Guidebook to the Gorge
Food scene
The best! They’re open every day of the week except Tuesday for breakfast and lunch. If you are lucky enough to be here on a Monday night, it’s pizza night! Without a doubt this is the best pizza I’ve had in my entire life, and I love pizza. I’ve also been told that the wine list is amazing, although I can’t speak to it personally as I don’t drink. If you don’t go here at least once while you’re here, you’re making a mistake.
74 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
White Salmon Baking Co.
80 NE Estes AveThe best! They’re open every day of the week except Tuesday for breakfast and lunch. If you are lucky enough to be here on a Monday night, it’s pizza night! Without a doubt this is the best pizza I’ve had in my entire life, and I love pizza. I’ve also been told that the wine list is amazing, although I can’t speak to it personally as I don’t drink. If you don’t go here at least once while you’re here, you’re making a mistake.
Delicious food and (I’ve been told) great beer. For any vegetarians, my personal favorite is the sweet potato burrito, with mango salsa instead of red salsa. Even meat-eaters often order this burrito. The pork nachos are also a big hit, although again, I can’t personally comment.
131 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Everybody's Brewing
177 E Jewett BlvdDelicious food and (I’ve been told) great beer. For any vegetarians, my personal favorite is the sweet potato burrito, with mango salsa instead of red salsa. Even meat-eaters often order this burrito. The pork nachos are also a big hit, although again, I can’t personally comment.
The best pizza in White Salmon on every night except Monday. I’m a fan of the Columbia Rediviva, although everything is good.
15 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Pizza Leona
100 E Jewett BlvdThe best pizza in White Salmon on every night except Monday. I’m a fan of the Columbia Rediviva, although everything is good.
Pricey but very tasty Mexican/Latin cuisine. Second hand info again–great margaritas
20 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Pixán Taqueria & Cantina
216 E Jewett BlvdPricey but very tasty Mexican/Latin cuisine. Second hand info again–great margaritas
A great place for lunch. They have a cold case of salads and fancy meats that you can buy by the pound which always makes for a delicious lunch. Their dinner menu is delicious, but the portions are a little on the small side–not the best if you’re coming back from a big day outside.
53 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Feast Market & Delicatessen
151 E Jewett BlvdA great place for lunch. They have a cold case of salads and fancy meats that you can buy by the pound which always makes for a delicious lunch. Their dinner menu is delicious, but the portions are a little on the small side–not the best if you’re coming back from a big day outside.
Classic, delicious, pricey. I rarely eat here as their vegetarian menu is pretty slim. It’s the only place in White Salmon where you’ll routinely see people in dress clothes :). Fun for a fancy date.
78 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Henni's Kitchen & Bar
120 E Jewett BlvdClassic, delicious, pricey. I rarely eat here as their vegetarian menu is pretty slim. It’s the only place in White Salmon where you’ll routinely see people in dress clothes :). Fun for a fancy date.
Good for italian subs or when you are looking for a greasy, not fancy pizza. Think pepperoni, onion, mushroom, bell peppers with red sauce and cheese.
12 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Beneventi's
201 W Steuben StGood for italian subs or when you are looking for a greasy, not fancy pizza. Think pepperoni, onion, mushroom, bell peppers with red sauce and cheese.
Sightseeing
First off, all of the kiting schools in the gorge are amazing. However, if I had to pick one I would recommend SA Kitesurf Adventures. They are based in Lyle and are the only kite school that is teaching at the Lyle sandbar. I have a good friend that worked for them for 2 seasons, and it’s run by a couple that spends half the year in the gorge and half the year in South Africa, so they’re kiting 100% of the time.
SA Kitesurf Adventures
34 Washington 14First off, all of the kiting schools in the gorge are amazing. However, if I had to pick one I would recommend SA Kitesurf Adventures. They are based in Lyle and are the only kite school that is teaching at the Lyle sandbar. I have a good friend that worked for them for 2 seasons, and it’s run by a couple that spends half the year in the gorge and half the year in South Africa, so they’re kiting 100% of the time.
Rafting the White Salmon is an amazing time. I have always gone with Wet Planet and always had a great day. Again, all of the rafting companies are top notch, and most of the time your guide will be a full time paddler, as this area attracts the best kayakers in the world.
37 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Wet Planet Rafting and Kayaking
860 WA-141Rafting the White Salmon is an amazing time. I have always gone with Wet Planet and always had a great day. Again, all of the rafting companies are top notch, and most of the time your guide will be a full time paddler, as this area attracts the best kayakers in the world.
I don’t mountain bike much, but just enough to know how good the gorge is. If there’s been a lot of rain recently, Coyote Wall is your best bet. If it’s rained in the last week, but didn’t rain yesterday, Post Canyon is the premier trail system and will be in great shape. Remember to get a parking pass with the new parking system! The only time that Post gets really miserable is in the middle of summer when it hasn’t rained for a couple of weeks. The clay creates little ball bearings that have sent me sliding more than once. Whoopdee is another great trail that provides more of a cross-country experience than the Post Canyon Flow-Park. In the middle of summer the best riding will be found at higher elevations. Tons of my friends rave about the Timberline trail system, though I haven’t done it myself.
28 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Post Canyon Staging Area
Post Canyon DriveI don’t mountain bike much, but just enough to know how good the gorge is. If there’s been a lot of rain recently, Coyote Wall is your best bet. If it’s rained in the last week, but didn’t rain yesterday, Post Canyon is the premier trail system and will be in great shape. Remember to get a parking pass with the new parking system! The only time that Post gets really miserable is in the middle of summer when it hasn’t rained for a couple of weeks. The clay creates little ball bearings that have sent me sliding more than once. Whoopdee is another great trail that provides more of a cross-country experience than the Post Canyon Flow-Park. In the middle of summer the best riding will be found at higher elevations. Tons of my friends rave about the Timberline trail system, though I haven’t done it myself.
