Visiting Hood River is a must on its own!! But you cannot…read morebeat what you're going to get at the waterfront park !! A small cove cut out for the beach , kite surfing or watching, beautiful water views, Mt. hood, beautiful people watching, playgrounds, it's all here and worth the visit! A couple of things to keep in mind, the bathrooms are very clean and accessible spread throughout . They have a lifejacket lender station !!! It was so nice to be able to let the kids just hop in the water and swim freely! (because I sure as heck I'm not gonna pack lifejackets on my trip who does that?!) Within walking distance, there are so many food options. We always visit Solstice (see that review if you're looking for some great pizza in town).

Known as the 'Windsurfing Capital of the World', Hood River is a small city in Oregon, on the banks…read moreof the Columbia River. It is known for its concentration of craft breweries in the downtown area, and the ability to consume alcohol publicly on open sidewalks and parks. My wife, mother-in-law, and I drove intentionally to see the city during our visit to the Gorge, and stopped by the famous Park next to the River. It was drizzling and cold this day, so finding free street parking was easy. We found a place to sit, and admire the brave souls surfing. There is a small beach area, and children life jackets to share. And a nice grassy area with playground equipment.

A small little park outside of Hood River . The view was amazing . Mount Hood towering over the…read moremany orchards and wineries was breathtaking. Well worth a small side trip.

A surprising gem in the middle of nowhere! While on a drive through Hood River, this was an…read moreexcellent stop, not just for a bathroom but also to stretch legs, take some photos, and enjoy the quiet.

We stop here every time we visit Hood River - our kids love to play here. There is plenty of…read moreparking, the location is right in town, and the playground is in great shape. We'll be back!

One of the coolest parks I have seen for children. The large castle structure is the first thing…read morethat catches your attention and draws you in. But there is so much more! Swings, slides, jungle gym, tires, play houses, tunnels - you name it, it's there. Even a decent bathroom. Parking lot is somewhat small but there is also street parking. Part of the City of Hood River public park system, this is a fabulous place for your children to play, run and have fun!

A lush, beautiful state park located off I-84 near Rowena. After passing by more times than I can…read morecount, I decided to venture off the highway to check it out. Was so surprised and delighted by the incredible views of the basalt cliffs across the way, and of course, close up views of the magnificent Columbia River. There is an area under the trees with picnic tables, a perfect spot to gather for a meal after a nice walk or hike. Plenty of parking, great views, peaceful and serene - a gem.

We pulled off recently to check out Mayer. In our camper van, it was a lovely, quiet spot to enjoy…read morea stretch and a meal. It seemed to be more like a county park in feel, with plenty of parking, some picnic tables, and toilets. They had a recycle bin alongside the trash cans...loved to see that. Albeit a cold December day, we only saw a couple of cars come and go while we were there. From signage it appears to be a good windsurfing area at other times of the year, so I'm sure it gets much busier. Nice little stop-off along the gorge for a view, a stretch, or a picnic.

With Horsethief Butte as the scenic backdrop, this lake is a relaxing spot for fishing & kayaking…read more Equipped with bathrooms & showers, a popular place for camping & RV sleepovers. Not naturally formed, flooded into existence by the Dalles Dam. Without a natural circulation of water, the summer creates toxic algae harmful to humans and fish. Warning signs are posted. A petroglyph trail is a highlight for all; in depth tour guide available by reservation. Boat launch access to the Columbia River.

Lovely piece of the Gorge. We've stopped by the lake portion and checked out the Petroglyphs before…read morewhile passing through, as well as briefly jumping onto a trail at the Butte. This weekend we got around to investing more time in the trails of Butte and it was pretty fun. The trails don't allow for a complete loop around the rock, as there's a block for restoration on the east side. But you can wander most of the way around the water side...up and around the rocks is really where's it at though. There are 3 access points to the top from the trails, and the bouldering up is loads of fun. Once atop you can roam all about and enjoy fabulous views from every angle. While the remainder of the trails at Butte are average, we found it pretty entertaining to climb around the rock portion. There's a decent amount of parking...Discover Pass required...as well at a vault toilet at the trailhead.

