Kingsley is back! After years of being closed for renovations, this local gem is open for business. The reservoir has been expanded and a new campground has been built along with new infrastructure and facilities. Kingsley is a large body of water with plenty of parking, Mt. Hood views, and is stocked with fish! This is a very SUP and family friendly area!
Located just outside of Parkdale, Laurance lake offers great views of Mt. Hood. As well as easy access to the water.
A classic Mt. Hood destination, Lost Lake is a great place for people of all ages. The lake is very big and offers multiple parking areas, campgrounds, hiking trails and great amenities.
Located just outside of government camp, this is a very popular day use and campground area with an amazing view of mount hood. If you want to claim a spot on the water’s edge, plan on getting here early.
A hefty hike down some stairs means you will almost certainly have this beautiful alpine lake to yourself. We recommend this location only for people that consider themselves in great shape. There are campgrounds here as well, although they will fill up quickly in the summertime.
Our favorite place to paddle on no wind days in Hood River. Beginners can stay out of the current if they like by staying in the hook. More advanced paddlers can go and check out nearby Wells Island.
Nichols basin is the most beginner friendly place on the Hood River Waterfront to go paddling. It offers a bit of cover from the wind and is completely out of the current. Because of this it can also get very crowded. That being said, it is a big area so there is usually plenty of room for everyone.
You can access this spot directly from HWY 14 on the Washington side of the Columbia. It has a gravel parking lot for several cars. Beware the water in the White Salmon river is much colder than that of the Columbia. You can paddle about a quarter mile up the river with minimal crowds and Mt. Hood views.
A cool island with secluded beaches located off the shore from the hook. This is one of our favorite waterfront locations to paddle on a no wind day.
The spit has great access to both the Hood River and Columbia. If you venture up the Hood River (fun times), be sure to watch for fishermen. The water can also be surprisingly shallow in this area, so later in summer when water levels are lower, you may want to look for deeper waters. The spit is also the de facto dog beach of the waterfront. This can be a pro or a con depedning on your relationship with the animal kingdom.
The waterfront park has a nice large grass area for setup, and a well made launch. This area can quickly become crowded on windy days with wind sport enthusiasts. Here you launch directly into the Columbia River. Because of this we only recommend this area for no wind days.
Be sure not to launch from the swim beach.
The event site has a very large parking lot, and a nice large grass area for setup and launching. This is the primary launch in the area for kiteboarding and windsurfing so you will want to avoid this launch on any windy day.
A large day use park that offers some protection from the Columbia River’s strong current. A good choice for paddling on windy days as it offers some protection from the wind. For experienced paddlers, you can use the protection of the sandbar to access wind swell in the Columbia RIver, ride some waves downwind, then quickly paddle back in the protected area out of the river’s strong current, and paddle up river and do it again!
Just a short drive East on 84, Rock Creek is a great place to SUP on no wind days. From here you can get an awesome view of syncline and the town of Mosier. Access is fairly easy as you can inflate your SUP near your car and then carry it a short way down a path to the water. Avoid this launch on windy days as it makes conditions challenging and will quickly get crowded with wind goers.
