MapUSAHood River / Columbia GorgeStevenson, WAHood River / Columbia Gorge

Stevenson, WA

Hood River / Columbia Gorge · Skamania County · Stevenson, Washington

also known as Bob's Beach, East Point Kite Beach, Kite Beach

Part of Hood River / Columbia Gorge →

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

not for beginnersmedium crowds

On this page

The spot
Wind
Forecast
Month by month
Water
Level
The scene
Launch
Schools
Tips
Getting there
Photos
FAQ

Riding essentials

Season

May–Sep

Months riders and schools name

How windy

16-22 kt

Character: mixed · cross-shore

Room to launch

tight

access rules on record, below

Water

mixed

22 °C in summerEast Point/Kite Beach is on the Columbia River waterfront east of Stevenson Landing

Hazards

Reported by riders

Level

Intermediate to advanced

With a caveat: see Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

Crowds

medium crowds · busy Jun Jul Aug Sep

Schools

named at this spot

From the airport

45 min

International Airport (PDX)

On the clock

17:00

Mornings are usually the light part of the day. The westerly builds through late morning, holds its strength from early afternoon to around 17:00, then falls away into the evening, so an afternoon plan beats a dawn one. Strong pressure-gradient events, easterlies especially, ignore the pattern and blow through the night.

The mark is the clock time the record names, laid on a 24-hour day. The fade after it is not an end time, and not a promise of wind.

Nearbystraight-line distance

Backup spotsWhere riders go when the wind doesn't work here.

Bob's Beach (windsurfing; kiteboarding prohibited as of 2026)no page yet
Leaven's Pointno page yet
Home Valleyno page yet
Vientono page yet
Hood River Event Site / Sandbar
The Hatcheryno page yet

The spot

Stevenson is on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, across from Cascade Locks and west of Hood River.

Legal launch and access

Settle the launch question before anything else: the legal kite launch is East Point Kite Beach on the Port of Skamania waterfront, and kiteboarding from Bob's Beach is prohibited as of 2026.

Wind and water

It runs on the Gorge's pressure-gradient wind, mostly summer westerlies with useful east-wind days on top, and it holds wind more steadily than several other Gorge launches. The water is river water: flat sections, moderate chop, small to medium swell, moderate current pushing east against the wind.

Difficulty and conditions

What nobody warns you about is the shoreline. It is steep and rocky, with a scrap of grass to rig on and no forgiveness if you get it wrong, which makes this a spot for intermediates and up, foilers, freeriders and people running downwinders who already read Gorge current and traffic. Learn in Hood River with a school instead. July and August are the two dependable months.

The wind

locals call it Columbia Gorge gap wind

Direction

cross-shoreW in the warm season

Dominant direction

W in the warm season; E also works at Stevenson, especially in cool-season or transition setups

Kite sizes

567891011121314151617

metres · typical quiver highlighted

The quiver, in words

Indicative, not a local size survey: for 75-85 kg on the ordinary summer westerly of 16-22 kt a 9 m twintip kite covers most of the day, with a 12 m for the soft early sessions and a 7 m for the days the Gorge nukes.Foilers ride two or three sizes down. The easterly events that push riders west out of Rooster Rock are the ones to size down hard for.

Character

mixed

When it fills in: see above ↑

Average strength

About 16-17 kt, converted from a reported 18-20 mph average. Figures of 18-25 mph also circulate locally, and forecasts commonly show 15-25 mph westerlies.

Typical strength

16-22 kt on common summer westerly days; stronger easterly events are possible

Steadier and more dependable than many Gorge launches, but the launch itself and the cove downwind of it can turn funky and gusty.

The core kite season is late spring through early fall, with July and August singled out for dependable wind.

Stevenson is a west-wind site first, but east wind works, and riders use it on east days when Rooster Rock is too strong. Gorge wind is pressure-gradient gap flow: easterly gap flow is more common in cool-season weather, and westerly high-wind events push through the Gorge as well.

Forecast

Live forecast

Windguru Windfinder Windy

Month by month

Jan37
Feb14
Mar13
Apr8
May, riders' month23
Jun, riders' month15
Jul, riders' month27
Aug, riders' month27
Sep, riders' month32
Oct21
Nov30
Dec48

windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)

Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep.

