Klickitat County, Washington

Klickitat County is a county in Washington, United States, on the north bank of the Columbia River east of the Cascade Mountains. It had a population of 22,735 at the 2020 census and covers 1,904 square miles (4,930 km2) centred near 45°52′N 120°47′W.

Goldendale is the county seat; its postal code is 98620. The county has 3 incorporated cities (Goldendale, Bingen, White Salmon) and about a dozen and a half unincorporated communities. Washington has no civil townships. Klickitat County observes the Pacific time zone.

Towns & Villages in Klickitat County

Klickitat County’s three incorporated cities sit along U.S. Route 97 and the Columbia River corridor; everything else on the list below is an unincorporated community, from small river towns to rural crossroads in the sagebrush uplands.

A few names on older lists refer to the same place under a variant spelling: “Goodnoe” and “Goodnoe Hills” are the same rail-siding community on the Klickitat Valley line, and “Klickitat Heights”/”Klickitat Springs” are neighbourhoods of the town of Klickitat rather than separate places. “B Z Corner” is a genuine rural junction community near Husum, kept as its own entry.

ZIP Codes

• 98620 — Goldendale (also serves Centerville and Cleveland)
• 98672 — White Salmon
• 98605 — Bingen
• 98635 — Lyle (also serves Cleveland)
• 98650 — Trout Lake
• 98619 — Glenwood
• 98623 — Husum
• 98628 — Klickitat
• 98673 — Wishram
• 98617 — Dallesport
• 98613 — Centerville
• 99322 — Bickleton
• 99356 — Roosevelt

Smaller crossroads communities such as Appleton, Wahkiacus, Guler, Alderdale and Maryhill are served by the nearest post-office town’s ZIP code rather than one of their own.

Geography

Klickitat County spans the transition from the wet, forested western slope of the Cascade Range around Mount Adams to dry sagebrush plateau and wheat country in the east, all draining south to the Columbia River, which forms the county’s entire southern border. The Klickitat River, a state-designated Wild and Scenic River, runs north to south through the county and joins the Columbia at the town of Klickitat.

Klickitat County borders Yakima County to the north, Benton County to the northeast, Skamania County to the west, and across the Columbia River to the south, Hood River County, Wasco County and Sherman County, all in Oregon.

Demographics

Klickitat County had 22,735 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 12 people per square mile. Goldendale and White Salmon are the two largest communities, together holding roughly a quarter of the county’s population. The 2020 median household income was $59,583, below the Washington median of $94,605. The county’s population is 80.4% White and 12.8% Hispanic or Latino.

Economy & Local Life

Agriculture and forestry anchor the county’s economy: wheat and cattle ranching dominate the eastern plateau around Bickleton and Centerville, while orchards, vineyards and timber are concentrated in the wetter west near White Salmon and Husum. Wind power is a growing sector, with several large wind farms on the ridges above the Columbia. White Salmon and Husum are regional centres for whitewater rafting and kiteboarding on the Columbia River Gorge, drawing visitors from Portland and Vancouver. The Maryhill Museum of Art and the Maryhill Winery, both overlooking the Columbia near the Sam Hill Memorial Bridge, are the county’s best-known tourist attractions.

History

Klickitat County was created on December 20, 1859, when the Washington Territorial Legislature split it from Walla Walla County. It is named for the Klickitat people, a Sahaptin-speaking tribe whose traditional territory included the Klickitat River valley. Businessman and road-building advocate Samuel Hill developed the Maryhill estate in the early 20th century, building a full-scale concrete replica of Stonehenge as a memorial to Klickitat County soldiers killed in the First World War; the Sam Hill Memorial Bridge across the Columbia near Maryhill is also named for him.

Getting There

U.S. Route 97 runs north-south through the county past Goldendale, and State Route 14 follows the Columbia River along the southern edge past Bingen, White Salmon and Lyle.

• Portland, Oregon — 65 miles southwest
• Yakima, Washington — 60 miles north
• The Dalles, Oregon — 20 miles south
• Vancouver, Washington — 85 miles southwest

The nearest commercial airport is Portland International Airport, about 75 miles from Goldendale.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Klickitat County?
It is in south-central Washington, on the Columbia River across from north-central Oregon, between Yakima County and the Columbia River Gorge.

What is the population of Klickitat County?
22,735 at the 2020 census.

How big is Klickitat County?
1,904 square miles (4,930 km2), of which 33 square miles are water.

What is the county seat of Klickitat County?
Goldendale.

How many towns are in Klickitat County?
Three incorporated cities — Goldendale, White Salmon and Bingen — plus about 20 unincorporated communities.

What ZIP codes are in Klickitat County?
Thirteen ZIP codes serve the county, led by 98620 (Goldendale), 98672 (White Salmon) and 98605 (Bingen).

What is Klickitat County known for?
The Maryhill Museum of Art and Stonehenge Memorial, and for whitewater sports on the Columbia River Gorge near White Salmon and Husum.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Washington.