We attempted to schedule lessons with the company. We completed their "sign up"form and were very…read morespecific about the package, date, time window, experience and travel plans. All we needed was a confirmation of time and price. We did receive an email which was pleasant but in typical old school form it said "Hey - give me a call". It's time these businesses understand that when customers go to the effort to fill out your forms to schedule in a simple manner, they do not want a 3 step process or to play the voicemail back and forth game. I am rating this as we asked for a reply to their email to confirm scheduling.....nothing. If you make it hard, customers go elsewhere.

If you are a beginner, I'd recommend having lessons with the young boys instead of Bryan. I found…read morethem much more patient, friendly and they don't stick with every small detail that for a beginner just make things harder to get. At the end of the day, if this is your first time, you probably are just looking to have some fun and not to remember every name of a move and each detail. Plus, he overcomplicates on his explanation and has a bossy tone. Maybe that is good if you are an experienced guy and is looking to sharp your skills. Not sure. The young crowd do a great job with first-timers though. Happy that they saved the day. Get lessons with them.

I took most of my lessons with Tanguy at Cascade and I have to say I owe it all to his style and…read moregeneral approach to teaching. He was able to point out everything I needed to do differently to finally get out on my own. He's an absolute asset to the Cascade team and I'd highly recommend booking him for your next lesson, you won't regret it. Thanks Tanguy

Two thumbs way up!…read more This was my second trip to the Gorge and have been extremely pleased with the experience with Cascade Kiteboarding both times. While this is probably a sport that shouldn't be taken up once eligible for social security that didn't stop the instructors. The instruction from Nadia, Mel and Mike was right on point. Each brought encouragement, helpful individualized kiting tips, and enthusiasm to the lesson. Now that they got me making water starts, I am looking forward to more lessons with Cascade Kiteboarding to continue to progress on the water. Tons of fun.

Excellent service from the time of reservation until dropping off the bikes. The bikes were…read moreexcellent and the directions from the attendant were spot on. We did the waterfalls and waterfront tour. The hike to Lancaster Falls is actually a bit steep but well worth it. The trail itself is spacious and well maintained. Very generous 10% discount for military. Thanks again for that.

Pretty stoked to have found Bike The Gorge in my search for an e-bike test ride. Riding an electric…read morebike through the glorious Columbia River Gorge has got to be one of the best ways to cover ground while still being able to smell the roses in this awesome area, and BTG had a decent selection of steeds to meet my needs. Their tour offerings look even cooler, with a bunch of different options (varying in duration and destination), but I chose the self guided tour option before coming back to the shop and then doing a separate test ride on a different bike. Their bikes are all fairly new and up to date, well taken care of and prepped, and come with luggage and locks -- and the customer service I got from the friendly woman who greeted me was outstanding. She set me up, explained the bike and the route and gave me a number to call if anything went south. My Aventon Pace was clean, stout and powerful enough to handle any of the grades I came upon, though it was heavier (and heavier steering) then I liked. I was much happier test riding the new Lectric XP4. A nice rig! The shop itself is a pretty basic setup - a large open bay tucked into a nondescript row of metal industrial warehouses on the other side of the train tracks (literally), a bit east of Cascade Locks main drag. It's a small mom and pop operation, which is fine by me -- it always means better service. (BTW, booking a tour or test ride online is super easy, with availability shown in real time. I'll discuss nitpicks with their website down below) The good; -A nice selection of clean and up-to date electric models, from adventure to cargo to trikes. They're all well-maintained and outfitted with luggage and bike locks. -Owners are great; helpful and knowledgeable and ready with info. - You get to ride unbelievably scenic parts of the gorge no matter which direction you go. The shop provides good directions and destinations at a fair price (if you're doing a tour). The bad: - a better variety of bikes would have been nice. Almost all the e-bikes were of the fat tire type; some hybrids or cross bikes would help round out the options, and a more in-depth description (and corresponding photo) of specific models available on the website would be helpful too. Type of bike, features, weight, best-use, etc. But it was still a great day in the Gorge, cruising on an e-bike, and I'd use these guys again.

I went on one of your first trips in 1972. It was Pacific High School class of '72, and we had a…read morefantastic time. I can't believe you are still going strong. Congratulations Mr. Lindford. Mr. Daly was my Social Studies teacher. You are the best of the best!

We just got back from a 3 night, 4 day family adventure with Echo on the Rogue River in Southern…read moreOregon. It was spectacular. The guides (Kaela, Laurie, Dustin, Mike and Nate) worked like dogs to make the trip safe, fun for kids and relaxing for the adults. There was coffee ready every morning. Delicious breakfast. Yummy lunch. Great dinners with plenty of beer, wine and sodas. Laurie, our "Food Dude," was even kind enough to bring along Pringles as a special request/treat for the kids. We ended up asking Echo to supply our tents and sleeping bags. I read the earlier review about a sandy tent, but ours were clean and in good condition. It made the trip all the more relaxing for our family to not have to worry about packing our camping gear. We just threw our clothes in a bag and were ready to hit the water. As an aside, my husband is a seasoned drift boater/rafter who has been on the Rogue (and many other rivers) on his own many times. He was hesitant about going on a guided trip, but was pressured into it by me - a mom who wanted some down time from cooking, prepping, etc. His one complaint was that he couldn't drink beer while on the river. Of course, this is a safety issue, so he gets it overall and enjoyed his time otherwise. I think it is a testament to the entire Echo team that he ended up having a great time and would love to travel with them again. If you are looking to take a trip on the Rogue (or Salmon!) River, I highly recommend that you consider Echo.

