Trails That Lure | 1920 | Documentary, Travelogue

Title: Trails That Lure | 1920 | Documentary, Travelogue Studio: U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Format: Silent, black-and-white Country: United States Language: Silent Genres: Documentary, Travelogue --- Summary: A scenic travelogue showcasing recreation in the Columbia River Gorge at the dawn of the automobile era. The film highlights hiking routes such as the Eagle Creek Trail and viewpoints along the Historic Columbia River Highway, presenting waterfalls, canyon vistas, and forested paths to encourage public enjoyment of federal lands. Positioned as an educational and promotional motion picture, it emphasizes accessible outdoor adventure near Portland, Oregon, portraying day hikes, pack travel, and the region’s dramatic geology to inspire responsible visitation. --- Background: Commissioned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Forest Service, the film was photographed in 1918 and released for circulation in 1920. It was screened at schools and community venues in Oregon, part of an early government effort to use motion pictures for public outreach about national forests, recreation infrastructure, and the newly completed Columbia River Highway. Excerpts have since been preserved within archival anthologies of Western travelogues. --- Trivia: Contemporary Portland press noted a 1920 screening that featured extensive views of the Eagle Creek Trail and other popular Gorge paths. In 1922 the film toured Clackamas County, Oregon, on a USDA program alongside agricultural shorts, where it was described as a scenic picture of the Columbia River Highway. The project was photographed by George R. Goergens in 1918 and released to audiences in 1920. Segments from Trails That Lure appear in “The West in Promotional Travelogues ,” part of the National Film Preservation Foundation’s Treasures 5: The West, 1898–1938 compilation. --- Hashtags: TrailsThatLure SilentFilm Documentary Travelogue ColumbiaRiverGorge EagleCreek HistoricColumbiaRiverHighway USForestService 1920s PublicDomain