Deserves zero stars…read more Stayed here during the summer solace June 2025. Bought a camping pass for camp site #49 and put my reservation receipt on the post at 4pm. As instructed by the campsite rules. Went to a wedding in Hood River to come back to a trailer being parked in the spot I had payed for 4 hours earlier. Keep in mind this is the longest sunlit day of the year and it was still very bright when I arrived. When I asked why my spot was taken and given to someone else, the camp host he said: "So I understand this is uncommon and upsetting to you, but in this county there is a law that states that we can cancel a reservation and sell it to someone else if we believe the campers have left the site". "We recommend leaving camping gear behind in order to keep your spot" So I'm supposed to leave my gear to get stolen? Why did I reserve a spot for 40 dollars only for it to be sold out from under me? The host gave me the run around "I've been here for 11 years, it's legal in this county to sell the spot" I then moved to another spot (which had no river view) and asked the host "you going to kick me out of this one also if I shower for too long"? He wasn't amused by my question and offered to give me some fire wood and snacks if I wanted. I refused his "gifts" and told him he can get out of my face and leave me alone for the rest of the night. The best part of the story is that there were plenty of available spots for the people who stole mine. I believe the campers who took my spot were friends or related to the hosts. It was a prime spot on the river. I searched the laws in the county. There is no such law that states a camp host can do what this camp host did. The host is a liar, thief and a clown. Camper beware!

Small park just outside of Hood River on your way to Dee. While I didn't camp there, I enjoyed…read morewalking the trails listening to the sounds of the river and birds chirping. You park your car and within a few feet, you are immersed in nature. For the kids, there is a swing and play area with green grass and sand area. People were swimming and kayaking in the river. Showers (pay) and toilets available during the in season. You can pay for your campsite via kiosk. Campfires allowed as long as it's not during the dry wildfire season. Its not crowded and is truly serene and peaceful for a site so close to everything.

Nice park with fabulous views…read more We dropped by Sorosis this weekend, looking for somewhere new to stretch the legs. It's a lovely drive up, and you get amazing views of the gorge from the lot. There's plenty of parking around, and it appeared that the park has a little something for everyone: ball fields, play ground, disc golf, green space, and a walking path around the perimeter. You're not going to get a hike in here, but a spot to stretch it's got. The grounds looked clean and it appeared there were some improvements in the works. Nice, peaceful park. :)

With expansive views of The Dalles and the majestic Columbia River, Sorosis Park is a gem! Located…read moreat the top of the appropriately named Scenic Drive, this beautiful park has an abundance of offerings. Lots of grass and shady spots to keep you cool on a sunny day with several picnic tables, too. Even a gazebo. A large playground and sprinklers to keep the kids entertained. For those interested in a run or walk, the mile long trail provides great views along the way in every season. There is a softball field and a disc golf park plus a small rose garden. Lots of parking and there are bathrooms, too. Plan your time there so you can catch a spectacular sunset as the day comes to an end.

A great small area to let your dog run off leash. However, they are closed for the winter. There is…read morea baseball field across from there. You must pick up after your dog if you let them run there.

This is a decent size off leash dog park. Lots of space for the dogs to run and play. My grand…read moredogs love it here, they get so excited. It gets busy around 4-5, you will find all different kind of dogs that frequent this park. There is a bucket there for people to donate toys for all the dogs, such a great idea. They have two picnic tables for seating. Great place, remember to pick up after your dogs!!

Love this State Park!…read more This place is a little gem amongst state parks. It's kind of in the middle of nowhere...wouldn't have come upon it most likely had the hubby not seen note of it on a waterfall blog. First impression, the grounds are pristine. Perfectly manicured grasses scattered with picnic tables. Restrooms...extremely clean. There's a decent amount of parking near the restrooms/upper falls, as well as some right off the highway. A genius idea really, they made a now ghostly, obsolete hydroelectric power plant into a park. You can hear the upper falls as soon as you pull up, running hard and fast right now! You get great views from the overlook at the end of the lot, which is very accessible to most anyone. From there you can take the trail down to peek into the rusty, old ruins of the plant, as well as further down to another smaller, but still impressive falls. Heads up though, the trail down is NOT accessible to everyone. The footing is loose and fairly steep. BUT, if you can at least get down to the overlook above the old building do it...the view of the upper falls from that point is extraordinary. Really a gorgeous falls, much more than I expected. Just a great park, I highly recommend a visit to this one!

Spectacular falls, gorgeous views, interesting hiking trail to the bottom. Had to climb over logs…read moreand rocks to get to the bowl of the lower falls. Looks like something out of the movies! So amazing and can't believe it took me so long to get here! Fun ruins to explore as well!