37%Jan
14%Feb
13%Mar
8%Apr
23%May
15%Jun
27%Jul
27%Aug
32%Sep
21%Oct
30%Nov
48%Dec

windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · season highlighted

Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal.

Every figure, month by monthWindy days · Force 4+ · 12 kn or more · Knots · Wind from · Peaks at · Air · Readings

Month	Windy days	Force 4+	12 kn or more	Knots	Wind from	Peaks at	Air	Readings
Jan	37%	65%	52%	13.4 kt	ENE	12:00	1.8 °C	62
Feb	14%	46%	35%	10.8 kt	ENE	13:00	3.6 °C	57
Mar	13%	37%	23%	10.5 kt	ENE	12:00	6.1 °C	62
Apr	8%	32%	17%	10 kt	WSW	13:00	8 °C	60
May	23%	60%	47%	11.3 kt	SW	14:00	13.2 °C	62
Jun	15%	62%	40%	11.2 kt	SW	14:00	16.8 °C	60
Jul	27%	73%	56%	11.9 kt	SW	14:00	21.9 °C	62
Aug	27%	73%	53%	11.9 kt	SW	14:00	21.8 °C	62
Sep	32%	82%	57%	11.9 kt	SW	13:00	17.8 °C	60
Oct	21%	39%	27%	10.6 kt	ENE	13:00	12.8 °C	62
Nov	30%	45%	35%	11.2 kt	ENE	12:00	5.4 °C	60
Dec	48%	63%	61%	13.4 kt	ENE	13:00	3.2 °C	62

How this is modelledmodelled · 2023-2024

A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.

A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.

High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024

The water

Type

mixed

Standing depth

No standing area. There is no beach at the kite launch: you wade off rocks while somebody launches you from the grass, and the bank drops away almost at once. The shallow stand-up flats in this stretch of river are downstream at Hood River and on the sandbar opposite Doug's Beach, not here.

Tides

none; freshwater Columbia River

Temperature

22 °C summer · 2 °C winter

Wetsuit

Summer: rash guard, shorty, board shorts on hot days, or 3/2mm depending on rider and swim time; spring/fall: full suit; winter: 5mm or drysuit recommended.

Currents

moderate Columbia River current; westerly wind opposes the eastward river current, a classic Gorge wind-sport setup

Conditions

East Point/Kite Beach is on the Columbia River waterfront east of Stevenson Landing. Expect flat water to moderate chop, small to medium swell, and mid-sized chop near Bob's Beach/Stevenson. Bob's Beach itself is not a swimming beach and is windsurfing-oriented rather than a permitted kite launch.

Your level

BeginnerIntermediateAdvanced

not for beginners here

Intermediate to expert. The steep, rocky, low-margin launch is the reason, not the water. Take beginner lessons with a Hood River school at their own lesson sites rather than self-launching at East Point.

The scene

What riders come here for

foilintermediateadvancedflat waterfreeridedownwinderseast-wind sessions

Who it suitsbeginner

Quieter than the Hood River sandbar scene, but a known Gorge venue, and Stevenson East Point gets busy on an east-wind forecast. The people on the water are locals who ride well, not learners.

Launch and rules

three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you

With a school or a boat

2 schools name this spot

See who they are

On your own

Room to launch: tight

Read the access rules

Somewhere else

8 spots nearby

All 8 spots within 40 km are under Nearby

Rescue

No lifeguard and no rescue boat on this waterfront. The Port's own rules say the water is unsupervised and used at your own risk, and name strong current, cold water and underwater hazards as the reasons.

What you actually have is the people on the bank, who are locals and used to helping with launches and landings. Emergencies go to 911.

Launch

East Point Kite Beach, on the Stevenson waterfront behind the industrial building near the east end of the Port waterfront. Not Bob's Beach. There is a sidewalk, a small grassy rigging patch, a steep rocky shoreline and parking behind the industrial building. From I-84 take exit 44 at Cascade Locks, cross Bridge of the Gods, turn east on SR14 for 3 miles, then right on Russell Street to the waterfront.

Hazards riders report 12 reported

Wind

Funky wind in the downwind cove on west-wind days.
Afternoon gusts: the westerly is at its most up-and-down in the second half of the day.

Crowds and zones

Barge and boat traffic in the shipping channel.