I can't recommend this place enough! Dale, Erika, John B. and Ed are amazing! Their equipment is…read moretop notch and the lessons were the best I've ever had. SAK is such a gem!! Erika also teaches yoga and there is a fun winery above the shop. Everyone is extremely friendly and passionate about kiting, that you can't help but have a great time! I already can't wait to go back.

I couldn't recomend SA Kitesuef more. We were coming from out of town and Erika reached out and…read morehelped us find the best time to get wind. We did two days of lessons with Dale and they were amazing. He's right in your ear calmly reassuring you how to do everything. The location is so nice to learn in. Tons of thigh to Chest deep water. If anything is going wrong you can just standup. It makes it feel alot safer to learn.

Awesome day with a picnic lunch and great friends. Wonderful way to spend the day. We visited after…read morestopping at Vista House.

With sailing, fishing, camping, picnicking, and where the Sternwheeler cruises begin and end, the…read moreCascade Locks Marine Park is the perfect place to enjoy the more beautiful views of the Columbia River. Park amenities include a children's playground, open lawns, picnic tables, clean public restrooms, a gravelly beach, boat launch ramp, and marina. We often drive out to just sit and watch the windsurfers, various birds and boats go in and out. Unique views of the Bridge of the Gods is just downriver too. The Marine Park offers a variety of indoor and outdoor venues for special events for groups of 5 to 500. Such a nice place for a birthday party, baby shower, family reunion or even a wedding. Make sure to tour the Historical Museum while you're there and see the first steam locomotive of the Oregon Territory, the Oregon Pony. The Marine Park also serves as the meeting and launching point for the Columbia Gorge Racing Association's sailing events, and racing takes place in the waters upriver from the beach at the east end of the Park. Check their webpage for next year's Regatta in July. This is world-class sailboat racing in a world-famous big wind venue and not to be missed. Many professional sailors say it's "the best place in the world to sail."

TLDR: Mostly great trail except it passes directly by the dump and has terrible signage…read more I had read somewhere that there was a 7.5 mile trail from Riverfront Park to The Columbia Gorge Discovery Center. From Downtown The Dalles, I had an easy time finding the trail, and finding my way to Riverfront Park. According to the map, the dam is only an additional 2.5 miles east of the park. But, the unpaved section of trail about a mile past the park had a lot of glass and other debris in it, so I decided to turn around. Heading west of Riverfront Park, I had a hard time figuring out where to pick up the trail. There is little to no signage. I kept riding past the dump, thinking, "This can't be right," and turning around. Turns out that the trail is just past this. So, ride until it smells really, really bad. Ride until it smells like death, and then turn right when the road runs into the Google data center. This is where a small aux trail runs from the wide paved Industry trail to the real Riverfront trail. The section from Google to the Gorge Discovery Center is by far the best section of trail. If I only had an hour or two to do this trail and knew everything I know now, I would park at the Discovery Center, and ride from there. Between Google and the river, there is a mini bike park with tables for snacking and stretching, a water bottle refill station, and a bike repair station. There were a lot of older couples and children walking along the trail, so this is not necessarily a great trail for riding fast, but it is very pretty. The views of the volcanic bluffs and basalt deposits along the river are unique and distinct from the rest of the Gorge. Due to the recent fires, a lot of the trees and shrubs on the east side of the trail are currently missing. Even though that's obviously sad, it's resulted in amazing views of the river from the trail. The very last section of trail climbing up to the Discovery Center is a kind of brutal switchback. Coming back down the other way, I got hit by a strong gust of wind that I swear almost blew me straight into the river. I would be very cautious about riding with small children in this area. From the bike trail, you can see so many things that you can't see from the road. There are lots of little inlets full of moss and birds that you would never notice from the freeway. Overall a very pretty trail except for the ride by the dump.

Located in the Columbia River's edge, the Riverfront Trail in The Dalles offers expansive views of…read morethe Columbia River, the basalt cliffs along the Washington side, and The Dalles Bridge and powerful dam with lots of wildlife to see along the way! The ten mile trail goes from The Discovery Center to The Dalles Dam Visitor center winding along the southern bank of the Columbia River. The path is paved, which is why I like it, and it's about 10 feet wide. Plenty of room for those walking, biking, pushing strollers or walking with pets. There are often eagles soaring above, especially from November through January when migrating eagles stay here to feast on the fish and critters. If you go at dusk, there are 50+ nesting in the trees in front of the dam. During the summer, there are hundreds and hundreds of pelicans. They are fascinating to watch, their fishing skills just incredible. They stay together in their flock and when they are hunting, it's a sea of these big white birds diving in and out of the river. Winds can be fierce in this area, which means the current on the river is equally fierce so be aware! And careful. There are also deer in this area which means ticks so wear socks, long pants and stay in the trail. Make sure to check yourself and your dogs after walking especially if you are your pets wander through the grasses. Located off exit 85 on I-8, it's easy access while driving through this area or staying in The Dalles. It's part of Riverplace Park so there are shaded areas with picnic tables, public restrooms and plenty of parking.

First, check out the website for details on how to access this interesting, short hike…read more Second, don't bring dogs--the grated platform will injure their paws. Third, wear solid walking or running shoes. Hiking boots are good, too. The footing is always even and smooth, but it's mostly great. Thanks to the creative folks who thought of this as a hike for the public--it's fun, safe (assuming you make good choices) and another reason to visit Hood River. There are beaches you can enjoy for the day but no bathrooms, water, or garage cans. Also, no overnight camping. It's an easy hike. https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Hood_River_Pipeline_Hike

One of my favorite easy hikes. The abandoned building covered in graffiti is always exciting to see…read moreand the actual hike is scenic and beautiful. You walk along a metal grate the whole time and are guided by rails on both sides. The fall foliage and the roaring river makes it incredibly worth it. And whenever I've been there's never too many people to enjoy it. 10/10! So fun!