of them at one time.

It was a great place to watch different fish. It was interesting to see different kinds of fish present around the dam. I heard that even sea lions swim up to this dam chasing salmon although I did not see them.

This is a great place for families with kids.

The dam is cool and the fish ladders are amazing. Lots of power. Great place for pictures. Staff are very helpful.

We spent most of our time observing the fish navigating the fish ladder. There are windows into the ladder as well as charts showing the different fish types. This allowed us to identify the various fish (and learn something!). There is a small interpretative center as well. We then moved on to the dam and turbines themselves. The building feels quite “governmental” with its heavy cement and funky smell but there is something here for those who like nature as well as science. I’d recommend about an hour or so for this stop. Free admission.

More enjoyable on our second time visit in summer to this historical and fully operational dam. We brought more people this time to show them around the dam as it was a very enlightening experience for us the first time. No parking fee, but strict security check on all cars before entering. Restroom is located on first floor as it is maintained well. Nice museum and viewing platform on the roof as well.

The dam is the same. Massive, majestic, powerful, literally. You turn on your kitchen lights in Portland, your electricity comes from here. Drive along, inches from the first power house to the Bradford Island Visitor Center on the Oregon side. This was built in 1975. I remember as child marvelling at the salmon literally climbing a nearly vertical fish ladder. Today's fish ladder is more of a progressive ramp or stairway. And still exciting to watch. Inside the visitor's center, you can stand at the window looking into the water rushing down the fish ladder to view the salmon and more swimming against the current up the ladder. The day I visited, the windows were so mucked up, you had 20% visibility. However, the fish counting staff left the window shade open so I could see thru a clear window. Salmon and shad in abundance. Wow. See your federal tax dollars at work, admission is free because you've already paid for it. Enjoy.

The dam and power house were interesting. Because we took the tour with the Corps of Engineers representative, we were allowed to visit the power house, even down by the turbines. We also enjoyed the informative movie.

Well...if you like water ways dams and sluices...this place is a must. We were just passing through and I felt compelled to pull over. Am a sucker for Brown Signs.

Interesting layout over 4 floors. View windows to see the fish migrate up the ladders for spawning.

Huge plant and engineering undertaking.

Took our 3 boys here for a couple of hours - really interesting! Lot's of history, interesting fish facts, interactive for the kids. Just overall a great afternoon stop!

Try to get a full tour including the docent led turbines area of the dam. Fascinating information about how they produce electricity! Also fun to see the fish ladder and learn how they count the fish making it up the ladder - including what kind, male or female, wild or farm-raised!

It was very interesting to learn about where our power supply originates. Great views of the dam and the fish ladders and many interesting displays throughout the building.

Worth a stop up the gorge. The fish ladder is fun to watch. We saw eels stuck to the windows. We watched fish fighting the current. It is a fascinating thing none of us knew anything about beforehand.

Found the dam visitors center very informative with an above and below water view of the salmon ladders. Also visited the fish hatchery for salmon twice as we were so impressed.

As a native Oregonian I love visiting places near and dear to me
The visitor center has lots of good facts and you can see the fish traveling up the ladders
The power provided by the dam has always impressed me with its efficiency

I have been here a few times and I always see something new and interesting. There is a lot of attractions and interactive sites. I have been on weekends and there never seems to be a crowd. Give yourself at least 2-3 hours to take it all in. Bring binoculars to see the sights in the river and dam.