Bottom

slippery rocks and a steep bank at the launch
Steep, rocky, slippery launch with little room for error at Stevenson/East Point.
No real beach at the kite launch: expect to wade off rocks while a helper launches you from the grass.

Waves and currents

Moderate Columbia River current.
No lifeguard on any part of the Port waterfront; the river is cold, the current is strong and there are underwater hazards.

Protected areas and rules

Kiteboarding from Bob's Beach is prohibited by Port of Skamania; use designated kite areas instead.
Boat-launch area rules prohibit kiteboard or training-kite operation in the boat-launch area.

Other

Crossing the railroad tracks outside a legal crossing is illegal.
Thunderstorms are possible in summer.

Rules & access

1 min read

Allowed locations

2026: the Port of Skamania ordinance in force, approved by the Port commissioners on 11 June 2026, allows a kiteboard or training kiteboard on Port property only at the designated East Point and Leaven's Point locations and the adjacent waterfront.

Kiteboarding from Bob's Beach is prohibited and riders are directed to East Point Kite Beach.
2026: kiteboards and training kites are also banned in the Cascade Avenue Boat Launch area, where windsurfing is not allowed either, though windsurfing is permitted elsewhere on the waterfront.

Parking and fines

2026: overnight public parking on Port property is not allowed outside the ordinance's vehicle-camping provision, and at East Point and Bob's Beach you may not park so as to block fire lanes or tenant-designated spaces. 2026: a breach of the ordinance carries a fine of up to $250, counted per section and per occasion. The East Point launch itself is free to use (2023). Crossing the railroad tracks outside a legal crossing is illegal.

Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.

Schools that ride here

Rider tips

Check Port of Skamania rules before you rig: Bob's Beach and the boat-launch area are not legal kite launches as of 2026.
Rig at East Point Kite Beach, behind the industrial building at the east end of the Port waterfront, and leave Bob's Beach to the windsurfers.
Get a hand for the launch. The bank is rocky and low-margin, not a forgiving sandy beach.
Stay upwind of the launch early in a west-wind session, because the cove downwind of it has funky wind.
Look at the Stevenson live kite cam and the Bob's Beach cam before you drive up from Portland or Hood River.
On an east-wind forecast, expect company: the western Gorge spots including Stevenson pull more riders than usual.
Dress for immersion, not for the air temperature. Gorge water is cold outside peak summer.
Plan for the afternoon. Mornings here are usually the light part of the day and the wind commonly drops after 17:00.
River flow matters to how the rocky entry feels; the gauge locals watch for this stretch is The Dalles Dam outflow.
Nobody is watching the water. Ride with someone, and treat a swim downriver as your own problem to solve.

Getting there

Airport

Portland International Airport (PDX)

Route

Drive east from Portland/Vancouver via I-84 in Oregon or SR14 in Washington. From I-84, take exit 44 at Cascade Locks, cross Bridge of the Gods, turn east on SR14, continue about 3 miles to Stevenson, then turn right on Russell Street to the waterfront/East Point area.

Transfer

45 min

Cost level

mid

Staying

Stevenson has downtown waterfront lodging/services promoted by the city and chamber; Hood River and Cascade Locks are nearby alternatives across or along the Gorge.

No-wind days

Hiking, watching the wind sports from the bank, golf, the tasting-tour route, breweries, riverfront parks and the scenic Columbia River Gorge drives around Stevenson and Skamania.

Photos

FAQ

Is Stevenson suitable for beginners?

No. East Point is rated intermediate to advanced because of the steep, rocky, low-margin launch; beginners should take lessons at Hood River schools instead.

What is the wind like?

The core season is late spring through early fall, with July and August most dependable; the spot works mainly on west wind, with useful east-wind sessions in cooler weather, typically 16-22 knots.

Are there rules or restricted launches?

As of 2026, the Port of Skamania prohibits kiteboarding from Bob's Beach and the Cascade Avenue boat launch area; riders must use designated locations at East Point and Leaven's Point instead.

What hazards should riders know about?

The launch has slippery rocks and a steep bank with little room for error, funky wind can occur in the downwind cove on west-wind days, and there is moderate Columbia River current.

The bigger pictureEverything about Hood River / Columbia Gorge

Last updated: August 2026