One look at Multnomah Falls and I knew why so many people make this day trip from Portland. In fact, more than 2 million people visit them annually.
Oregon’s tallest waterfall is a two-drop cascade falls dropping 620 feet (189 m). Fed by underground springs from Larch Mountain, rainwater, and snowmelt, it flows all year.
Winter and spring generally off the highest water volumes, although some consider the frozen sections occurring in the winter to be the most dramatic sights.
We visited in late springtime and it was pretty amazing.
Getting to Multnomah Falls is just a short 30-mile (48km) drive east of Portland. There is easy parking and a short walk to this natural masterpiece on the Oregon side of the Columbia River. However, with current restrictions, it may be easier to enjoy this day trip from Portland without self-driving. We have outlined several options below.
In fact, Multnomah Falls is the most visited national recreation site in the Pacific Northwest (according to the US Forest Service)
Things to do at Multnomah Falls
This is a masterpiece of nature. As a result, the number one thing to do is to get out and see the falls. There are wheelchair-accessible viewing platforms making it easy for everyone to get here.
Hiking – creating a more extensive day trip from Portland
There are also several hiking opportunities offering views, ranging from the short walk out the Benson Footbridge to the steep hike to the top suitable only for the more athletic.
The return hike to the top of the falls is 2.4 miles (3.8km). It’s a fabulous day hike for those wanting to see the falls from the top as well as the Columbia River Gorge.
If you still want more, you can continue for another six miles (10 km) along the Larch Mountain Trail to the top of the mountains.
The hiking trails are open from sunrise to sunset and there is no overnight camping.
At the base is the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge built in 1925. Aside from great views, there is a restaurant, gift shop, espresso bar, and U.S. Forest Service interpretive center at the lodge.
Take a trolley tour
If you love waterfalls and want more, you will love this trolley tour that starts out at Multnomah Falls and includes 10 stops, many of which are other waterfalls. Reserve your trolley in advance.
Views from the Benson footbridge
A bit of Multnomah Falls history
On Labor Day in September 1995, a 400-ton boulder, loosened by erosion, fell 225 feet (69 m) from the face of the waterfall into the upper cascade pool, above Benson Bridge.
It caused a 70-foot (21 m) splash of water and gravel to wash over the footbridge, causing minor injuries to twenty members of a wedding party that happened to be on the bridge posing for photos at the time. (from Wikipedia)
Day trip from Portland – getting to Multnomah Falls
There are several ways to get to Multnomah waterfall resulting in anywhere from a few hours to a full day trip from Portland.
We opted to drive, but that was back in the days when entry tickets were not required. Today, I think we would opt for a tour, just to be sure nothing went wrong.
Here are several options:
- Drive to Multnomah Falls
The 45-minute drive from Portland was easy and straightforward. It’s the fastest way to get here, but depending on the time of day and time of year, congestion can be a real problem.
Travel east on Interstate 84 to exit #31, Multnomah Falls. Park and walk south following the signposts. You will walk underneath the interstate and railroad tracks towards Lodge and Visitor Center.
- Go with a tour / guide
- Take a shuttle bus
According to the US Forest service, the Columbia Gorge Express offers a daily bus service between Portland and Multnomah Falls. They also include Cascade Locks and Hood River, Oregon. - Ride a bicycle
Locals know the 30-mile (48km) bicycle ride along the Historic Columbia River Highway is a fabulous day trip from Portland. If you don’t have a bicycle, we recommend this self-guided e-bike tour of Multnomah Falls and the Columbia Gorge that will keep you off of the interstate. - See it from the air with a scenic flight
This 40-minute flight will give you a different perspective of the falls, and the Columbia River Gorge. You will also fly over the Bridge of the Gods and the Bonneville Dam. Reserve your flight here.
Read next: 9 Unforgettable Portland Day Trips: Unleashing the Magic
What you need to know for your Multnomah Falls day trip from Portland
- Dress in layers, and if the bridge is open or if you are hiking near the falls, be prepared to get wet from the mist.
