Hood River Real Estate Update

Underwood is located in Skamania County, Washington. It is west of Bingen and North of WA SR 14 after you cross the White Salmon River.  I have always thought Underwood would be a nice place to live. It is only about 10 minutes to downtown Hood River.  Underwood is a small rural community of about 976 people. The climate in Lower Underwood is similar to White Salmon and Hood River. As you travel Cook Underwood Road the elevation climbs and Upper Underwood is in the snow zone. Mill A and Willard get more snow and rain due to the elevation and being farther west.

Lower Underwood has a few streets with Circle Drive making a loop on the bluff with beautiful views. There is a U.S. Post Office, Community Center(meeting place of Gorge Homelearners- every Tuesday from 12:00-3:00 late Oct thru April), Park with play equipment, tennis courts, picnic tables and a Fire Station (a new fire station is currently under construction after the Underwood Fire last summer) in Lower Underwood.  Cook-Underwood Road continues up the hill climbing in elevation as it goes. There are more homes along both sides of the road, many with beautiful views of the gorge, Columbia River, Mt. Hood, and the surrounding orchards.

I took the pictures above from a viewpoint turnout in upper Underwood.

Continuing on Cook-Underwood Road will take you to the small communities of Willard and Mill A. Willard was home to Broughton Lumber Flume, a nine-mile long, 1000-foot drop, wooden lumber slide. For decades, the Broughton Lumber Company harvested timber in the mountains, sending their logs to the riverside mill. The mill has been closed for several years. The Flume was closed in 1986 and is slowly rotting away but can still be seen from Highway 14. The 1967 TV episode of Lassie made the flume famous as the popular collie floated down the chute to the Broughton Lumber Mill. Willard also adjoins the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. There is a County Park Big Cedars nearby.  The small community of Cook, Washington, is located just west (downstream) of the mouth of the Little White Salmon River and is home to the Little White Salmon National Fish Hatchery. There is a public elementary school in Mill A with 77 students, grades K-8. Mill A is also home to the USGS Lab. I thought this site looked interesting: Underwood Washington's Environmental Network.

Here are pictures of the Community Center, Park, Old Fire Hall & Post Office.

Below is the Little White Salmon River near the USGS Lab and a part of the old Flume at the entrance to Willard.

Disclaimer: I assume no responsibilty for accuracy of information provided within this post and blog. The entries on this blog are based on the opinions and  ideas of the author and are provided without warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied.