Gorge Lifestyle

Pick your Passion

Located on the dry side of Washington State, with expansive farms and wheat fields, vineyards, timberland, and magnificent Mount Adams as a backdrop, the rural pioneer town of Goldendale is rich in cultural heritage, and natural wonder. Whether you are an outdoor adventurer, wine or cultural enthusiast, or simply enjoy getting away from it all, Goldendale, at the heart of the Eastern Columbia River Gorge, has something for you.

Truly Stunning

Waterfalls & Wildflowers

A picturesque drive heading west through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic area will take you through waterfalls, wildflowers and stunning mountain views of both Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams. Located in the heart of the Cascade Mountain Range, and the only national designated scenic area in the country, the Gorge is place that people find magical in all that it has to offer.

Truly Relaxing

Wineries & Craft Breweries

Goldendale is part of the flourishing Columbia River Gorge wine region, and we’re brimming with world-class wineries and vineyards only minutes from downtown. The region is also loaded with craft breweries, including Dwinell Country Ales, a popular brewery & tasting room located in downtown Goldendale.

Truly Living

Outdoor and Recreational Mecca

Windsurfing & Kiteboarding: The Gorge is known as the windsurfing capital of the world. The wind here is legendary and it blows all summer with a good shoulder seasons in the spring and fall. And if you don’t windsurf or kiteboard already, its a great place to learn.

Winter Recreation: Winter recreation is one of Klickitat County’s best kept secrets. With snowmobiling, sledding, Nordic skiing, and snowshoeing all readily accessed in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, there are a variety of ways to enjoy our winter wonderland. Looking across the Columbia into Oregon, Mt. Hood is home to four ski resorts with hundreds of downhill runs, terrain parks, pipes, rails and an average yearly snowfall of over 12 feet.

River Recreation: Here in Klickitat County, the White Salmon River holds world-class waters for kayaking experts. If you are looking for a more leisurely paddle, the Deschutes, Klickitat, the Little White Salmon or mighty Columbia River hold a variety of different treasures - from paddle boarding to water skiing.

Fishing: Klickitat County offers some of the finest freshwater fishing in the lower 48 states. It is truly a fisherman’s paradise with lots of opportunity for family fishing. Its rivers are renowned for bragging-size 40-pound-plus chinook, as well as coho salmon and river run steelhead. Anglers will also find Columbia River sturgeon that reach 14 feet and weights in excess of 500 lbs as well as trophy walleye, bass, trout, catfish, and abundant panfish. Blessed with three distinct Chinook salmon runs: spring, summer and fall, the Columbia River attracts salmon angler’s from around the world. If you’ve never hooked into a steelhead, there’s no better river than the Deschutes. A short drive across the river into Oregon, the beautiful Deschutes is home to some of the best fly fishing in the west.

Mountain Biking: If mountain biking is your pursuit, the Gorge is home to some of the best terrain you find anywhere - with views that are equally as beautiful as the trails you can find. In Klickitat County,The Syncline Trail, however, is in a world of its own. Located on the northern bank of the Columbia River just outside Bingen, WA, Syncline looks less like an Ewok-infested Jedi forest and more like a page torn from an Irish geology textbook. The trail actually sprawls down an anticline, identified by the high scarp known as Coyote Wall, while the syncline forms the channel through which the Columbia River passes. Misnomers and lack of trees aside, the Syncline Trail is one of the most unique and picturesque trails in the Columbia River Gorge.

Other sports and activities in the area are: mountaineering, hiking, backpacking, bird watching, camping, dirt bike riding and many more.