Imagine standing before a roaring cascade of water, the mist kissing your face. Oregon is a land of waterfalls. They are nature’s stunning masterpieces, and they’re waiting to be explored! Oregon’s diverse landscapes make it a waterfall wonderland. Abundant rainfall feeds these natural wonders. From the rugged coast to lush forests, waterfalls abound. From easy to treacherous, you’ll find something to tackle. Here, we’ll give you tips for the hikes to Oregon’s majestic waterfalls. In part 1 of this series, we’ll cover hikes to Oregon’s majestic waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge.
Discover the Columbia River Gorge’s Waterfall Wonders
The Columbia River Gorge is a waterfall hotspot. This scenic area boasts many stunning cascades. Its accessible location makes it a favorite. You can view many of the waterfalls along the Gorge by walking across the street from the parking areas. But the more time you devote, the more you can explore and find the falls many people miss. During summer, crowds appear at most of the easy-to-access falls, but the crowds dwindle when you delve further along the trails.
Multnomah Falls: Oregon’s Iconic Cascade
Multnomah Falls is Oregon’s most famous waterfall. It plunges 620 feet in two tiers. The Benson Bridge spans the lower cascade. The viewpoint is easily accessible from the parking area and offers breathtaking views and unforgettable photo ops. Between May 26th and September 1st, between 9 AM and 6 PM, you must get a timed pass to park in the lot in the middle of the freeway. I’m not making this up. But summer is a great time to go in the evening because the sun hits the waterfall at an angle, enhancing the colors. Consider these images. The first I took in July with my phone. The second I took in April with my camera, so that one is sharper, but you can see the difference the sun reflecting on the hill makes in mid-summer.
Want to go beyond the crowds? Take the paved path past the viewpoint for an immersive experience. Trails wind through the forest and offer different perspectives of the falls. Multnomah Falls is accessible to all, with a paved path to the main viewing platform and a paved path to Benson Bridge. But if you follow the trail after Benson Bridge, you’ll find more waterfalls await, albeit on trails less accessible.
Get the Right Map – What to Watch Out For
When you visit Multnomah, you will find some wonky maps. To me, many of the maps are upside down. If you’re about to embark on a hike starting at the viewing platform, for example, these maps have the Columbia River at the top. Beginning a hike on one of these loops, you are not ever walking toward the Columbia River until you’re on your way back. Here’s a map showing the waterfalls along the Columbia River Gorge that illustrates what I mean by looking upside down.
And, here’s another one that shows the hiking trails around Multnomah, again, with the Columbia River at the top.
Get the Right Map – What to Look For
Here’s a map, below, that more accurately shows your direction of travel. On this one, you’re starting at or near the Multnomah Falls Lodge, and you’re taking the 441 trail if you want to see the other falls farther along the trail from Multnomah. You can either turn around after Ecola Falls or continue to the 420 trail to Devil’s Rest or over to the 419 trail and down to Fairy Falls and beyond to return to your car or ride. The latter of these options will make for a long day. We did loop #1 on one day, loop #2 from Multnomah to Ecola Falls and back on another day, loop #2 from Wahkena Picnic Area to close to Fairy Falls another day, and Angel’s Rest Trail Parking Lot to Angel’s Rest Viewpoint on a different day.
Referencing the above map, I will show you what’s on Loop 1 and what’s on Loop 2, including falls not shown on the map. Loop 1 Falls are east of Multnomah. Loop 2 falls are west of Multnomah. So, in addition to showing you what’s on those loop trails, I’ll show you the many other falls categorized by their proximity to Multnomah, those that are east of Multnomah, starting closest to farthest from Multnomah. And then I’ll show you those that are west of Multnomah, again, closest to farthest from Multnomah.
Waterfalls on Loop #1 of the Hikes Around Multnomah
On this hike, we run into Ponytail Falls, which is the top of Horsetail Falls, Oneonta Falls, and potentially Triple Falls. Here’s our AllTrails route, but we started this hike on trail #400, the Gorge Trail, which you can access from Ainsworth State Park. While we were in the Columbia River Gorge, we stayed in this Park in our travel trailer so we could take our time and explore. One thing to know about the Park is that trains run parallel to Highway 30, and the campground sits right next to the Highway; so, you can expect to hear the whistle of the trains about every 20 minutes, including at night. My Google review of the park has more information.
