Large properties and Columbia River access in Knappa
The Knappa community encourages an outdoor lifestyle as anglers wait for salmon, steelhead and trout to bite on the banks of the river and its tributaries. The neighborhood has sprawling ranch-style homes on multiple acres near the Columbia River. “Knappa is a beautiful rural community 20 minutes east of Astoria,” says Abby Rusinovich, a principal broker with Coastal Living Real Estate and a resident of the community. “It provides a peaceful lifestyle with outdoor and recreational amenities, all while still being in close proximity to Astoria.”
Ranch-style homes on multi-acre lots
Acres of land provide space and privacy, allowing room for recreational vehicles and other equipment. Gravel driveways lead to ranch-style homes on spacious lots in Knappa. “People are attracted to the acreage, ability to have a shop, animals, recreation and the sense of community Knappa provides,” Rusinovich says. Vinyl, single-level homes built throughout the 1960s on a third or a fourth of an acre of land may cost between $380,000 and $450,000. Properties with an acre or more can fetch between $475,000 and $600,000, many with single-level, new traditional homes constructed in the 21st century, or older ranch-style or split-level homes from the 1970s. The Knappa Village Park manufactured home community leases its lots for about $450 a month, with many new homes built after 2020.
Salmon, trout and steelhead fishing
Knappa is bordered by two creeks, and the surrounding area is also carved with tributaries of the Columbia River. Tucked behind a cluster of homes on the west side of the neighborhood, Big Creek County Park has picnic tables and a softball field. Soft hiking trails meander under scraggly, moss-covered branches and lush patches of clover and fern near the creek. About 5 miles east of the neighborhood, towering evergreen trees shelter the Gnat Creek Campground. A 1.5-mile trail near the campsite leads past Sitka spruce trees, western hemlock trees and mushrooms that bloom out of fallen tree trunks, while the trail that starts at the Gnat Creek Fish Hatchery is also popular among mountain bikers. The BKS Sportsmen’s Club offers trap shooting, rifle, pistol and archery ranges.
Local restaurants clustered on Highway 30
Restaurants and small businesses in Knappa cluster around Highway 30. The Logger Restaurant has been serving the community for over 50 years with hearty Angus burgers and classic breakfasts, like biscuits and gravy or corned beef hash. A glass case showcases the restaurant’s pie selection, while wood paneling and a chandelier made of antlers add to the logging theme of the restaurant. Big Creek Coffeehouse is a gift shop and café with espresso and fresh pastries—like Finnish cardamom bread—from a local farmstand. Across the highway, Knappa Pizza and Bar serves pizza, breadsticks and mozzarella sticks, along with wings, nachos and fries. The nearby Knappa Market supplies groceries and shares a parking lot with a Chevron gas station, though residents often travel 13 miles west to the larger Safeway, located in Astoria.
Paid summer internships for Knappa High students
Children in Knappa may begin kindergarten through eighth grade at Hilda Lahti Elementary School, which scores a C grade from Niche. They may then matriculate to Knappa High School, which earns a C-plus and offers over 30 college credits through courses with Clatsop Community College. The school also partners with the Clatsop WORKS Paid Summer Internship Program, which helps high schoolers find paid work experience with organizations throughout the county.
Highway 30 connects Knappa to Astoria, Warrenton and Clatskanie
Highway 30—also known as the Columbia River Highway—cuts across Knappa and connects it to nearby communities, like Svensen, downtown Astoria and Warrenton in the west, and Clatskanie in the east. The thoroughfare also passes several outdoor destinations, including Big Creek County Park and Gnat Creek Campground. Many of the neighborhood’s smaller residential streets branch off Hillcrest Loop, which runs through most of the neighborhood south of Highway 30.
