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  • Attractions
    • women dances with large fans outside on a city street surrounded by people in colorful dragon costumesView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people dining at picnic tables in front of a food cartView All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
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    • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
    • Division/Clinton
    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
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    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
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    • ALL REGIONS
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Two people view a waterfall from a wood deck
i
Walk into the wild, get muddy and find your new favorite waterfall. #ThisIsPortland

Waterfalls Near Portland

Just miles from Portland, you can explore dozens of majestic waterfalls.

Updated Oct. 2, 2023 4 min read

Where it rains, it pours — waterfalls, that is. A great side effect of the Portland area’s wet winter weather is a steady stream of cascades running throughout the region. (Many of these breathtaking sites are only a short shuttle bus or scenic bike ride away, to boot.) Get your fill of natural wonders at these waterfalls near Portland.

Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls

Fed by glaciers and swollen by snowmelt and prodigious winter rains, the waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area — an 80-mile-long (129 km) swath carved out by ancient floodwaters — plunge from sheer cliffs, hidden slot canyons and rock grottos rimmed by massive trees and moss in a thousand shades of emerald and jade. In all, 90 major cascades flow here, alongside countless other smaller falls. Luckily for visitors, many of these misty gems are accessible year-round, either by short hikes or from roadside pullouts on the Historic Columbia River Highway, which parallels Interstate 84.

Happy swimmers spend a hot summer afternoon in the cool, clear waters of Punchbowl Falls.
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Spend a hot summer afternoon in the cool, clear waters of Punchbowl Falls.
Credit: Keith Ewing via Flickr
a waterfall dropping from a rock cliff into a stream below
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Latourell Falls in the Columbia River Gorge is notable for its columnar basalt formations.
Credit: Travel Oregon
a person crossing a log in the Columbia Gorge
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The equipment in action in the Columbia River Gorge.
Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Sportwear
Oregon’s tallest waterfall, Multnomah Falls, cascades down sheer cliffs, through bright green plants, passing under a footbridge ending in a dark blue pool.
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Multnomah Falls, 30 miles east of Portland, is Oregon's tallest waterfall.

Know Before You Go

Before you head out, check with USFS for the most up-to-date information on alerts, conditions and trail closures.

Multnomah Falls

One of the most picturesque places in Oregon, Multnomah Falls is worth the crowds. With accessible and more rugged trails, come for a picnic, a hillside hike, or a snapshot on your way through the Gorge.

Multnomah Falls

Located just 30 miles (48 km) east of downtown Portland, Oregon’s tallest waterfall attracts visitors of all ages and abilities for stunning year-round sights of cascading water with complimentary flora and fauna.

Visit

Latourell Falls

Know Before You Go

Take Exit 22 from I-84 to the Historic Columbia River Highway, stopping first at the Vista House at Crown Point, then proceeding 2.4 miles (3.9 km) to Latourell Falls.

Usually, the first falls that visitors encounter in the Columbia River Gorge, Latourell Falls is just east of the must-see views of Crown Point and along a 2.1-mile (3.4 km) loop where hikers can watch it drop straight down, 224 feet (68 m). It’s just a short walk to the lower falls, but a tougher uphill hike brings more daring explorers closer to the upper falls. Flowing strongest in winter and spring, Latourell gets a bit of sun in the summer, making for photos that are just as stunning.

Bridal Veil Falls

Know Before You Go

Proceed another mile (1.6 km) east on the Historic Columbia River Highway. Also accessible via Exit 28 from I-84.

Located 27 miles (43 km) east of Portland, just off Interstate 84, the misty, white Bridal Veil Falls consists of a pair of quick cascades that are well worth the short but steep half-mile hike to the viewing platform. An upper trail also leads to cliffs that reveal great views of the Columbia River Gorge.

Wahkeena Falls and Fairy Falls

With a viewing platform off of the historic highway, you can admire Wahkeena Falls from afar or hike up switchbacks to see its three tiers up close and also catch great views of the Columbia River Gorge. A moderate hike, not for the faint of heart, takes you to the top of the falls. And if you dare, you can continue the climb to Fairy Falls, also known as “Ghost Falls,” when the sun hits the water just right.

