Campgrounds and RV parks near Hood River, OR

The Columbia River Gorge is the main attraction. Viento State Park offers quick access to one of the most popular windsurfing stretches of the river, and is also used for kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, fishing, and swimming. Kiteboarding, sailing, and paddling all center on the wind corridor between Hood River and White Salmon. Hikers have direct access to the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail and a network of gorge waterfall trails. A paved, accessible section of the old highway runs west from Viento toward Starvation Creek and continues to Wyeth, passing Cabin Creek, Hole-in-the-Wall, and Lancaster Falls. East of town, Rowena Crest offers sweeping views of the east Gorge, and the Rowena Plateau and adjacent Tom McCall Nature Preserve bloom each spring with lupine, balsamroot, and other wildflowers. Families also use Hood River as a base for the Fruit Loop orchards, Mt. Hood skiing in winter, and downtown breweries and cideries.

Camping seasons in the gorge are tightly tied to the Oregon State Parks calendar. Memaloose State Park is typically open from mid-March through October 31, with water and restrooms remaining closed until mid to late March depending on weather. Viento State Park follows a similar schedule, generally opening in mid-March or early April and closing at the end of October. Private RV parks such as Gorge Base Camp, Timberlake Campground and RV Park, and Dog Mountain RV Park run a longer season, which matters for shoulder-season travelers heading up to Mt. Hood Meadows. Summer is peak season for water sports and books out fastest. July through September is usually warm and dry by Pacific Northwest standards, and is also peak windsurfing season, when campgrounds and the surrounding area can get busy, particularly on weekends. Heat is a real factor on the east end of the gorge: Memaloose sits in one of the warmest sections of the gorge and can exceed 100 degrees on summer afternoons. Spring brings wildflowers and unsettled weather; fall brings clearing skies and harvest traffic in the Hood River Valley. Winter conditions in the gorge are wet, windy, and snowy at elevation, with state-park campgrounds closed.

Expect noise. The same I-84 and rail corridor that makes the gorge accessible also runs past almost every riverside campground. Viento is next to I-84 and a working Union Pacific rail line, and visitors can expect to hear train horns throughout the day and night. Sites closest to the river at Memaloose provide direct views of the Columbia but sit nearest to the tracks. Hookups vary. Viento has water and electric sites but no sewer hookups and no dump station on site. Memaloose has paved back-in RV sites with full hookups, and a dump station is available for a per-use fee. Private parks across the river such as Gorge Base Camp, Timberlake Campground and RV Park, and Dog Mountain RV Park typically offer 30 and 50-amp full hookups. Direct river access from the state-park campgrounds themselves is limited by the rail line. Plan to drive a few minutes to a day-use park such as Mayer State Park for swimming or launching.