Ponytail Falls (Upper Horsetail Falls): A Unique Experience
You can walk behind the cascading water. It is an unforgettable experience. The trail leading from Ainsworth is steep but it’s a short distance to Ponytail Falls. When it’s been raining, the terrain is slick and rocky. We’d recommend good hiking boots and rain gear in this area. The reward is worth the effort. Here are some of the photos we took of the area and Ponytail Falls, front, back, and side.
Oneonta Falls, Oneonta Bridge Falls, Upper Oneonta Falls, and Triple Falls
At the point we got to this area, Oneonta Gorge was closed, and it still is, with no ETA on reopening. Because of this, you cannot get to Oneonta Falls (or Lower Oneonta Falls). You can get to Oneonta Bridge Falls, Upper Oneonta Falls, and Triple Falls. We only went to Oneonta Bridge Falls because we only saw the one “Oneonta Falls” on the map. We saw Triple Falls on the map, but when we started on the trail, it was too steep for that day since we’d already done a lot of hiking.
In any case, Upper Oneonta and Triple Falls are past the Oneonta Bridge Falls. Given all the waterfalls in the area, we hadn’t done enough research to know that there were others also called Oneonta Falls. I guess we need to go back! Here is what the Oneonta Bridge Falls (also called Oneonta Middle Falls) looks like, plus a bit of the trail that leads to Upper Oneonta and Triple Falls.
Other Waterfalls East of Multnomah
Elowah and McCord Creek Falls: Burn Scarred, Moderately Hard Hiking
The first time we went to Elowah, we were actually on the trail to McCord Creek Falls. This trail is particularly tough. It’s narrow and rocky. We encountered a young man who was carrying his baby in a baby pack and warned him that there were trip hazards everywhere on the trail he was on. We would not recommend trying to hike to either of these falls with a baby.
The crucial thing to recognize is the turn at the first switchback on the trail. This is what our AllTrails map looked like.
At the point where the trail bends around to the right, you want to go left (or straight) to visit Elowah. This is not clearly marked, or at least it wasn’t when we were there. The trail to the left takes you to the base of Elowah so you can get some great photos, provided there is little wind.
The trail to the right is a little more arduous. You can see Elowah from this trail too but not very well. Both times we were there, I didn’t have the patience to go to McCord, so I don’t have pictures. But next time we go, we’ll try to get there because the photos I’ve seen since then make it look worthwhile, at least when there’s a lot of water. Here are some images I got of Elowah and the trail to and from the parking lot.
Wahclella and Munra Falls: Lovely, Easy Hike that Follows the River
This park has a picnic table near the parking lot. The parking lot is quite small, so you either circle around a few times to wait for someone to leave or find parking farther away at the Bonneville Fish Hatchery, where there are flush toilets. There are pit toilets at the trailhead here.
The Wahclella Falls trail is relatively easy and runs along Tanner Creek. Toward the end of the path, near the waterfall, the trail divides. You can take the high road or the low road. Of course, the high road offers better views with a little more exertion. The low road follows the creek, which is relaxing, and requires less effort. You can probably guess which road we took, but here’s our AllTrails route that shows where we went.
Eagle Creek Falls: Multiple Elusive Falls, Long Hike
The trailhead is not far from the Cascade Salmon Hatchery. There are two places to park. One lot is at the Visitor Center, which is a little farther down on the left from the Hatchery. The second is farther down Eagle Creek Loop toward the trailhead, but it doesn’t have many spots. There’s a $5 fee to park, or you can use a Northwest Forest Pass.
Bring plenty of water and snacks, and start your hike early in the morning. In total, the trail from the trailhead to Twister is almost six miles, but that doesn’t count any side trails where you have to find the other waterfalls along the way. It will take you three hours to get to the end — if you didn’t stop along the way — and then you have to go back. There is no cell service on this trail.
The trail has multiple waterfalls, but it will be more than 1.5 miles before you see the first of them. The first you run into is Metlako, then Punchbowl. Further down the trail, you’ll find Loowit and Skoonichuk. And, finally, you’ll come to Tunnel and Twister. We only got to Punchbowl, but we stopped along the way to let Benji play in the river in a couple of spots because it was so hot. Now we have to figure out a way to go back to get the other falls. Here are some images I got of the trail and Punchbowl.
