March 5, 2026 9:39 am
Business, News 
The Columbia Gorge Museum in Stevenson is among tourist attractions in Skamania County where visitation has dipped after a pandemic-era boom. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian files)
The number of visitors and how much they’re spending are down in Skamania County, which affects such hospitality businesses as Backwoods Brewing Co. in Carson. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian files)
Rep. Kevin Waters, R-Stevenson, participates in a Dec. 16 legislative outlook event at the Hilton Vancouver Washington. Waters also serves as executive director of the Skamania Economic Development Council. His family runs a number of tourism-dependent businesses, including Backwoods Brewing Co. in Carson. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian files)
A slow winter season in Skamania County is worsening the impacts of a broader tourism downturn the county has suffered since pandemic-era outdoor recreation booms began to wane.
Both the number of yearly visitors and the amount of money they spend each trip have declined in the past five years, detailed county tourism data shows.
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