Columbia River Kayaking has offered sea kayaking tours and instruction on the Lower Columbia River for years, based out of the historic steamboat landing site in Skamokawa, Washington. Owned by four local guides with more than 50 years of combined experience, the business is considered one of the top kayaking tour operators on the West Coast, known for expert instruction, deep local knowledge, and safety-conscious guiding.

Guided tours explore a variety of habitats around Skamokawa, from narrow sloughs winding through old-growth Sitka spruce swamps to the wide-open estuary of the Columbia River. Popular routes include the Grays Bay Full Day Tour, suited to all levels and known for wildlife and historical sites, and the Cliffs of Cathlamet/Lower Gorge Full Day Tour, which follows 90-foot basalt cliffs and waterfalls near Cathlamet, passing 16.5-million-year-old lava flows including pillow basalts, columnar basalts, and a preserved tree mold in the rock. The business also weaves through the 35,000-acre Lewis and Clark National Wildlife Refuge and the quiet Julia Butler Hansen Refuge, retracing paddle strokes once taken by the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Beyond standard guided tours, Columbia River Kayaking offers BCU (British Canoeing) courses and assessments, custom tours, and trips designed for school groups and families, along with coaching for specific skill classes on request. Guests can combine a guided tour with lodging at Viewpoint Landing for a discount on both.

Guest reviews consistently highlight knowledgeable guides well-versed in local wildlife, native and non-native plants, geology, and pre-Lewis-and-Clark history, with school groups and Road Scholar tour participants both describing the guiding as top-notch and exceeding expectations.

For visitors to the Lower Columbia River near Skamokawa looking for expert-led kayak tours, instruction, or custom trips, Columbia River Kayaking offers a well-established, highly reviewed guided kayaking operation.