Surf, Ski, Hike And Bike—In One Weekend

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On a typical breezy day near Hood River, hundreds of colorful sails dance across the Columbia River as windsurfers and kite boarders ride the Gorge winds. Just 30 minutes to the south, skiers carve turns on the snow-capped slopes of Mt. Hood, while a myriad of forested trails and cascading waterfalls downriver lure hikers into the Columbia Gorge.

With so many natural playgrounds in such close proximity, Hood River, nestled in a fertile valley known for its bountiful fruit harvest, will satisfy anyone with an appetite for adventure.

Jump-start your weekend at Mt. Hood’s Timberline Lodge, which boasts the longest ski season in America. Even on sunny summer days, T-shirt-clad skiers and boarders ride the upper slopes, which are blanketed by 400 inches of annual snowfall. (If you don’t ski, a chairlift ride to the top is spectacular and the WPA-era lodge is worth the trip.)

In the afternoon, experience the thrill of windsurfing with a two-hour lesson from Big Winds, Hood River’s epic surf shop. Learn the basics of balance and sailing on a dry-land practice board. Then, get inspired watching world-class windsurfers and kiteboarders zigzag across the Columbia. When you’re ready, hop aboard and feel the rush of wind and waves as you’re blown across the river, clinging to your sail.

Afterward, celebrate with a microbrew at the Full Sail Brewing Company. Take a tour of the brewery from one of the employee-owners, including a free tasting of popular Full Sail Amber Ale and Pale Ale. Then sample the pub menu while relaxing on the river-view deck.

After a day of adventure, rejuvenate at the Hood River Hotel. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 1913 building has been carefully restored so guests can once again can enjoy towering ceilings, brass elevator gates and a marble fireplace that evoke the charm of an earlier era.

In the morning, pedal into the past on a two-wheeled tour of the Historic Columbia River Highway along a stretch of road open only to hikers and cyclists. Join the route at the Mark O. Hatfield Trailhead, one mile east of town on the scenic highway. The 25-mile ride snakes upward to the Mosier Twin Tunnels, a pair of stone archways that cling to a basalt cliff high above the Columbia River. Closed 50 years ago due to rocks falling on passing cars, the tunnels were fortified and reopened for two-wheeled travelers in 2000.

Beyond the tunnels, refuel in Mosier at the eclectic Route 30 Classics & Roadside Refreshments, where cyclists can enjoy ice cream or an espresso while gazing at full-size and scale-model Porsche race cars and memorabilia.

Then continue east on Highway 30 along a winding road framed by graceful white wooden guardrails. Spiral up to breezy Rowena Crest Overlook and behold the Columbia River below and golden wheat fields that stretch for miles into Eastern Oregon.

When you’ve soaked in enough scenery, retrace your route to the trailhead, then refuel in Hood River at the 6th Street Bistro & Loft, where chefs prepare locally grown, organic produce with a stylish flair, like Wild Salmon Filet pan seared over wilted spinach salad.

After two days of indulging on adrenaline, spend a day soothing your soul with a hike through mossy woods past plunging waterfalls at Horsetail Falls in the Columbia Gorge. To get there from Hood River, travel 30 minutes west on I-84 to exit 35, then take the historic highway 1.5 miles to the Horsetail Falls trailhead. The 4.5-mile loop weaves through thick woods, over footbridges and past gorgeous waterfalls, and is the perfect way to end this epic Hood River adventure.