Confluence Art Landscapes

Sponsored by Confluence

• Location: Washington
• Travel Type: Driving/Walking
• Tour Duration: 1 hour
• Language:

About This Tour
Confluence connects you to the history, living cultures, and ecology of the Columbia River system through Indigenous voices. We are a community-supported nonprofit that works through six art landscapes, educational programs, and public gatherings in collaboration with northwest tribes, communities, and the celebrated artist Maya Lin (designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.).

Through this tour, learn more about our art installations along the Columbia River, stretching to Cape Disappointment, Washington at the Pacific Ocean, to Chief Timothy Park, on the border near Idaho, along the banks of the Snake River. The total route spans 438 miles—along I-84, I-82, Highway 12, and others.

You'll see the stunning landscape of the Columbia River Basin shaped by millions of years of volcanic basalt and sculpted by flowing rainwater and snowmelt. Water that “cleansed a thousand places,” as one elder told us, gathers in the Big River, the Nch’i-Wána. These lands and rivers are also shaped by cultural traditions: knowledge, rules, and lifeways passed down through countless generations as a guide for how to live in balance with our natural environment. Elevating these Indigenous voices is both an act of justice and a call to action to take better care of our shared ecology.

As you drive along the river, and then walk, bike, or camp at these sites, use TravelStorysTM to learn more about the history, living culture, and ecology of…

·     The Fish-Cleaning Table, Cedar Circle, Amphitheater, Boardwalk and Overlook at Cape Disappointment State Park, in Ilwaco, Washington, in Chinook homelands.
·     The Land Bridge in Vancouver, Washington, where the Columbia River meets the historic Klickitat Trail.
·     The Bird Blind at Sandy River Delta, near Troutdale, Oregon.
·     The Story Circles at Sacajawea State Historical Park, where the Snake River meets the Columbia River in Pasco, Washington.
·     The Listening Circle at Chief Timothy Park, near Clarkson, Washington, in Nez Perce homelands.
·     The future site of the Celilo Arc, a 500-foot elevated walkway in Celilo Park, near The Dalles, Oregon.

Along this tour, you will:
·     Learn how Indigenous peoples lived in harmony with the land for centuries—fishing, trading, and leading rich spiritual lives.
·     Witness the encouraging results of restoration projects that are reversing the damage caused by human activities.
·     Encounter places where Lewis and Clark studied plants and animals during their famous expedition and learn how those species are faring today.
·     Admire beautiful art that honors both the landscape and the cultural heritage of the people who inhabited it.
·     Find quiet spots where you can contemplate our shared ecological history and the nature around you.

Join us in exploring this inclusive history of people and cultures coming together, like rivers flowing toward the same ocean.
 
Tour Sponsor
This tour is brought to you by Confluence, a community-supported nonprofit with the mission to connect people with the history, living cultures and ecology of the Columbia River system through Indigenous voices. In addition to building art landscapes in partnership with Tribes, Confluence has also built a series of education programs to bring Indigenous artists and educators into schools; organized public gatherings that elevate Native voices; and created a digital library of interviews, photo galleries and documentaries.

Find More Tours Near You
If you are interested in more audio tours in this region, check out Marys Peak to Pacific Scenic Byway, Exploring Portland, and Seattle Art and Design. To find more tours wherever your travels take you, visit TravelStorys.com. Every place has a story.