This small community is located on the Washington side of the Columbia River, with its lowlands and famous prairie situated on the west entrance to the scenic
Columbia River Gorge. Motorists who approach Washougal from the west on the Lewis & Clark Highway are impressed with the majestic display of Mt. Hood rising
above the Cascade Mountains framed by the columnar cliffs that signal the gateway of the Gorge and the great Columbia River that reflects its view. This setting of
natural beauty has inspired many an explorer, both old and new. It can be accurately stated that Washougal is the "crossroads to discovery" in the Pacific Northwest.
Shortly after Capt. Robert Gray, a Boston fur trader, discovered the mouth of the Columbia River in May of 1792, the famed British explorer George Vancouver traveled
to the region to verify Gray's discovery. In October of 1792, Vancouver directed a young Lieutenant named William Broughton to lead a party of men in a long boat
up the Columbia to explore its head waters. Broughton came as far as present day Washougal and landed near the east end of Reed Island. He named Mt. Hood after
a British admiral and Point Vancouver after his commanding officer. Broughton incorrectly assumed the head waters of the Columbia originated from Mt. Hood.
In reality, the river originates some 1,000 miles to the north and east in Canada, but it would be 18 years later before the entire river was charted by another
famed British explorer named David Thompson. (article)

City of Washougal Washington

Washougal is close to the Portland International Airport , which services major airlines for domestic and international travel. It is an easy 15-minute trip to Portland.
Our area has a small local airport, which serves private pilots. Washougal has a mild climate with an average of 50 inches of rain each year with about five days each
winter where snow (usually immeasurable) or icy conditions exist. Washougal has a strong industrial base. Georgia Pacific pulp and paper mill and
Hewlett-Packard Corp. ink jet printer factory are the two largest employers in the county, followed by a number of other corporations including
Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas , C-Tech Industries , Underwriters Laboratories , Furuno U.S.A., Wafertech , Linear Technology Corp , and
Pendleton Woolen Mills . Because of the excellent industrial base, Camas and Washougal have low property tax rates. The current total property tax rate for
Camas residents is $14.06 per $1000 assessed valuation. Washougal's rate is $14.22 per $1000. There is no state income tax in Washington. A 7.7% (Camas)
and 7.9% (Washougal) state sales tax is applied to all sales except food, medicine and services. Business owners in this state pay a Business and Occupation tax.
This rate varies depending upon the type of business - - a typical rate is 1/2 of 1% of gross sales. Clark Community College is located in Vancouver, 14 miles
west of our community. Washington State University branch campus is located in North Vancouver, about 20 miles from Camas and Washougal. Several four-year
colleges are available in the Portland Metropolitan Area, as well. Our location on the banks of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area borders Washougal
to the east and is a popular tourist and wind surfing area. The Washougal River , which joins the Columbia River here, is noted for its excellent fishing.  
, north of Camas, provides hiking trails, boating, fishing and picnic sites.