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Washington · Columbia River Gorge · Wind River Country · Mount St. Helens East
Skamania County, Washington
The Columbia River Gorge's Washington shore — from the Bridge of the Gods at Cascade Locks to the Wind River valley's old-growth forests, Bonneville Dam's fish ladders and sturgeon viewing, the world-class windsurfing and kiteboarding at Hood River across the river, and one of the least populated counties in Washington preserving the Gorge's most remote and wild northern terrain.
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Office: Skamania County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) – a division of the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, 200 Vancouver Ave, PO Box 790, Stevenson, WA 98648 | (509) 427-8076 | Fax: (509) 427-7555 | Hours: Tue–Fri 7 AM–5 PM
Notes: DEM coordinates preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery across the county’s rural, forested terrain – extending from the Columbia River Gorge north through the Cascade foothills past Mount St. Helens toward the flanks of Mount Adams. Interpreter services and American Sign Language accommodation are available. Residents can sign up for Skamania County Emergency Notifications directly through the county website.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: SH-14 runs along the Columbia River Gorge; SR 141 connects toward Mount Adams
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Skamania County Building Division – 170 NW Vancouver Ave, PO Box 1009, Stevenson, WA 98648 | (509) 427-3925 or (509) 427-3920 | Email: [email protected] | Hours: Mon–Thu 7:30 AM–5:30 PM (closed Fri–Sun)
Services: All permit applications now accepted online via Cloudpermit (not compatible with cell phone browsers – use a tablet, laptop, or PC); the county recently began accepting pole building permit applications WITHOUT requiring construction plans, provided the pole barn meets specifications in the county’s published handout, significantly speeding review for that project type
Notes: The Skamania County Building Inspector also serves as the county Fire Marshal, responsible for fire inspections under the International Fire Code, and Building Division staff are part of the emergency operations team providing post-disaster building safety evaluations. Electrical permits are NOT issued by the county or City of Stevenson – apply directly through Washington State Department of Labor & Industries. Confirm whether your property falls under county or City of Stevenson jurisdiction; Stevenson’s own building permit questions route to (509) 427-5970.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
State VSO: Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs – dva.wa.gov (statewide office locator for the nearest County Veterans Service Officer)
Notes: Confirm current local point of contact directly with dva.wa.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Fort Vancouver Regional Library District (FVRL) – the same regional system covering Clark County, extending into Skamania County
Branches: Stevenson Community Library, 120 NW Vancouver Avenue, Stevenson, WA 98648, Mon–Sat 10 AM–6 PM, closed Sunday; North Bonneville Community Library (inside North Bonneville City Hall), Tue & Thu 2–5 PM
Notes: See the Clark County services file for full FVRL system details. Both branches also serve as designated public gathering places during extreme weather and smoke advisories.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Skamania County holds one of the most genuinely delightful pieces of real, still-active local law anywhere in the country – Ordinance No. 69-01, adopted April 1, 1969 (and NOT an April Fool’s joke, as officials took pains to clarify at the time), declares the entire county a refuge for Sasquatch/Bigfoot and makes killing the creature a criminal offense; originally a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, the ordinance was amended in 1984 to a gross misdemeanor carrying up to 1 year in county jail and/or a $1,000 fine; the law followed a genuine wave of reported Bigfoot sightings in the area, including 3 separate encounters near Beacon Rock State Park in summer 1970; Skamania was the first county in the US to pass such a law (Whatcom County followed in 1991); roughly 90% of the county’s land is forested, spanning from the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area through the Cascade foothills; Beacon Rock State Park, a 4,464-acre geologic preserve along SH-14, draws nearly 600,000 visitors annually and features one of the largest monoliths in North America; the county seat, Stevenson (seat since 1893), sits along the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Byway; the Columbia Gorge Museum and documented Lewis and Clark Expedition campsites preserve regional history; Skamania Lodge, a 175-acre resort near Stevenson, houses a U.S. Forest Service visitor center in its lobby and features an adventure park with zip-lining
Notes: The Bigfoot ordinance is a genuinely real, still-in-effect piece of county law – not folklore or marketing – and remains part of Skamania County’s official legal code today.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Skamania County GIS – accessible via skamaniacounty.org
Parcel Search: Skamania County Assessor’s records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Skamania County DEM
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Stevenson Animal Control – 200 Northwest Vancouver Avenue, Stevenson, WA 98648 | (509) 427-9490
Notes: Confirm current animal control and shelter arrangements directly, as detailed independent shelter/humane society information for the broader unincorporated county was limited in available sources – Skamania is a small, rural county where animal services may route primarily through this Stevenson-based contact or the Sheriff’s Office.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: Washington State Department of Ecology – ecology.wa.gov
Notes: Contact Skamania County Public Works directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Skamania County holds one of the most genuinely charming pieces of real American local law in the country – its 1969 ordinance protecting Bigfoot/Sasquatch remains officially on the books today, making the entire county a legal refuge for the creature. Beyond the folklore, the county is a genuine outdoor destination along the Columbia River Gorge, roughly 90% forested, with Beacon Rock State Park among its major draws. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, and heritage pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Skamania County
Skamania County is Washington’s Columbia River Gorge and Beacon Rock county – the National Scenic Area’s most dramatic canyon scenery and the 848-foot monolith that Lewis and Clark noted in their journals define a county whose gorge landscape is among the most spectacular in the Pacific Northwest.
