I sell many homes here on the Washougal River Rd. I often send an email to the new buyers so they can know some fun facts about this great river!
Here is an email I just wrote this morning to a new buyer:
Hey Scott.... I hope you are enjoying your new waterfront home! I just wanted you to know a little about the Washougal River community. Starting from the furthest miles up the river and coming down river, here are some fun things only the locals would know:
Dugan Falls on the Washougal River Rd:
Dugan falls is about 15 miles up the river away from town. But on the way up to Dugan Falls....you'll pass the fish hatchery. Stop and talk with a "ranger" there. It's pretty interesting. (A ranger once told me that sometimes they take the fish that make it back home...all the way back down river and drop them off at the mouth of the Columbia to swim the route again.) A few miles past the fish hatchery you'll see Dougan Falls. Gorgeous!!!! It's like a small Niagra falls! We had a friend that used to stand in the middle of the falls and catch the salmon and help the salmon jump up the falls to the top. Past that Dugan Falls area... going a little further up is "Naked Falls." I haven't been there, I only have seen pictures. I've read that Naked Falls has a great cliff to jump from into the water below.
Steel Bridge Store on the Washougal River Rd.:
At the 10 mile marker is the Steel Bridge store. It's kinda famous. Swimmers used to jump off the bridge but it's outlawed now. The store is "famous" because it carries just about everything you can think of from hunting items to groceries. Their sandwiches and hot dogs are great! There used to be a group of old guys that met there for coffee everyday in the little cafe spot and they were called "The old liars club." I'm not sure why they are called that.
The Big Eddy on the Washougal River Rd.
The eight mile marker beach is known as the "Big Eddy". It's a gorgeous area. But I want to tell you that the rocks form a small shute or slot that the river drains/goes down river...it's dangerous. That slot with the rushing water is scary. Swimmers and inner tube float people get into big trouble there, especially when the river is running fast in June. It's fun to go there...just be careful. When we take guests up there, we walk down past the slot and then get in and just float on down.
Five Mile Marker/Fishing Spot on Cliff on the Washougal River Rd.
At the five mile marker there is another rushing water slot. The river divides right there but it also has a slot. There are cliffs above that and fishermen snag/fish from there and some people jump off that cliff too into the water below. (Snagging is illegal. We do have wildlife officials float downriver through about once or twice a year on a pontoon boat and once I saw them stop at the five mile marker and check for fishing licenses.)
Salmon Runs/Salmon Falls Bridge/ Protected Fish Washougal River Rd.
There are about four salmon runs. The best one in my opinion is about 9/11 every year. Watch in the early morning and you'll see the salmon put up about a six foot spray as they fight to go through the rapids. It's cool to watch. After the Salmon Falls Bridge further up the river...you cannot fish the salmon. They are protected. There is a hatchery right up above that bridge to the left but the big hatchery is about the 13-14 mile further up on the Washougal River Road.
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Traffic on the Washougal River Road:
The Washougal River road is very curvy and the view is awesome! There are craggy rock faces on one side and the beautiful river on the other side. In the summer the traffic can be very heavy because everyone wants to picnic and swim along here. As you drive down the road you can see all the Oregon cars parked and using the river. It's a great river.Some people like to driver super fast through the curves. Fast speeds are not really a good idea. One time I came around a corner and there was a car stopped in the middle of the road with a Mom letting her kids get out of the car! I had to slam on my brakes so as not to hit them.
WANNA LIVE ON THE WASHOUGAL RIVER ROAD?
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