Location: On highway 14, 45 miles east of Vancouver, WA. Population: 1,500. Visitor Information: Skamania County Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 1037, 167 NW Second Avenue (Hwy 14) Stevenson, WA 98648; Phone: (509) 427-8911 or 800-989-9178; Website: www.skamania.org
Nestled between the Columbia River to the south and the mountains and basalt cliffs of the Gorge to the north, the City of Stevenson offers respite from the bustle of large cities, with a laid back lifestyle reminiscent of earlier decades. Incorporated in 1907, Stevenson is the county seat of Skamania County and many of the downtown buildings were built at that time.
Today, you can stroll along riverfront parks and witness colorful windsurfer sails jumping and twisting on the Columbia’s swells. The area offers scenic drives and waterfalls, dozens of wineries, the world's only Sasquatch refuge, music and cultural events and every type of recreational pusuit imaginable.
Take a journey backward in time and visit the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, which houses historical exhibits focusing on the Cascade Chinook peoples who lived in this area for millennia. The Museum's Grand Gallery presents very large artifacts from the timber and fishing industries - and a waterfall! Don't miss the theater presentation recreating the cataclysmic formation of the Gorge, or the world’s largest rosary collection, including one belonging to President Kennedy in World War II.
Experience the beauty of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area from the decks of a sternwheeler. Long before automobiles, paddle-wheel boats were the only practical way to travel and at the turn of the century there were over 100 of these vessels along the Columbia River Gorge. Today the views are as beautiful and the history as rich as when our forefathers explored this majestic region.
SPECIAL EVENTS:
Carson - Stevenson Ridge Run: May
Good Old-fashioned 4th of July
Columbia Gorge Bluegrass Festival: July
Skamania County Fair & Timber Carnival: August
Oktoberfest
Christmas in the Gorge