There are at least 20 different launch spots along the gorge, but the two most prominent close to Overlanders are the event site (Hood River) and the Lyle Sandbar. Most people will kite at the event site as you can park only 20 feet from where you’ll pump up your kite, you can pump up in the grass, and it’s a great place for non-kiters to hang out. The downsides of the event site are that it is always crowded, there is not a great place to kite if you can’t hold upwind yet, and the wind is generally bad until you get up near the White Salmon bridge. I kite the event site when I’m kiting with friends, or I want to ride waves up by the White Salmon bridge or Swell city. Otherwise I kite Lyle.
The Lyle sandbar parking is in a dirt lot just west (just before) you get to the town of Lyle. Simply take a left (east) on 14, and the dirt lot will be just before you get to the town of Lyle. From there, walk to the far east end of the parking lot and there is a trail that will duck under the road. There is a fun rope swing on the bridge, and you will also often see locals cliff jumping here. Keep going on the trail across the railroad tracks (I never told you to cross them), and you’ll be on the sandbar. If you want flatwater, people kite in the leeward side of the sandbar, and if you want waves you’ll want to walk to the windward side. The best part about Lyle is that it is about knee to waist deep for ~500 yards, so it is THE BEST place to learn to kite in the gorge.
Hood River Kiting
There are at least 20 different launch spots along the gorge, but the two most prominent close to Overlanders are the event site (Hood River) and the Lyle Sandbar. Most people will kite at the event site as you can park only 20 feet from where you’ll pump up your kite, you can pump up in the grass, and it’s a great place for non-kiters to hang out. The downsides of the event site are that it is always crowded, there is not a great place to kite if you can’t hold upwind yet, and the wind is generally bad until you get up near the White Salmon bridge. I kite the event site when I’m kiting with friends, or I want to ride waves up by the White Salmon bridge or Swell city. Otherwise I kite Lyle.
The Lyle sandbar parking is in a dirt lot just west (just before) you get to the town of Lyle. Simply take a left (east) on 14, and the dirt lot will be just before you get to the town of Lyle. From there, walk to the far east end of the parking lot and there is a trail that will duck under the road. There is a fun rope swing on the bridge, and you will also often see locals cliff jumping here. Keep going on the trail across the railroad tracks (I never told you to cross them), and you’ll be on the sandbar. If you want flatwater, people kite in the leeward side of the sandbar, and if you want waves you’ll want to walk to the windward side. The best part about Lyle is that it is about knee to waist deep for ~500 yards, so it is THE BEST place to learn to kite in the gorge.
Curious Gorge (below the TV) is the hiking bible for the Gorge for good reason. In general, the hiking on the Washington side is warmer and gets more sun, while the Oregon side is cooler and often in the trees. There are so many amazing hikes it’s hard to recommend any one, and I thoroughly recommend taking some of the trails less traveled if you prefer to avoid the crowds. Feel free to message me if you’re in need of a recommendation but it really depends on how far you want to go, what the weather looks like, and how much hiking experience the group has.
39 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Tamanawas Falls Trail
Tamanawas Falls Trail #650ACurious Gorge (below the TV) is the hiking bible for the Gorge for good reason. In general, the hiking on the Washington side is warmer and gets more sun, while the Oregon side is cooler and often in the trees. There are so many amazing hikes it’s hard to recommend any one, and I thoroughly recommend taking some of the trails less traveled if you prefer to avoid the crowds. Feel free to message me if you’re in need of a recommendation but it really depends on how far you want to go, what the weather looks like, and how much hiking experience the group has.
Mt. Hood Meadows has better terrain than Timberline. However Timberline always has a better park and is open year round. If you’re riding at Meadows, there is a bus that leaves from the event site in the winter that I love to take. It saves gas, drops you off right in front, and leaves about every half hour, although the schedule is different every year. If you do decide to drive on a weekend, make sure you get there early as parking almost always fills up by 9:00-10:00am.
160 personas del lugar lo recomiendan
Mt. Hood Meadows
14040 OR-35Mt. Hood Meadows has better terrain than Timberline. However Timberline always has a better park and is open year round. If you’re riding at Meadows, there is a bus that leaves from the event site in the winter that I love to take. It saves gas, drops you off right in front, and leaves about every half hour, although the schedule is different every year. If you do decide to drive on a weekend, make sure you get there early as parking almost always fills up by 9:00-10:00am.
If you’re in town on a Tuesday night in the summer and love live music, this is where you want to be. A gorgeous outdoor venue right in the middle of Hood River. A different band plays every Tuesday night, and it’s always a great time. Google “The Ruins Hood River” to see who will be playing while you’re here. I believe tickets are $3 before 7pm and $8 afterwards, but don’t quote me on that. Regardless, it’s worth it.
The Ruins
13 Railroad Street If you’re in town on a Tuesday night in the summer and love live music, this is where you want to be. A gorgeous outdoor venue right in the middle of Hood River. A different band plays every Tuesday night, and it’s always a great time. Google “The Ruins Hood River” to see who will be playing while you’re here. I believe tickets are $3 before 7pm and $8 afterwards, but don’t quote me on that. Regardless, it’s worth it.
Consejos sobre la ciudad
Qué meter en la valija
Weather in the gorge is unpredictable!
The best weather forecast I’ve found for the gorge is available for free at thegorgeismygym.com. It’s made daily by a local windsport enthusiast. The weather here is notoriously difficult to predict, but Temira does the best job of anyone I know of. If you’re feeling appreciative, consider donating a little to her for her time.