- Also, wear sturdy shoes with good grip as the ground can get slippery when wet,
- Drones are not permitted.
- Note above the requirements for your timed entry tickets.
Continuing on our American road trip, we headed down west from here, then we drove down the coast to San Francisco.
Looking for more Oregon photos, be sure to check out the stunning photography by Greg Vaughn, a fellow travel blogger.
Save on your trip with these resources
These are our go-to companies when we travel. We believe this list to be the best in each category. You can’t go wrong using them on your trip too.
- Flights: we use Expedia for the best and cheapest flight options.
- Accommodations: we use Booking.com (hotels), VRBO (self-contained), or Hostelworld (budget).
- Cars (gas or electric): we use RentalCars to search for deals and dealer ratings.
- Motorcycles: we have heard good things about BikesBooking.
- Private guides: we often find the best option is to work with a private guide from Viator.
- Travel Insurance: while not required, we always opt for travel insurance and start at InsureMyTrip to compare coverage plans.
Check out our travel resources page for more companies that we use when you travel.
Save for later
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Have you been to Multnomah Falls?
Waterfall fans might also like…
- Guide to Visiting Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Brazil
- Discover the Catlins: A New Zealand Rainforest Along the Southern Coast
- 10 Best Waterfalls in South Carolina
- 4 Must-See New Zealand Waterfalls if Driving from Auckland to the Bay of Islands
- Flam, Norway: Waterfalls and the Fountain of Youth
Photo Credits
Photos on this page are either shot by our team and watermarked as such, in the public domain, or some stock photos were supplied by DepositPhotos.
Photo(Geo)grapher
Absolutely breathtaking views! Beautiful photos!
Grey World Nomads
Your pictures are gorgeous. Next year maybe we’ll be traveling the US and Oregon and most probably the Multnomah Falls would be on our bucket list.
Rhonda Albom
It’s only 30 minutes from Portland, and well worth the visit. It was completely the wrong direction for us, but so glad we went anyway.
Lisa @ LTTL
I haven’t been to Oregon or the falls, yet. They are both on my to see list. The moss growing their is really neat, and the color is out of this world.
Lisa @ Life Thru the Lens
Rhonda Albom
Everything around here was lovely.
Lydia C. Lee
What great shots!!
Anda
I’ll have to go visit this place. It looks so beautiful! That picture of the Multnomah Falls and Benson Footbridge takes my breath away. My son lives in Oregon, so maybe we’ll put something together.
Rhonda Albom
Oregon is so beautiful, you will want to spend a while there.
Electra
Glorious pics, thank you! The day I was there, it was so rainy and cloudy, I didn’t get anything good. Thoroughly enjoyed these.
Rhonda Albom
I guess we got lucky with the weather.
Natasha
Stunning photos, what a beautiful place! I could spend hours just sitting by that waterfall. – Tasha
Rhonda Albom
The difficulty with this one is that is so popular, so that much of the peacefulness captured in the photo is gone.
Rhonda Albom
Gracias Raquel. Es una espectacular cascada.
Linda Bibb
Oregon is one of the nine states I have yet to visit. I hadn’t realized these falls are so close to Portland.
Rhonda Albom
Maybe you will pay them a visit one day, Linda! They are stunning.
kelleyn rothaermel
I used to live in Portland and would go to this waterfall all the time. It is gorgeous! Have a great day!
Rhonda Albom
You have a great day too, Kelleyn!
Brooke Neal
Stunning photos of the falls. I had no idea they were in Oregon and that story about the rock fall is incredible!
Rhonda Albom
Isn’t it, Brooke? They are very interesting. I’m glad no boulders fell when we were there 🙂
Travelera
I haven’t been there yet but I would love to see them if I have the opportunity, Id love to see all the scenery from the bridge! WOW
xxx
Rhonda Albom
Yes, it was really gorgeous. I’m glad you liked the post.
Andrea
Oh great! It is very beautiful and huge, but maybe staying on that bridge is a bit scary!
