This kayak trip destination information is excerpted from “Best of the West” in Adventure Kayak magazine.
Lower Columbia River, Northern Oregon and Southern Washington
1 to 10 days
Cruise 144 downstream miles from Bonneville Dam to the sea in the paddle strokes of Lewis and Clark. Or, pick a smaller section: The grassy, bird-filled wildlife refuges near Skamokawa, the cliffs of Cape Horn or the ocean-like training ground of swell, wind and currents closer to the Pacific. Watch out for big ships and big winds. Paddling this varied is hard to come by. Build street cred by “crossing the bar” where the Columbia’s current dissipates into the Pacific causing large standing waves.
Find more information about routes in this area at www.estuarypartnership.org/explore and www.columbiariverkayaking.com.
This article originally appeared in Adventure Kayak, Spring 2011. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read it here.