Dry Creek Falls: Beautiful Hike to a Secluded Waterfall
The forested walk is a blessing in the hot weather. Lots of trees shroud much of the trail. There is also a new parking lot at the trailhead, which was free at the time we were there. Since we didn’t know it was there, we parked at the Bridge of the Gods, where the restrooms are, and walked to the trailhead from there. The restrooms’ sign said they were closed, but they weren’t. In my Google Maps review for this trail, I recommended stabilizing hiking boots for the rocky areas.
Speaking of reviews, I notice there is a lot of confusion about how to get to this parking area at the Bridge of the Gods. First, it’s actually called Toll House Park, so use that as your destination. If you’re on the Oregon side, do not cross the bridge. If you’re coming from Washington, yes, you need to cross the bridge. Here’s our AllTrails route, which might be helpful too.
On the screen below, I circled the two parking lots you can use in red, and I marked the way to the Dry Creek Trail from the Toll House Park lot in teal.
Here are some of the images we got while we were there.
Ruckel Creek Falls: Obscure Falls, Overgrown Trail
I noticed these falls from the freeway one day and became determined to find them. We went to what we thought might be the nearest parking lot, which was at the Visitors Center off Eagle Creek Road. We walked from there around Eagle Creek Campground using the Gorge Trail. Staying on the Gorge Trail, we got to a place that looked like an old campground that had long been abandoned. We walked through that and over to a creek, which turned out to be Ruckel Creek. Here’s our AllTrails route for more specific information. You can get a beautiful shot of the waterfall from the creek, but you need hiking poles to avoid slipping. Due to the weather, we had some great light for taking photos. Here’s what it looks like.
And here’s a little video of Benji and Rick walking ahead of me through the abandoned campground.
Herman Creek Falls: Major Burn Damage Makes for Tough Hiking
This trail’s surrounding forest was unfortunately scarred by fire, and the debris is extensive. It’s a beautiful area, but the downed trees create barriers on the trail. There are two named waterfalls on this trail, but if you don’t want to do a 10-mile round trip, you’ll probably only see one of them. That one is called the Nick Eaton Falls. The other one is called Slide Creek Falls, but that one is five miles in. We tried to get to Wahtum Lake, but there were too many downed trees. There are other volunteer falls along this trail, so we didn’t feel like we missed too much. Here’s our AllTrails route with more information.
Emerald/Gorton Creek Falls: Elusive Falls, Hard Hike
Getting to the Wyeth Trailhead is a bit of a trick. There are pit toilets, a bike repair station, and lots of parking, but finding the actual trailhead is difficult. We walked all over the closed (at the time) Wyeth Campground to find the trail, which we eventually did. But you’ll notice from this Google Maps snippet that there really isn’t a trail going to the falls. You have to walk beside the river. Here’s our AllTrails route.
We got past Emerald Falls, but not much farther. We did cross the river with Benji, our 85-lb Labradoodle. The rocks in the river were slick, and the water was swift. We would not recommend taking your dog or children across this river. There was too much debris to get to Gorton Creek Falls. But here are some images I got of the area and Emerald Falls.
Starvation Creek Falls: Multiple Falls, Mostly Easy Hike
I say “mostly easy hike” because many of the waterfalls are visible from a paved path that runs somewhat parallel to Highway I-84/30. But two of them require some additional hiking with elevation. My Google Review has more info, but there is less parking than the number of vehicles visiting. People tend to make overflow parking by parking along the off-ramp and entrance to the park, and/or along the on-ramp to I-84 Eastbound. Here’s our AllTrails route, but in this case, I think we were trying to get more steps, so we walked from Viento State Park over to Starvation Creek and then visited the falls down the paved trail from there.
Beginning with Starvation Creek Falls
Looking at the trail from the parking lot, Starvation Creek Falls is on the left. Starvation Creek Falls was accessible at some point in the past before a massive amount of debris blocked access. At least that’s my theory. You can still see it from the viewing area. But if you walk up next to the creek/river, you can find some better viewing spots. Here are the photos we got while walking from Viento State Park to Starvation Creek via the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail.
The above video is of Starvation Creek Falls and the Creek from about halfway up. The video below shows Benji and Rick traversing the tricky terrain. Probably best to not take kids on this excursion.
