Columbia County

Look to the horizon: a beautiful, powerful volcano dominates the skyline. Mt. St. Helens sits 39 miles northeast of its namesake town, the county seat since 1857. Once bustling timber markets, St. Helens, Scappoose, and Vernonia are now better known for their outdoor recreation and livability. Located less than an hour’s drive from downtown Portland, these small communities on the Columbia River move at a slower pace—where kayaking, canoeing, fishing, and birdwatching in the nation’s second-largest river system is the number one order of the day. If you are looking to build a home in a tight-knit, outdoorsy kind of place, Columbia County might just fit the bill.