Comprised of around a dozen cliffs on the outskirts of Portland, Broughton Bluff provides easy access for the local urban climber. Many quality routes ranging from 5.4 topropes to 5.14 leads on Broughton's jumbled basalt cliffs are available for climbers of all abilities.
Climbing is possible all year at Broughton but can be difficult in the winter due to damp and soggy conditions, unless you can climb 5.12. Late Spring, Summer, and Fall are best.
By car:
Broughton Bluff is located at the mouth of the Columbia Gorge near the town of Troutdale. Take I-84 East from Portland to the Lewis & Clark State Park exit, turn left at the stop sign and drive under the railroad bridge, then park in the parking lot on the left. Take the trail leading towards the hillside and follow it up for a few hundred meters to the cliffs.
By transit:
Both options are about equally as long when coming from downtown, with the first requiring no transfers but more walking and the second one transfer but less walking.
Option 1: Take the 77 to 257th & Columbia River Hwy then walk down Columbia River Hwy for about 25 minutes (about 2km). Once you cross the bridge, turn left and the trail will be shortly on your right.
Option 2: Via either the 20, transferring at Kane & 29th, or the Blue Line, transferring at Gresham Central, take the 80 to the end of the line at Glenn Otto Park, cross the bridge, turn left, and the trail will be shortly on your right. About 10 minutes of walking in total.
Sacramento, CA
Bend, OR
Portland, OR
Chad Sep 16, 2021
New York, NY