- The Columbia River and the lakes and streams of the Mt. Hood National Forest provide a thrilling scene for boating enthusiasts.
- Many types of boating can be enjoyed here, like sailing, yachting, sternwheeler cruises, or shooting whitewater rapids in a raft or kayak.
- Tours, guides, and boat rentals are easy to find.
Overview
Since Lewis and Clark ended their historic journey by traversing the Columbia River in canoes, boating has become one of the most exciting pastimes visitors to central Oregon can enjoy. The Columbia River hosts every imaginable type of boat and water sport on its massive waters; Mt. Hood’s surrounding landscape is threaded with glacier-fed rivers and dotted with snow lakes.
Boating Adventures
Choose your boat: yacht, sternwheeler, sailboat, motorboat, dinghy, kayak, drift boat, raft, or canoe—all these are at your service to make your Oregon trip a thrill. Too many lakes, reservoirs, and waterways can be found in the Mt. Hood/Hood River region to list them all, but here are some examples of boating adventures visitors can choose from:
- Lake boating: Sailing, motorboating, rowboating, and fishing can be enjoyed on the many lakes and man-made reservoirs.
- River boating: Sailboats abound along the Columbia River Gorge; sternwheeler and yacht cruises are launched along the river too.
- White water: Rafting, kayaking, and canoeing through some of the wildest rapids and scenic canyons in the Pacific Northwest can be undertaken on the area’s Hood, Salmon, Deschutes, and White Rivers (among many others).
- State Parks: Most of the Oregon State Parks and Natural Areas near Mt. Hood and Hood River provide Columbia River access or are situated near a lake or reservoir, for ample boating opportunities.
Guided Tours & Rentals
Lots of Columbia boat cruises, fishing trips, sailboat outings, or whitewater excursions can be hired in this area; interested visitors are encouraged to explore the guides and outfitters shown here.
