Washougal is close to the Portland International Airport , which services major airlines for domestic and international travel. It is an easy 15-minute trip to Portland. Our area has a small local airport, which serves private pilots. Washougal has a mild climate with an average of 50 inches of rain each year with about five days each winter where snow (usually immeasurable) or icy conditions exist. Washougal has a strong industrial base. Georgia Pacific pulp and paper mill and Hewlett-Packard Corp. ink jet printer factory are the two largest employers in the county, followed by a number of other corporations including Sharp Microelectronics of the Americas , C-Tech Industries , Underwriters Laboratories , Furuno U.S.A., Wafertech , Linear Technology Corp , and Pendleton Woolen Mills . Because of the excellent industrial base, Camas and Washougal have low property tax rates. The current total property tax rate for Camas residents is $14.06 per $1000 assessed valuation. Washougal's rate is $14.22 per $1000. There is no state income tax in Washington. A 7.7% (Camas) and 7.9% (Washougal) state sales tax is applied to all sales except food, medicine and services. Business owners in this state pay a Business and Occupation tax. This rate varies depending upon the type of business - - a typical rate is 1/2 of 1% of gross sales. Clark Community College is located in Vancouver, 14 miles west of our community. Washington State University branch campus is located in North Vancouver, about 20 miles from Camas and Washougal. Several four-year colleges are available in the Portland Metropolitan Area, as well. Our location on the banks of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area borders Washougal to the east and is a popular tourist and wind surfing area. The Washougal River , which joins the Columbia River here, is noted for its excellent fishing.  , north of Camas, provides hiking trails, boating, fishing and picnic sites.