Rhonda Albom
I’m glad you liked it Andrea.
The bridge wasn’t too scary, especially not compared to a less stable form such as a swing bridge.
Suzy Godfrey
Absolutely breathtaking!
Kathe W.
yep- been to the Falls many times! Lots of good hikes around there- now we are in Upper Northern California and there are nice waterfalls here also-but none as dramatic as these! Fun to see them!
Molly
what an absolutely amazing piece of the natural world
Mollyxxx
Rhonda Albom
It is even more impressive in person.
TheChieftess
Beautiful falls… love the bridge and the bridge view!
Rhonda Albom
Actually, I liked the view of the bridge more than the view from it.
E
What stunning shots! I’ve never been to the USA at all; the best waterfalls I’ve seen are British, and none as magnificent as this! Thanks for sharing.
Rhonda Albom
We live in New Zealand where we have many beautiful waterfalls. This one caught me by surprise.
Mandy
Wow! Beautiful waterfall!
The story you shared is pretty crazy! It’s awesome that the wedding party only walked away with minor injuries.
Rhonda Albom
I thought so too. Pretty amazing that they did so well, but not a great way to start a marriage.
indah nuria
It is super beautiful, Rhonda..Hopefully I can get a chance to visit this place as well
Rhonda Albom
Oregon is a stunning state. I can’t believe we hadn’t visited before, especially as I lived in San Francisco for 15 years.
Lexa Cain
Absolutely stunning! It’s one of those places where instead of digital pics, it would be good to have a huge old camera that could take the entire height, like Ansel Adams photos. Real unlucky wedding party, huh?
Rhonda Albom
At least I had a tripod and an ND filter 🙂 But yes a full frame old box camera would have been quite useful.
Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor
That was always a favorite place of ours to go visit when we lived in PDX. It’s so peaceful there and I love that it’s so close to the city.
Rhonda Albom
I was surprised how close it was to the city, and just so lovely. I am sure I would be there often if I lived in Oregon.
L. Diane Wolfe
I’ve been there many, many time. We used to stop there when traveling from Salem to Eastern Oregon to visit family. Only once have I ever been up to the bridge though.
Rhonda Albom
The view from the lower viewpoint is better than the one on the bridge, as from up there you can only see half the falls.
Tamar Strauss-Benjamin
One of my favorite places to explore and hike when I go to Portland!
Rhonda Albom
I wish we took more time to hike while we were there.
Denyse
Goodness me ..what a spectacular set of shots at an amazing place. Wow. Thank you for sharing.
Bill Nicholls
Great place o visit from the look especally the waterfalls. Sorry you did not like my little spiders they were only about 2mm in size
Rhonda Albom
LOL – I know there are spiders everywhere, but I am just not a fan.
Birgitta
Wow! So beautiful!
Erik Smith
Wow, Such an Amazing Place, love it.
Rhonda Albom
As you know, so many amazing and beautiful places around the world.
Barbara Radisavljevic
Finally you’ve written about somewhere I’ve been. Great photos of a place I’d like to get back to. I pinned it, but the the watermark kept me from pinning it through the tribe.
Rhonda Albom
There might be more as we move down the Oregon Coast towards San Francisco.
Brooke
I absolutely LOVE Oregon! Multnomah Falls is incredible and your photos capture it’s essence perfectly. I’m so excited you got to experience a wonderful place like this.
Ruth
I love your photos! Oregon is definitely a waterfall paradise. I follow several photographer on Instagram based on the state. Thank goodness the big tree didn’t cause major damage or injuries.
tomthebackroadstraveller
I’ve been to the falls several times…special!
Rhonda Albom
Have you hiked to the top? We didn’t as I always prefer to look up at falls.
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Very beautiful! And so green.
Rhonda Albom
It was the green that struck me first, then we saw the jaw dropping falls.
Comedy Plus
I’ve not been there, but I’ve seen much of Oregon. I was born and raised in Tillamook Oregon.
Great shots.
Have a fabulous day. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
You were just so close too. Too bad, it’s lovely.