Horse Tail Falls

An easy, low-elevation loop trail takes you to Horse Tail Falls and Ponytail Falls. Just step away from the highway, and you are transported through the mineral layers of ancient lava flows with cascading water.

Gorgeous Gorge

From hiking, to biking, to farm fresh foods the Columbia River Gorge has a lot to offer.

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the vista house is in the distance, framed by brush and tree branches on three sides in the foreground

Crown Point Vista House

Called the crown jewel of the Columbia River Gorge, the Crown Point Vista House is a century-old observatory, rest stop and museum. Enjoy a 360-degree of the gorge and a bird’s-eye view of the Columbia River.

five cyclists bike up a street on a hillside with leaves littering the edges of the road

Biking in the Columbia River Gorge

The Columbia River Gorge is a recreational biker’s paradise, with options including car-free blacktop, smooth single-track flows and canyon trails with tricky switchbacks.

view from the sky of the vista house and columbia river gorge

Two Days in the Columbia River Gorge

Savor the views and flavor of Hood River and the scenic gorge with this 48-hour itinerary.

Waterfalls in Other Areas

Ramona Falls

Know Before You Go

Keep in mind, wilderness restrictions apply in this area, and to reach it, permits are required from mid-May to mid-October.

Tucked away in Mount Hood National Forest, Ramona Falls drapes like a 120-foot (37 m), a near-sheer curtain over the basalt rock face beneath, a gorgeous midpoint for a seven-mile (11 km) round-trip hike along the Pacific Crest Trail. The waterfall is located 57 miles (92 km) from Portland, attracting campers and day-trippers alike.

Oregon City

The final wagon stop on the Oregon trail, Oregon City welcomes visitors with food, drink, museums and outdoor activities.

Go To Oregon City

Willamette Falls

A quick 20-mile (32 km) drive southeast of Portland to Oregon’s first capital city, Oregon City, will bring you to Willamette Falls. Find several viewpoints of the falls from an amble along Canemah Bluff Walk to a pull-off on Hwy-99 E to an aerial view with a picture-perfect frame of Mt. Hood off of I-205 N.

Sunset’s orange glow bath Mt. Hood’s snow capped peaks, Oregon City’s homes and Willamette Falls’ frothy waters.
Historic Oregon City is located near the iconic Willamette Falls.

Silver Falls

A 60-mile (97 km) drive south of Portland in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, Silver Falls State Park is a popular spot for hikers because of its Trail of Ten Falls. An 8.7-mile (14 km) loop, the trail is only moderately difficult, and though it can get crowded (especially in the spring when flows are heaviest), it provides 12 months of waterfall watching. The park has plenty of campgrounds, picnic spots, and a historic lodge that’s open 365 days per year. There are also four waterfalls that you can walk behind, so be sure to dress for the chance of getting wet.

Outdoors, Parks & Gardens, Region
silver falls cascading down to a small lake below with fall colors on surround trees
Admire ten spectacular waterfalls at Silver Falls State Park.
Credit: Kelvin Kay via Flickr

Silver Falls State Park

Famous for its abundance of picturesque waterfalls, Silver Falls State Park is the largest state park in Oregon at 9,200 acres (3723 hectares) and one of the most popular.

Explore
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a path leads toward a large observation deck among ferns and towering trees
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Hoyt Arboretum: Portland’s Museum of Trees

Hoyt Arboretum is Portland’s “living museum of trees” — and is home to 2,300 species of trees and shrubs, as well as 12 miles (19.3 km) of hiking trails in Washington Park near downtown Portland.

The sun breaks through clouds above a wide river
Editor's suggestion

Columbia River Gorge Tours

Columbia River Gorge tours are an ideal way for visitors to experience the famous Columbia River Gorge National without worrying about traffic or parking. Explore the waterfalls just east of Portland with a guide and driver.

Mural by Cambodian-American painter Andrew Hem
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Multicultural Murals of Portland

Portland’s murals serve as an introduction to the city’s rich multicultural history, as illustrated by some of the world’s most accomplished muralists.

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