Stevenson (the county seat, population ~1,500) is Skamania County’s governmental hub on WA-14, a Columbia River Gorge community whose gorge scenery, Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, and Wind River access anchor its identity.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Skamania County Assessor at 240 Vancouver Avenue, Stevenson, WA 98648, phone 509-427-3731. WA assessed at 100% fair market value.
Courts & Legal
Skamania County Superior Court (Probate) at 240 Vancouver Avenue, Stevenson, WA 98648, phone 509-427-9430, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
240 NW Vancouver Ave, Stevenson, WA 98648
(509) 427-3720
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Skamania County Superior Court Clerk’s Office, Stevenson (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Southwest Regional Branch of the Washington State Archives, at Washington State University Vancouver, serves counties in this region.
Local societies
No dedicated Skamania County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Skamania County Superior Court 240 Vancouver Avenue, PO Box 790, Stevenson, WA 98648 (509) 427-9431
Skamania County is in Southwest Washington along the Columbia River Gorge, one of Washington’s least populous counties, county seat Stevenson. Washington has NO separate probate court and has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code – probate is handled through the Superior Court in each county, under Title 11 RCW.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Washington probate is entirely discretionary – the law does not require a probate proceeding to be filed after a death, regardless of whether there was a will. Probate is typically pursued only when the decedent owned real property titled solely in their name, or personal property exceeding the small estate threshold.
Small Estate Affidavit (RCW 11.62.010) – available when the decedent’s entire probate estate does not exceed $100,000 (personal property only, not counting the surviving spouse’s community property interest), and at least 40 days have passed since death. No court filing is required – the successor presents the sworn affidavit directly to whoever holds the asset. All debts must be paid or provided for first.
Nonintervention Powers (RCW 11.68) – Washington’s signature alternative to full court-supervised probate. If the estate is solvent, the Superior Court MUST grant the personal representative nonintervention powers upon request (unless the will specifically forbids it). Once granted, the representative can sell, mortgage, and distribute estate property, and ultimately close the estate by filing a Declaration of Completion – all without further court orders, notice to beneficiaries, or hearings.
Full/Supervised Administration – required only when nonintervention powers are denied or not sought, typically in contested or insolvent estates.
TEDRA (Trust and Estate Dispute Resolution Act, RCW 11.96A) – Washington’s framework for resolving probate, trust, and estate disputes.
Step 2: filing for administration
The person seeking to serve as personal representative files a petition with the Skamania County Superior Court Clerk’s Office, along with the original will (if any) and a certified death certificate.
The court appoints the personal representative and issues Letters Testamentary (with a will) or Letters of Administration (without one).
The personal representative petitions for nonintervention powers, which the court must grant if the estate is solvent (unless the will forbids it).
Once granted, the representative pays debts, manages and distributes property, and notifies creditors, without further court supervision.
The estate is closed by filing a Declaration of Completion.
What it costs
Filing fees and probate costs vary by estate complexity; confirm current Skamania County Superior Court fees directly.
Washington HAS a state estate tax, separate from any small estate affidavit or nonintervention process. For deaths on or after July 1, 2026, the applicable exclusion amount is $3,000,000 (RCW 83.100.020), with rates from 10% to 20%. There is NO portability between spouses.
The federal estate tax exemption is far higher, at $15,000,000 for a 2026 death.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
240 NW Vancouver Ave, Stevenson, WA 98648
(509) 427-9490
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
Skamania County Elections Division, 240 NW Vancouver Ave, Stevenson, WA 98648
(509) 427-3730
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
Skamania County Community Health, 710 SW Rock Creek Dr, Stevenson, WA 98648
(509) 427-3850
DSHS Community Services Office
710 SW Rock Creek Dr, Stevenson, WA 98648
(509) 427-3850
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Skamania County Public Health
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Confirm current hours directly.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Stevenson
Population: 12,000
Area: 1,672 mi²
Tier: 3
Public Records
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