One of the most scenic and awe inspiring views of the Columbia River Gorge is from the summit of Mitchell Point.  The last few hundred feet of the trail takes you to a very steep and narrow vantage point that can experience 50mph winds with nothing to hold on to but the edge of the cliff.  If you're afraid of heights or of tumbling over 500 feet to the bottom of the gorge, you may want to stop when you start to feel a little dizzy or unbalanced.  However, if you decide to hike to the vantage point you will be rewarded with a fantastic view and you will feel like you're soaring with eagles.  The hike starts at Lausman Rest Area, which is about 2 miles west of Hood River.  If traveling east, take exit 58 and the rest area is just a few hundred feet from the Freeway.  There is plenty of parking and you can hear the roar of the cars as well as the wind howling through the gorge.  The trail itself is very dry with no water and the only views are of the Columbia River and the mountains. Parts of the trail are pretty dusty and parts of the switchbacks traverse through very loose rock so you can encounter some rock washout.  The trail is also very steep with limited even parts so plan on hiking the 1200 foot of elevation gain within the 1 mile hike.  I normally start to take my photos as soon as I get towards the opening of the cliff.  There are several great spots to set up your camera but the best spot is at the end of the trail, which pretty much drops completely off with only the river and the freeway below.  It can get very windy so plan on finding a safe spot to sit and you may not be able to set up a tripod to take photos due to the high winds.  I highly recommend this hiking trail if you really want to see how east meets west.  Looking east is Hood River and the climate is much drier and you can literally see how dry it is.  However, when looking west, you can see how dense and lush the forest is.  This photo is looking west and the water below is the Columbia River.  Since the hike is fairly short, you can set out on another hiking trail that takes you near some waterfalls.