About Hood River

 

Hood River is a town with a population of 6,793¹. Hood River is in Hood River County which has a total population of 21,883² . Hood River is part of the Columbia River Gorge. It is known for its stunning views of the Columbia River, Mt. Hood, and Mt. Adams. Many people come to Hood River to vacation. It has attracted many sports enthusiast, especially windsurfers and kiteboarders, which people come from all over the world to enjoy.

Hood River Location

Hood River is conveniently located about an hour from Portland. People enjoy living here because they can avoid the “city life”, but are close enough to Portland that when they need or want the amenities that a city offers it is only an hour drive away. Hood River is also about a 20 minute drive from The Dalles, which can also provide some of the amenities a small town does not offer. Hood River is located at the junction of Highway 35 and Interstate 84. There are 3 exits off of I-84, which you can take for Hood River. Our office Don Nunamaker, Realtors can be found off exit 62. Hood River is right on the border of OR and WA. You can take the Hood River Toll Bridge across the Columbia River, which will lead you to White Salmon, WA.

Activities

As mentioned above many people come to Hood River to enjoy windsurfing and kiteboarding in the Columbia Gorge. Some other recreational activities Hood River has to offer are:

·       Skiing/Snowboarding – Hood River is located near 3 ski resorts, which are located between 45 minutes – 1 hour drive. They include: Cooper Spur, Mt. Hood Meadows, and Timberline

·       Mountain Biking – Post Canyon is a popular area to mountain bike in the area, there are even maps available of the trails.

·       Hiking - There are many trails you can hike within 20 minutes of Hood River. There are trails for all experience levels, from advanced trails to trails you can do with kids.

·       Fishing – Hood River is within 40 minutes many fishing places. Rivers which people fish at include The Deschutes, White Salmon, Klickitat, Draino, Hood River, and let alone the Columbia River. Also you can fish from nearby lakes, Lawrence Lake, Lost Lake, High Mountain Lakes, and Reservoirs.

·       Golfing – Hood River has 2 golf courses, Hood River Golf Course and Indian Creek Golf Course

·       Tennis – There are 2 public places which have tennis courts, Tsuruta Courts and Oak Grove Courts. Also there is a private sports club, which has courts as well.

·       Kayaking – The White Salmon River (about a 20 minute drive from and Hood River) and The Hood River are both popular rivers for kayaking.

·       Paddle Boarding - Paddle boarding is a newer activity that has sparked up in Hood River, which people can enjoy on days the Columbia River is calm.

Weather

One comment residents of Hood River make is they love Hood River, because you can really enjoy all 4 seasons here. You can experience hot summer days where the wind is nice to help cool you off or you can enjoy the occasional snow fall during the winter months. During the spring it is beautiful here when the orchard trees blossom. It also does rain here, where on average the rainiest month is December.

Schools

There are five elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, and one K-8 school in the Hood River County School District. Elementary schools include kindergarten through grade 5. The 5 elementary schools are: Westside, May Street, Pine Grove, Mid Valley, and Parkdale Elementary. The two middle schools include grades 6 through 8 and are called Wy’East and Hood River Middle School. There is only one high school, Hood River Valley High School, grades 9 through 12. ⁴ Columbia Gorge Community College has a campus located in Hood River as well for those who want to further their education.

Community Events

Some popular community events are Blossom Fest, Hops Fest, and Harvest Fest. The Blossom Festival celebrates the arrival of spring. Events typically include a Blossom Fest Craft Show, Blossom Fest Quilt Show, a farm “pansy party,” a grange blossom dinner, and a fire department all-you-can-eat breakfast. Visitors can also get a real “taste” of the Gorge at several wine and beer-tasting events. ⁴ Hops Fest is held in downtown Hood River where they showcase Hood River County’s own microbreweries as well as some of the best of the Northwest brewers. ⁴ In mid-October you can find the Harvest Fest at the Hood River waterfront where Hood River Valley hosts an old-fashioned harvest festival with local produce and food products, arts and crafts, wine- and beer-tastings. ⁴ Another popular community event is "First Friday". On the 1st Friday of May through Octover, you can find many Hood River residents downtown. Most of the time they close the main downtown street (Oak St.) for First Friday and it attracts quite the crowd. First Friday is a collaboration between business, artists, and performers where they can showcase their products and talents. It is one of the most popular community events.