AdventureSmith Explorations
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columbia river overview


Small ship cruises on the Columbia and Snake Rivers.

Mountain ranges spanning the length of the continent rise from boundless, fertile plains. Rivers with their headwaters in the Canadian Rockies rush relentlessly to the spray of the Pacific Ocean. Canyons, valleys, volcanoes and glaciers punctuate this landscape. And weaving through it all are the Columbia and Snake rivers.  Beginning as a trickle in the high alpine meadows of western Canada, the Columbia River flows through great, forested mountains and down desert canyons. Joined by the Snake River, it rolls with increasing force through fertile farmlands, past snow-covered volcanoes, and finally knifes through a mountain range to complete a 1,200-mile journey to the wide sea. This is the grand gateway to the West, pioneered by Lewis and Clark, roamed by fur traders, and traversed by courageous settlers as they forged their way over the Oregon Trail. Our comfortable, small ships and yachts are designed for exploring these historic waterways.