My Cup Is Overflowing
The River House and The Ritz. This is special.
Where does one start when describing a vacation spot that is so special that you literally crave your next return like you had a slice of grandma’s pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, and you want more. People typically pull off the highway into The Resort at Skamania Coves either needing a break from a busy life and they have sought out the serenity that those 33 acres supply or they are looking for their next adventure within the expansive confines of The Columbia River Gorge which is plentiful. Either way, at the break of dawn and the end of each day, there is some kind of cup filling magic that comes over you and at the end of your stay, you leave renewed and wanting more.
I have woken up in each of the Bluff House, High House, Overlook House and River House. Everyone offers something slightly different but each share that special feeling in their own unique way.
The Bluff house, the largest home, sits highest on the property and has a hot tub with stunning views of the Columbia River. It has modern amenities and is very spacious. This is where I stay when we have a larger party. Convenient to the Bluff House are the two condos which are lovely overflow options for larger group. I would not rule out the condos as a 1st option either, they are just as lovely as the rest. They have the same modern amenities; they are just smaller yet still with 2 bedrooms each.
The High House was the first house I stayed in. It It sits below the Bluff house and next to the Overlook House but it is perched on a hill surrounded by trees enough that you feel completely private. This house is similar in design to the Bluff House and is a wonderful, serene place to stay.
The Overlook House, it’s like a visit with grandma and screams lets have some lengthy, deep conversations. This home has many original features including an incredible carved wood ceiling. The larger of the two bedrooms had the most incredible views of the Gorge and to be lucky enough to wake up to that… you’ll never forget it. This house has a huge deck and is the perfect place to stargaze at night and I have done that. It was incredible.
The Treehouse. I have not stayed in it, but I have been in it and it’s a construction marvel. I mean that huge trunk right there in the middle of it, in the forest, it’s nature on nature. It’s impressive.
There are several RV spaces with incredible views. These are quite popular with regulars who repeatedly visit during the summer or, so I am told.
The River House and The Ritz. This is special. This is my go-to, soul searching, cup filling, home away from home. This house is a cozy cottage with a large bedroom, 1 bathroom and an incredibly comfortable pull-out sofa option for additional sleeping that is next to its original stone fireplace in-front of a large picture window overlooking the river. It has a front porch that I am sure every guest has had their morning coffee on while they watch the water glisten and the eagles fly. This is the only house that has its own beach. We have brought our kayaks with us when we stay here and enjoy the calm waters that most morning offer. In the afternoon, the water sparkles and there’s almost this little diamond dance on the water as it ebbs and flows. It’s fascinating to watch and it’s like the dinner bell ringing at the beginning of a night of shared thoughts and long talks with family and friends. This is the house to go deep into conversation in. You can feel the Native American history of the land here and it will speak to your soul. Fact.
The Ritz, is the little one room garden shed conversion with its private porch and outdoor shower that sits next to the main house. This will forever be my favorite cup filling spot. So much so I have the coordinate tattooed on my arm. It’s that special. It is only available to rent when renting the River House. Depending on the moon phase, I can lay in bed and watch the moon travel across the sky. I can crank open the casement windows and listen to the water below. It’s quiet, it’s small & it’s womb like. It is so much more than overflow lodging for the River House, to me it’s the main attraction. A place you go to enjoy the silence and just dream.
The lawn that is shared by these two places has the most expansive view of the Columbia River Gorge. I don’t quite know how to describe it. It’s mesmerizing. It calls you to pull up a chair and visually dive in. It’s like spying on God. Up above, looking down at a view that rivals any National Park and I live next to Glacier National Park where the views, although larger, are equally spectacular.
I cannot say enough about this special place on Earth. We have a finite number of years in life to choose our vacation spots. Do yourself a favor and book a stay here. Enjoy Hood River, hike Dog Mountain, tour the “Fruit Loop”, wine taste, cruise the Sternwheeler, walk part of the Pacific Crest Trail, visit the numerous waterfalls in The Gorge and then unwind at the Resort at Skamania Coves and let the surroundings just cleanse your soul, because it will. You’ll leave a better person than you arrived.
Mair Blatt
Whitefish, Montana
