Cathlamet sits on a bluff above the Columbia River, and the views from the upper streets look south across the water to Oregon. This stretch of the Columbia — wide, slow, and flanked by forested hills — is one of the quieter sections of the river, well upstream from the industrial port traffic around Astoria and the Interstate 5 bridge.
The Elochoman Slough Marina at the base of town gives a different perspective: low to the water, with the channel that separates Cathlamet from Puget Island running just offshore. Early mornings can be atmospheric, with mist sitting on the river and bald eagles working the current.