written by Lauren Kramer | photography by Under Canvas

Under Canvas opened its first Washington luxury glamping site in the Columbia River Gorge last May, the answer to those who love the idea of camping but don’t want to relinquish comfort or luxury overnight. A half-hour’s drive from the town of White Salmon, the campsite and its fifty-nine tents are located on a hillside with spellbinding views of Mount Hood. The safari-style tents are cozy and comfortable, equipped with private bathrooms, hot showers and gas fireplaces. By day, the mountains, rivers and waterfalls offer a playground of adventure, from hiking to white water rafting and fishing. At night, Under Canvas guests gather in front of the communal fire pits for s’mores, drinks and conversation by starlight. With no wifi and no screens to distract from the beauty, guests soak in the serene beauty, pull out board games, join an outdoor yoga class or try one of the crafts offered at camp.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Under Canvas redefines the camping experience, with large, spacious tents and decadently comfortable beds with down comforters and quality linens. Our tent suite contained a leather sofa and gas fireplace, and staff delivered hot water bottles to take the edge off a cold night. While there’s no electricity, the tents are equipped with battery packs for charging devices and battery-powered lanterns to minimize light pollution. Carefully spaced out to ensure privacy, campsites are separated by pedestrian pathways, greenery and indigenous plants. As a result, the campsite feels ensconced in nature, its physical footprint treading ever so lightly on the land around it.

AMENITIES

The schedule at Under Canvas changes daily, but your stay might include an outdoor yoga class, candle decorating, bookmark making or an invitation to “nature journal.” There’s a fire pit every night, with live music two-to-three times a week and unlimited packages of s’mores, ready for roasting. The campsite has a collection of games, a couple of telescopes and a guitar available for guest use. A four-room, massive tent straight out of Cirque du Soleil contains the reception and lobby, the dining room and a lounge. The campsite is open April through October, when the tents are dried, dismantled and stored for the next season.

DINING

Ember, the on-site restaurant, offers breakfast, packed lunches to go and dinners with a small, concise menu. Complimentary tea, coffee and hot chocolate are available throughout the day, and complimentary s’mores are handed out around the fire pit at night.

DON’T MISS

Walk through the towns of White Salmon, on the Washington side, and Hood River, just across the Button Bridge in Oregon. The small towns have a smattering of restaurants, and Hood River’s Oak Street is full of boutiques, camping stores and galleries. Multnomah Falls, one of the largest waterfalls in the area, is a forty-five-minute drive from camp.

433 OAK RIDGE ROAD
WHITE SALMON
www.undercanvas.com/camps/columbia-river-gorge