The next waterfall, following the path to the west, is Cabin Creek Falls. This one is visible from the path. Next is Hole-in-the-Wall Falls, again, mostly visible from the path, a short walk to the viewing platform. And, finally, Lancaster Falls, and this is the other one that requires some exertion. Lancaster Falls is one that’s visible from I-84 too. Here are the images I got of the walk to the other waterfalls and what they look like.
Waterfalls on Loop #2 of the Hikes Around Multnomah
So, now we’re going back to Multnomah and the trails there. Not shown on the earlier map is Dutchman Falls, which is a small set of falls with a nice little area to relax. If you follow the 441 trail, you’ll come to it first. Next is Weisendanger Falls, which I only got in the background of the video below of our pup Benji chasing sticks in the water. It looks a lot like Ecola Falls. Ecola is up the hill a couple of hundred feet. I took pictures while Rick and Benji played in a little pool created by Weisendanger Falls. Here are some photos of the area and the falls.
And here’s the video of Rick and Benji playing in the pool created by Weisendanger Falls.
Other Waterfalls West of Multnomah
The whole Columbia River Gorge is packed with waterfalls, so next we’ll visit others west of Multnomah and along the highway that are easily accessible, but also have some beautiful trails. These are in order from closest to Multnomah to farthest away, but still in the Columbia Gorge.
Wahkeena Falls: A Wondrous Winding Way
Wahkeena Falls is hard to capture in full. It winds its way through the woods. You can hike to a viewing location where you can see the top of it, but you can’t see the whole thing because of the trees and brush. At the bottom, or highway level, there’s a small pool that Benji liked to play in. From this area, you can see the falls peeking through the woods, but you can’t see the top.
On this hike, you can also get to Fairy Falls. We weren’t up for that because we’d planned to hike over at Multnomah (a half mile away), so we let Benji play in the water, and then we went over there. But here are some pictures of the trail, the views from the trail, and Wahkeena Falls. And here is our AllTrails route.
And here’s a video of Benji playing in the water.
Falls at Angel’s Rest: A Stunning Gem, Forest Covered Falls, Difficult Hike
You can find out more about this hike on our AllTrails maps, but here are some brief stats: we went 5.8 miles, had a 1,608-foot elevation gain, and it took us about 4 hours. We had all sorts of weather while we were there. We got rained on, hailed on, the sun shone, and a boulder fell onto the trail in between the time we went up and came down. Snow had fallen on the ground. Rainbows shone over the mountain’s vegetation. The views were dramatic! Here’s what it looked like.
Mist Falls: Long Distance Viewing
I saw this fall from the Interstate one day, so I looked for the best place to photograph it. It’s very close to Benson State Park, which we hadn’t been to before, so we drove there to check it out. Many people were fishing here, mostly in kayaks at the small Benson Lake. We parked there and walked over to a pond we’d seen at the entrance. The pond is called Hartman Pond. If you walk on the trail between the road and the pond, go until you can’t go any farther. That’s the best view of Mist Falls to get the whole thing.
Bridal Veil Falls: Stunning Simplicity
Bridal Veil Falls is a short walk from the parking lot. Since it’s one of the waterfalls that’s easily accessible, it tends to be more crowded than others. Later in summer evenings, the crowds thin. Here are some images of the waterfall and the views from that area.
Latourell Falls: Basalt Beauty
This fall is known for its unique basalt formations. The water plunges 249 feet over a cliff. This cliff is sculpted into geometric shapes. A short, accessible loop trail leads to the base. It then goes to an overlook. This is one of the waterfalls off the Historic Columbia River Highway, Highway 30.
The best time to visit? Morning light enhances the basalt’s texture. The sun also creates vibrant rainbows in the mist. Latourell Falls is a photographer’s dream! The first time we visited Latourell Falls, the trail was closed for construction/repair. The next time we went, we got to Upper Latourell Falls. In any case, Lower Latourell Falls is viewable from an area right off the parking lot. Here are some photos of the falls and the trail to Upper Latourell Falls.
Shepperd’s Dell Falls: A Short, Interesting Diversion
This waterfall is easy to miss. There’s virtually no parking. You have to hope to squeeze into a turnout somewhere along the road. There are no services. But there is some interesting stonework leading up to the waterfall. It’s a short walk with a slight hill. Here’s what it looks like. It doesn’t require a map, but we did record our walk in AllTrails.
Conclusion
The Columbia River Gorge is filled with majestic waterfalls. But the state has lots more to offer. Next, we’ll go to Mount Hood and central Oregon to find more.
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