Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls is the most famous and beloved waterfall in Oregon and one of the most spectacular in the United States, a breathtaking 620-foot, two-tiered cascade that plunges down a mossy basalt cliff in the lush Columbia River Gorge, just east of Portland. The most-visited natural site in the Pacific Northwest, drawing over two million visitors a year, the falls are an easily reached and unforgettable sight, their misty waters framed by the iconic Benson Footbridge that arches across the gorge between the upper and lower tiers.

Fed by underground springs and rain on Larch Mountain above, Multnomah Falls runs year-round, thundering with the winter and spring rains and flowing gracefully in summer, often shrouded in mist and moss in the verdant gorge. A paved path leads from the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge to the Benson Bridge, with views of both tiers, and a steeper trail climbs to the top. Set amid the waterfall-rich Columbia River Gorge — which holds the greatest concentration of high waterfalls in North America — Multnomah Falls is a treasured natural icon of Oregon and the crown jewel of the gorge.

Multnomah Falls is enjoyed via the paved path from the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge to the Benson Footbridge between the two tiers (with views of the full 620-foot cascade), and a steeper switchback trail that climbs to the top of the falls and connects to the wider trail network of the Columbia River Gorge (including other waterfalls and Larch Mountain). Sightseeing, photography, and hiking the falls and gorge trails are the draws, with the lodge offering dining and visitor services. The combination of the spectacular, easily reached falls, the iconic bridge and the waterfall-rich gorge makes Multnomah Falls a beloved and premier destination.

The falls run year-round and are spectacular in every season — thundering with the heavy rains of fall through spring (and sometimes draped in dramatic winter ice), and flowing gracefully amid lush green in summer. Spring brings the fullest flow and wildflowers, fall color in the gorge, and the falls are misty and beautiful year-round. The site is extremely popular; a timed-use permit may be required in the busy summer season, and parking fills early. Spring for the fullest flow and the verdant gorge, and any season for the beauty, are highlights; come early to beat the crowds at this very popular falls.

Multnomah Falls and the Columbia River Gorge have been central to the Native peoples of the region for thousands of years, rich in story and significance. The falls became a beloved destination with the building of the scenic Columbia River Highway in the 1910s — an early, pioneering scenic road — and the historic Multnomah Falls Lodge, built of stone in 1925. The iconic Benson Footbridge was built in 1914. Protected within the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Multnomah Falls preserves the spectacular waterfall and its historic setting, a treasured and storied natural icon of Oregon and the gorge.

Multnomah Falls plunges 620 feet in two tiers down a sheer cliff of Columbia River basalt — the thick layers of ancient lava flows that flooded the region millions of years ago and form the dramatic walls of the Columbia River Gorge. The gorge itself was carved by the Columbia River and dramatically widened and steepened by the cataclysmic Ice Age floods, leaving the tributary streams to plunge over the high basalt cliffs as the gorge’s many tall waterfalls. The layered basalt, the river-carved gorge and the Ice Age floods created Multnomah Falls and the waterfall-rich cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge.

The lush gorge, forest and streams around Multnomah Falls host black-tailed deer, and a rich community of birds, including the dippers and waterbirds along the streams, raptors, and the songbirds of the wet forest, while the gorge’s cliffs provide habitat for nesting birds (peregrine falcons nest in the gorge) and the streams support fish. The verdant, waterfall-rich gorge supports varied Pacific Northwest wildlife. While the falls are visited above all for the scenery, the surrounding mossy forest and the streams offer glimpses of the region’s wildlife in this lush and green setting.

Multnomah Falls lies in the lush, wet western Columbia River Gorge, where the spray of the falls and the heavy rainfall nourish a verdant ecosystem of moss, ferns, and Pacific Northwest forest clinging to the basalt cliffs, with the streams and the gorge supporting rich plant and animal life. The waterfall’s spray zone and the gorge’s wet western end create especially lush, humid conditions and rare plant communities (the gorge harbors endemic wildflowers). Protecting the streams’ water quality, the cliffs and the forest sustains both the ecology and the beauty of this spectacular waterfall in the verdant Columbia River Gorge.

Multnomah Falls, the most famous waterfall in Oregon and the most-visited natural site in the Pacific Northwest, holds a treasured and iconic place in the region, its spectacular 620-foot cascade and the graceful Benson Footbridge a beloved and instantly recognizable symbol of Oregon and the Columbia River Gorge. Significant to the Native peoples of the region and a destination since the early days of the scenic Columbia River Highway, the falls embody the lush, green beauty of the gorge. Multnomah Falls is a cherished natural icon of Oregon, the crown jewel of the waterfall-rich Columbia River Gorge.

Multnomah Falls is in the Columbia River Gorge in northern Oregon, about 30 minutes east of Portland, reached via Interstate 84 (exit 31) or the historic Columbia River Highway (US-30). The falls and the historic lodge are free to visit, but the site is extremely popular — a timed-use permit may be required in the busy summer season, and the parking lots fill very early. The paved path to the Benson Bridge is accessible; the trail to the top is steeper. Check the U.S. Forest Service (Columbia River Gorge) and the timed-use permit system for parking and conditions before visiting.

The U.S. Forest Service protects Multnomah Falls and the surrounding Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Visitors help by staying on the designated trails and paths (off-trail travel erodes the fragile, steep gorge slopes and tramples rare plants), keeping back from the cliff edges and the top of the falls, not climbing on or around the falls, protecting the streams’ water quality, packing out everything, respecting the rare gorge wildflowers and wildlife, and following the rules. Protecting the falls, the streams, the cliffs and the verdant forest sustains both the ecology and the beauty of this treasured icon of the Columbia River Gorge.

At Multnomah Falls, stay on the designated trails and paths and keep well back from the cliff edges and the top of the falls — people have fallen to their deaths climbing over barriers or off-trail near the brink, so never climb on or around the falls or beyond the railings. Watch for falling rocks from the cliffs (a rockfall has struck the area before), and take care on the steep, sometimes wet or icy trail to the top. Supervise children closely. Wear sturdy footwear, and respect the barriers, the cliff edges and the powerful falls at this beautiful but hazardous site.

The falls and lodge are free to visit, but a timed-use permit may be required in the busy summer season (and parking fills early). Stay on designated trails and paths; keep back from the cliff edges and the top of the falls, and do not climb on or around the falls or over barriers. Protect the rare gorge plants and the streams. Pets must be leashed. Drones are restricted. Do not litter; pack out all trash. Check the U.S. Forest Service (Columbia River Gorge) and the timed-use permit system for parking and current rules before visiting.

The Columbia River Gorge’s many other waterfalls (Wahkeena, Horsetail, Latourell), the historic Columbia River Highway and its viewpoints (the Vista House at Crown Point), the towns of Troutdale and Hood River, and the city of Portland (30 minutes west) lie near the falls, with Mount Hood to the south. The Columbia River Gorge defines the region. Multnomah Falls, the crown jewel of the gorge, anchors a waterfall-rich and scenic region of the Columbia River Gorge, a centerpiece of an easy and spectacular day trip from Portland through the greatest concentration of waterfalls in North America.

Walk the short paved path to the iconic Benson Footbridge for the classic view of Multnomah Falls between its two tiers, and — if you’re fit — climb the steeper switchback trail to the top. The falls run year-round; come in spring for the fullest flow and the verdant gorge, or any season for the misty beauty. Arrive very early (the site is the most-visited in the Pacific Northwest and parking fills fast; check for a required timed-use permit in summer). Stay on the trails and back from the dangerous cliffs, and explore the gorge’s other waterfalls.