Published in 1963 from 1957 survey data, the U.S. Geological Survey’s “Hood River Quadrangle” captures one of the Pacific Northwest’s most dramatic meeting places: the Columbia River Gorge, the orcharded valleys around Hood River, and the rising mountain country between Mount Hood and Mount Adams. At 1:62,500 scale, it presents the landscape with the disciplined clarity for which USGS mapping is renowned, balancing scientific precision with a striking visual language of contours, waterways, roads, forests, and settlement. The title itself evokes a compact but remarkably varied territory—river port, agricultural basin, volcanic highland, and gateway to the Cascades—recorded at a moment when mid-century infrastructure and land use were reshaping the region.

The U.S. Geological Survey brought to this map nearly a century of federal cartographic expertise, rooted in the practical needs of geology, water management, forestry, transportation, and public land administration. Its topographic quadrangles became indispensable tools for engineers, planners, hikers, scientists, and landowners, translating difficult terrain into a readable system of contour lines, symbols, and color. In the Hood River area, that system is especially expressive: the steep walls of the Columbia Gorge, the broken ridges and valleys south of town, and the long approaches toward Mount Hood all emerge through dense, rhythmic contouring. The result is both a working scientific document and an elegant portrait of terrain.

Hood River itself appears at the heart of a landscape defined by movement—water, rail, road, and wind. The Columbia River dominates the northern portion of the quadrangle, its broad channel forming a powerful east-west axis through the gorge and a boundary between Oregon and Washington. Nearby towns and landmarks, including Mosier, Cascade Locks, The Dalles, and Odell, situate the map within a wider regional network of river commerce, orchard agriculture, and mountain travel. Railways and highways trace the gorge’s narrow corridors, revealing how transportation infrastructure adapted to cliffs, tributary mouths, and river terraces. The modern Interstate 84 corridor follows this same strategic passage, underscoring the gorge’s enduring importance.

Beyond the towns, the map opens into a richly textured rural and mountain landscape. Tributaries descend toward the Columbia, carving valleys through forested slopes and agricultural lands, while roads and trails thread toward campsites, recreational areas, and upland routes. The surrounding forests and parks hint at the region’s dual identity as both productive working land and beloved outdoor destination. Mount Hood and Mount Adams, though associated with the broader setting rather than solely the urban core, lend volcanic grandeur to the quadrangle’s geography. Their influence is felt in the drainage patterns, ridgelines, soils, and settlement distribution that the USGS symbology records with exceptional economy.

As a mid-twentieth-century snapshot, the “Hood River Quadrangle” offers more than topography; it preserves a historical pattern of land use, ownership, and access that has continued to evolve. The map shows Hood River before later waves of development, tourism, recreation, and conservation transformed parts of the gorge and surrounding valleys. Its vibrant differentiation of vegetative cover, hydrology, elevation, roads, and railways makes visible the relationships between natural landforms and human adaptation. For collectors, historians, and admirers of the Columbia Gorge, it is a compelling cartographic record of a place where river, mountain, forest, and town converge with uncommon drama.

Cities, towns and places on this map

• Hood River
• Columbia River
• Mount Hood
• Mt. Adams
• Wasco County
• Mosier
• Odell
• Cascade Locks
• The Dalles
• Forests
• Various campsites and trails
• Roads, including Interstate 84
• Railways
• Parks and recreational areas
• Small water bodies and tributaries
• Nearby mountain ranges and peaks

Historical context & cartographic details

• Produced by the U.S. Geological Survey as a historical 1:62,500 topographical map of Hood River, Oregon and surrounding areas
• Based on survey data from 1957, with a 1963 imprint
• Published by the U.S. Geological Survey, known for extensive topographical mapping used in scientific research, resource management, and recreation planning
• Shows Hood River, the Columbia River, surrounding rural areas, and notable landforms
• Features detailed elevation representation through contour lines
• Includes land use and hydrological features
• Uses vibrant colors to differentiate topographical features and vegetative cover
• Displays varied terrain, including rugged ridges, valleys, and the Columbia River corridor
• Provides a mid-20th-century view of the Hood River landscape, offering insight into historical land use, geography, urban development, and land ownership patterns
• Design emphasizes functionality and precision, characteristic of USGS topographical maps

Looking for a particular place? Review the detailed images to confirm that the town, landmark or feature you have in mind appears on the map. If you are unsure, ask our workshop to check before you order.

Detailed maps are especially rewarding at larger sizes, where names, boundaries and decorative features have more room to be appreciated. Use the close-up preview and size guide to choose the right scale for your wall.

This map looks amazing at sizes all the way up to 50in (125cm). If you are looking for a larger map, please get in touch.

The model in the listing images is holding the 16x20in (40x50cm) version of this map.

Where personalisation is available, you can add a short title or dedication, mark one meaningful place, or request one considered visual detail. See personalised map examples.

Every piece is printed to museum-grade archival standards using fade-resistant pigment inks on acid-free matte paper. Choose an unframed map print, framed map or canvas using the finish options above. Framed maps use crystal-clear optical acrylic and arrive ready to hang.

With its rich detail and strong sense of place, this map makes a considered gift for a new home, anniversary, retirement or anyone with a personal connection to the area shown. Still deciding? Explore our collection of rare old and vintage maps to discover another place, period or style.

This map is also available as a float framed canvas, sometimes known as a shadow gap framed canvas or canvas floater. The map is printed on artist's cotton canvas and then stretched over a handmade box frame. We then "float" the canvas inside a wooden frame, which is available in a range of colours (black, dark brown, oak, antique gold and white). This is a wonderful way to present a map without glazing in front. See some examples of float framed canvas maps and explore the differences between my different finishes.

For something truly unique, this map is also available in "Unique 3D", our trademarked process that dramatically transforms the map so that it has a wonderful sense of depth. We combine the original map with detailed topography and elevation data, so that mountains and the terrain really "pop". For more info and examples of 3D maps, check my Unique 3D page.