Twelve Boat Launching Sites from Bonneville to the Dalles

Explore the Columbia River and Its Matchless Gorge from Your Boat

Put your boat into the Columbia River between Bonneville Dam and The Dalles lock and Dam and enjoy a water vacation that can range from isolated, rugged and primitive to crowded, rollicking and colorful.

The recreation opportunities on the Columbia River are exquisite, varied and exciting. The short stretch between Bonneville Dam and The Dalles Dam offers such a variety it would be hard to sample all of the experiences in one vacation. A great way to explore the Columbia River and its matchless gorge is from your boat. You take your time meandering up the river taking in the ambiance, playing on the water, fishing or dreaming as you enjoy views that can not be seen from the highway. There are twelve public boat launch ramps between Bonneville Dam and The Dalles.

From the Washington side of the river take state highway 14 to access boat launching ramps. From the Oregon side take the Interstate 84 freeway.

Six Launch Sites from Hamilton Island to Hood River:

1. Hamilton Island, Wa
2. Port of Cascade Locks, Or
3. Stevenson Boat Ramp, Wa
4. Wind River, Wa
5. Drano Lake, Wa
6. Hood River Marina, Or

Recreation along the Columbia is one of those experiences that cannot be approximated in any other place. The variety of scenery, wildlife and recreational opportunities is only part of the ambiance. The river can be glass smooth and in a very short time it can change to six foot swells with whitecaps as the powerful flow of the water meets strong winds produced by weather systems off the Pacific Coast. The water conditions depend on the wind speed and the direction the channel lies at any given point.