Brett Stomps
Windermere Real Estate Columbia Gorge
Underwood, WA is the “not so often noticed sibling” of White Salmon, WA. Not often noticed by visitors, but widely known by locals, Underwood, WA offers a rural community that is very close to popular locations. It’s location is probably it’s more attractive value to those who live in Underwood, WA.
Located just north of HWY 14 at the confluence of the White Salmon River, Underwood sits atop a bluff with south-east facing views over the Columbia River and Hood River, OR valley.
If you like a tight nit community, newer homes, and being close to the Columbia Gorge fun, make a trip to visit Underwood. Just have your pocketbook ready! Underwood is one of the priciest locations in the Gorge to live.
The property types in Underwood are similar to those in White Salmon, WA, with subtle, rural, differences.
This includes larger lots (often 1/2 ac or larger), more use of private wells and septic systems, and newer or remodeled homes.
Most of the homes here are residential, and because it’s mostly in the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area, vacation use, land development, and commercial locations, are heavily reduced.
Lastly, Underwood’s footprint is a small region, and a large part of it is already dedicated to wineries. So, don’t expect a lot of new development here.
These percentages are is estimated.
The real estate market in Underwood, WA is very slow. Partly, because it’s a smaller community, and partly because a lot of people love living there. As such, opportunities to live in Underwood don’t come around too often. However, when listings come along, they don’t usually last too long.
Due to a high average home price, prospective buyers who require FHA or VA financing, may find a difficult path ahead. Even more so, with homes below the average price that require physical repairs.
Because of Underwood’s location, larger lot sizes, and sometimes it’s views, Underwood’s housing prices can often surprise buyers. But once you’re in, you’re in. You’ll have made a safe investment.
These percentages are is based on 2025 RMLS data.
Highly Competitive
The weather in Underwood is drier than what one might consider to be your normal “PNW” weather. While it can be cloudy during the winter, it’s not a very windy place – despite being right along the Columbia River.
Protected by a bit of the west winds, and facing a little bit south-east, Underwood sits along the rain shadow of the cascade mountain range, where, most of the annual rainfall falls just a few miles west.
Surprisingly, Underwood is also one of the few locations in the entire Columbia Gorge, where wineries are completely dry farmed (not irrigated). More on that later.
This area receives a little more snow than White Salmon, WA, but less than Snowden, WA, as it sits halfway between the two elevations.
If you are at all concerned about fires, Underwood is unfortunately a hot spot for them. This is because of the numerous bends in the railroad below Underwood, where trains grind the tracks to reduce speed. The most recent fire was in 2023, Tunnel 5 Fire and burned 10 homes.
High Fire Risk
Underwood’s landscape is gently sloped to the south-east. It is actually the extinct shell of a volcanic cone called Underwood Mountain (2,755ft tall).
As mentioned earlier, Underwood is mostly all dry farmed (no irrigation), and under it’s surface, deep, rich, volcanic ash – providing acidity and unique flavors to local wineries unseen anywhere else.
If you are interested in homes with a view of the Columbia River or of Mt. Hood, Underwood has them! Though, maybe not as many as White Salmon, WA does.
These percentages are is estimated.
Being that Underwood is on the east side of the cascade mountain range, Underwood has a blended environment between dry and wet.
With some oak trees down in lower elevations, hardy wines in open spaces, and mostly evergreens and grass in the hills, Underwood has a beautiful, but not quite stunning abundance of plant life.
Though, nearby, up in Mill A & Willard, are some of the best mushroom hunting locations in the PNW.
These percentages are is estimated.
Underwood isn’t exactly in the Columbia Gorge’s spotlight. It isn’t even in any spotlight. You could tell someone you were from Hood River, and they’d likely say, “ah, yes!”, and they’d know where that is. If you told someone you’re from Underwood, you’ll likely find it easier to just say, you’re from Hood River.
That being said, the Underwood community is a lot like an underground secret society. Even those right next door in White Salmon don’t even know all of the going ons in Underwood.
But, to those interested, and to those who already live there, the Underwood Community Center website covers most of the local events and local resources.
And if you’re a winer (you like drinking wine), you’ll probably find yourself a member of Hawkins Cellar, Savage Grace, Gorge Crest, or Crooked Acres Vineyard.
Like all of the Columbia Gorge, Underwood’s history also runs deep and rich, with most of it’s notable history having occurred within the last 200 years.
Amos Underwood settled at the month of the White Salmon River in 1861 and built a sizable dock (Underwood Landing). Amos desired to plat and develop the upper plateau above the bluffs, but the town never really took off. Instead, the the e first post office was established 1904, and during the apple boom of 1905-1920, pioneers sought the open, larger tracts of land above the town site to plant their orchards.
Amos’ business ventures would still prove to be lucrative, for during this time, he acquired 160 acres on his soldier’s warrants, and Skamania county was a wet county, while Hood River and Klickitat county was dry. So, many would travel to Underwood’s Landing for a refreshment. And while the apple boom kept booming and ferries landed at Amos’ dock, he was busy. That is, until ferries were replaced by trains around 1917 and the main SP&S train depot in Bingen became the default shipping location.
Broughton Lumber Mill
Another notable historic facet of Underwood’s recent history is the Broughton Lumber Mill, and it’s famous lumber flume.
The Broughton lumber flume was a remarkable 9-mile wooden chute that carried rough-sawn timber (cants) from a mill in Willard, WA, to a finishing mill in Hood, WA – an area now known as Underwood.
Fed by water from the Little White Salmon River, the flume flowed downhill at about 9 miles per hour. That meant a piece of lumber could travel from the Willard mill to the Hood mill in just 55 minutes.
Each day, the flume moved an estimated 130,000 to 150,000 board feet of lumber – enough to build roughly two homes. By sending timber downhill by water instead of truck, the company saved significant time and transportation costs.
While Broughton lumber mill closed in 1986, the mill site can be seen from HWY 14 as you drive past. Some say, it’s owners are planning to repurpose the site.
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