About Columbia Gorge Kayak School
Columbia Gorge Kayak School is the region's premier paddling instruction program, offering whitewater kayak and sea kayak courses on the rivers and waterways surrounding Hood River. Founded by experienced paddlers with deep ties to the Gorge kayaking community, the school provides structured instruction that takes beginners from flat-water basics to confidently running Class II-III rapids. Their location gives them access to an exceptional range of learning environments within a short drive — from calm harbour water to progressively challenging whitewater on the White Salmon and Klickitat rivers.
Course offerings include introductory kayak clinics, multi-day whitewater progression courses, rolling workshops, and advanced river-running technique sessions. All courses provide boats, paddles, spray skirts, helmets, and PFDs, so students arrive with nothing more than swimwear and enthusiasm. The school runs small class sizes to ensure personalised attention, and many courses follow a classroom-to-river format that covers theory, safety protocols, and rescue techniques before paddling. Guided kayak tours of calmer waterways are also available for those who prefer scenic paddling over whitewater.
The instructors at Columbia Gorge Kayak School are ACA-certified and many are competitive paddlers or expedition kayakers in their own right. This depth of real-world experience translates into confident, safety-conscious teaching that adapts to each student's learning pace. For anyone wanting to learn to kayak or sharpen existing skills in one of the Pacific Northwest's best paddling regions, this school delivers instruction that sticks.
