Recreation
Help protect the Columbia River from invasive aquatic species. Learn more at the WDFW Aquatic Nuisance Species web site or by watching Don't Move A Mussel
DON'T TRANSPORT AQUATIC PLANTS AND ANIMALS
IT'S THE LAW
The Port of Klickitat maintains a small marina, several parks including Marina Park and Sailboard Park, and Bingen Harbor. These recreational areas are owned, managed, and maintained by the Port, but are made available to the general public. The Port hosts a variety of recreational users engaged in various activities including boating, kiteboarding, paragliding, stand-up paddle boarding, and windsurfing. In fact, the nearby city of White Salmon is home to the well-known windsurf, kiteboard, and stand-up paddleboard equipment makers Naish USA and North Shore.
All recreation users should remember to take care when playing in the Columbia River, be courteous to other users, and watch out for pilings, drift nets (during fishing season), and barge traffic. If you are boating and have difficulty, check with one of the service providers offering boater assistance. If you're heading out on the water and can't quite remember the difference between a "can" and a "nun", review the US Aids to Navigation Guide [
– 4.1MB].
NOTICE: If you operate a business and in the course of providing your product or service use Port facilities or properties, you are required to obtain a concession permit from the Port. Failure to obtain such a permit will result in removal from Port property.
Boating
Boaters wishing to access the Columbia River may do so using the Port's boat ramp at Marina Park and the associated boat trailer parking area. Sheltered from the winds for which the Columbia River Gorge is known, Bingen Harbor is both a favorite launch site with calm water and light winds and a regular stopover for boaters traveling the river that want a respite from from the swells and chop. Other Columbia Gorge boat launch sites include Port of Cascade Locks (Cascade Locks, OR), Port of Hood River (Hood River, OR), Port of Skamania (Stevenson, WA), Meyer State Park (Mosier, OR), and Port of The Dalles (The Dalles, OR).
If you are visiting by boat from another area, you will likely need to "lock through" one or more of the dams on the river. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has a helpful document on How To Lock Through. Contact information for the lock operators at each dam and their associated recreational lock schedules is listed below.
| Dam | Phone | Radio | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bonneville | 541-374-8323 | WUJ 33 | Locks |
| Ice Harbor | 509-543-3231 | WUJ 42 | Locks |
| John Day | 541-298-9712 | WUJ 35 | Locks |
| Little Goose | 509-399-2233 x231 | WUJ 44 | Locks |
| Lower Granite | 509-843-1493 x231 | WUJ 45 | Locks |
| Lower Monumental | 509-282-3218 | WUJ 43 | Locks |
| McNary | 541-922-2231 | WUJ 41 | Locks |
| The Dalles | 541-298-4007 | WUJ 34 | Locks |
Service Providers
If you find yourself in trouble while boating in the Columbia River Gorge, the following companies provide assistance and other services to pleasure boaters in the mid-Columbia region.
Partners
The Port is pleased to partner with the following state and local agencies. We are working together to enhance, improve, and protect the Port's recreation areas for the enjoyment of our constituents and tenants.
Notice: The inclusion of product, service, link, contact, or other information regarding any company, organization, web site, or individual does not constitute an endorsement by the Port of Klickitat. This information may not be comprehensive and is provided only as a courtesy for the convenience of Port constituents, current and potential tenants, and other visitors to this web site. The order in which companies, organizations, web sites, and/or individuals are listed has no significance. Logos are the trademarks of their respective companies. If any information provided is incorrect or if you would like information about you or your company/organization added or removed, please contact us.
