The City of Hood River is located 60 miles East of Portland Oregon Nestled in the heart of the nationally protected Columbia Gorge Scenic Area. Hood river has an approximated population of six-thousand five hundred residents . This represents about one quarter of the population of Hood River County.

The city is located in Hood River county the second smallest county by area in Oregon, second only to nearby Multnomah County. The City of Hood River has remained the county seat since it's separation from Wasco County and establishment as a county in 1908.

Seventeen families originally called Hood River home when the city was first platted in 1881, but the first settlers came much earlier. Nathaniel and Mary Coe filed the first Donation Land Claim in 1854 for 319 acres which is now part of downtown. The Hood River Post Office was first opened in September of 1858. The Coes were also one of the first families to plant fruit trees in the region, helping to established the fruit industry in the Hood River Valley. In the early 1900's Hood River was famous for it's apples, but in 1919 most of the apple trees were killed by a large freeze. Many farmers chose to replant pear trees instead of apple.

The City of Hood River is named after its nearby river which was originally called the Labeasche (Labiche) River by the Lewis and Clark expedition in October 1805 . They named it after one of the members of their expedition, Francis Labiche. Later starving settlers camping along the river called it Dog River after eating dog meat to prevent starvation. The name was eventually changed to Hood River by the efforts of Mary Coe, who named it after Mount Hood which is the source of the river.

The major sources of revenue for Hood River are fruit, timber, and tourism. With it's ideal climate, Hood River has become the world's leading producer of Anjou Pears. 380 commercial farms are located in Hood River with 14,000 acres of orchards. These orchards also grow apples, cherries and peaches. Other industries include hydroelectric production, telecommunications, and software design.

Hood River also has several vineyards and microbreweries including Full Sail Brewing Company with their award winning ales located in the history Diamond Fruit Cannery building.

The Port of Hood River was established in 1933 in order to create industrial properties in the Columbia River Basin. It was responsible for making the waterfront what it is today. The Port also purchased the interstate bridge from the Oregon-Washington Bridge Co. in 1950 for $800,000, and is responsible for all maintenance and upgrades done to it. The bridge was built in 1924 spanning the Columbia River to connect White Salmon and Bingen, Washington with Hood River, Oregon. This bridge is a toll bridge, charging $.75 per car. The Port was also deeded the Hood River Airport in 1976 and is responsible for many of the upgrades done over the years.

Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital established in 1924 is a community hospital and is striving to become the best rural hospital in the United states. In 2004 the facility was recognized for it’s efforts to improve patient satisfaction by winning first ever Providence Health System President’s Award for Excellence.

When you think of Oregon most people think rain, well Hood River sees less rain then most people think when they hear Oregon. The Hood River Valley is just to the East of the Cascade Mountain Range in the mountain’s “rain shadow”. With the majority of the precipitation coming from the west, most of the rain has dropped on the western facing slopes of the cascades before it has reached Hood River. This makes Hood River and the Hood River Valley much drier than nearby Portland at only 30 inches of rain per year. With just enough rain to keep everything green and most of the precipitation coming in the winter months, Hood Rivers climate attracts many to the area.

Hood River sits in the heart of the Columbia Gorge Basin it’s unique topography creates a “wind funnel” between the east and the west sides of the Cascade mountain range. With differing weather systems on either side of the cascade mountains, steady and often strong winds throughout the gorge are common. In the summer, the wind comes steadily from the West, funneling down the Columbia River Gorge, which has made Hood River the windsurfing capital of the world. Because of the summer's steady Westerly winds during the middle part of the day, the Columbia River is scattered with windsurfers and kiteborders from various parts of the US and around the world. For over 20 years the sport of windsurfing has changed Hood River from a humble farming community to a popular destination for sporting enthusiasts.

Just a few miles south on highway 35 is the highest mountain in Oregon, Mount Hood. Mount Hood offers thousands of acres for skiing and snowboarding and is the only mountain in North American that offers year round skiing on the Palmer glacier at Timberline Lodge. With three major ski areas Mt Hood Meadows, Ski Bowl and Timberline Mt Hood is a premier skiing destination with over 4000 acres of winter skiing available. Mt Hood Skibowl offers America’s largest Night skiing area with over 30 lited runs.

Home to over a dozen winaries and twice as many vinyards The Columbia river gorge has become a popular and profitable place for winemakers. Many of the award winning vineyards offer group tours and a tasting rooms with many wines and fruit liqueurs. A great way to see the Hood River Valley vinyards is via the Mt. Hood Scenic Railroad that follows an old fruit train line between Mount Hood and the Columbia River. It offers 2 and 4 hour scenic tours aboard the historic 1910 rail cars pulled by a steam engine. Enjoy dinner or brunch while taking in the beautiful sights the Hood River Valley has to offer. They also have special events such as a murder mystery train, and for the kids, Thomas and friends and The Polar Express at Christmas.

Columbia Gorge Hotel offers a panoramic view from atop the 208 foot high Wah Gwin Gwin falls. The premier hotel is a destination for couples and honeymooners. It is also a popular choice for weddings because of it's 6 acres of beautiful riverfront property and romantic setting.

Hood River's pristine setting has something to offer for everyone, from it's vast orchards to it's incredible recreations.