The Most Magnificent Waterfalls of the Columbia River Gorge

Magnificent natural beauty surrounds the city of Portland, Oregon. One of the prime benefits of planning a vacation here is exploring the natural surroundings. There are many gorgeous waterfalls within a half hour drive of downtown in the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. The mesmerizing rustic Gorge stretches on for over 80 miles along the border of Washington and Oregon.

This canyon is home to over 70 waterfalls on the Oregon side alone, with 5 of the best being located within an hour from the city. If you love waterfalls, you are in luck, as this gorge is home to the highest concentration in the US. I love viewing waterfalls across the country, and thus, was excited to explore at least a few of these beauties during my trip to Portland. As we were flying in from Tucson with no car rental, we figured it would be convenient to sign up for a tour and enjoy complimentary pickup from our hotel. Seeing these gorgeous falls was by far the best thing we did on our trip.

Although Portland tends to get much more press regarding its’ foodie scene & eccentric vibe, the nature surrounding the city is really its’ best asset. And, the best part of all, is that the natural offerings are easily accessible, even for tourists limited on time. Most of these falls are accessible via a short hike or a scenic overlook.

Convenient waterfall tours with hotel pickup

For tourists who want to save time and the extra costs associated with a car rental, I recommend signing up for a Half Day Gorge tour through Wildwood Adventures. This tour is super convenient for tourists staying downtown as the company conveniently picks you up from your hotel and takes you on a relaxing ride to 4 of the best area waterfalls, as well as the picturesque Vista House overlook. We saved a lot of money on a car rental even with paying for this tour.

The guides are very friendly and knowledgeable about the area in general, and go of their way to recommend various attractions & activities to incorporate into your itinerary. We learned a lot more about the history of the city and even took a few of their recommendations into consideration.

Although you could spend weeks viewing all of the waterfalls in the area, a tour is the best way to view the best-of-the-best in a short period of time. I would love to see more in the future, but I feel that this was a great introduction and we still had time to do much more on our weekend trip.

Here is a brief overview of the 4 waterfalls you will visit during the Half Day gorge tour.

Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls is the most spectacular of all the falls you will see, soaring above the beautiful greenery at a whopping 627 feet. It truly is a striking site as the tallest waterfall in Oregon and the 2nd tallest (year-round) waterfall in the US. Some sources state that the height was embellished in the past to draw more tourists to the area. Whatever the case, it is a stunning waterfall.

The falls are fed year-round from underground springs from Larch Mountain, and thus, the waterfall maintains a constant water supply which varies in intensity throughout the year.

The upper falls plunges 500 feet into a pool and the second set of falls comes forth from the pool and flows beneath a beautiful stone footbridge which dates back to the early 1900’s. The falls are rightfully so the most visited national recreation site in the Pacific Northwest.

Seeing this waterfall in person was so incredible. If you are able to do so, I recommend hiking the 1 mile trail to get a better look at the falls. Spring and winter are typically the best time to view the falls due to increased water flow. Accessibility options include an accessible parking area and a paved road to the visitor’s center.

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls, although not the tallest at a mere 120 ft, was the most scenic in my opinion. I love the beautiful trees surrounding this one. This 2 tiered beauty is located on Bridal Veil Creek and the setting is just so rustic and peaceful. There are a few short trails which lead you to an observation deck with picture-perfect views of the falls, although our tour guide took us on a shortcut trail to save time.  The smooth cascading flow of water resembles a bride’s veil, hence the name. Our tour guide mentioned that the falls are a hotspot for wedding photography (I am not surprised!).

Like Multnomah, Bridal Veil is also located on the Gorge highway. Because this one cannot be viewed directly from the highway, fewer tourists make their way over. Thus, this area feels less commercialized with the woodsy setting and serene sounds of the rushing creek taking the place of noisy tourist traffic. Lots of great photo opportunities here due to the lack of crowds. Aesthetically, this was my favorite waterfall of the 4 we viewed.

Our guide was nice enough to take our pic. One of the benefits of paying extra via driving ourselves.

Shepperd’s Dell

Shepperd’s Dell is another gorgeous, secluded waterfall you will see on your tour. Bowtie Falls is the nickname due to the interesting shape that Youngs Creek makes as it curves and twists down a series of falls. The waterfall is 220 feet high, although not all of it is visible due to the hefty tree coverage. However, this does not at all take away from the beauty, and if anything, the lovely isolated natural surroundings make it even more majestic.

This waterfall is just minutes from Bridal Veil and the drive over is just as gorgeous as the falls itself. In 2018, the short trail to the falls was closed due to rock slides, however, it is fortunately back open as of 2024. This one is more of a quick roadstop, but beautiful nonetheless.

Latourell Falls

Latourell Falls is yet another very impressive waterfall along the Gorge Scenic Highway. This single plunge waterfall stands 224 feet tall and features a rare straight drop over a basalt cliff. Pictures do this one no justice – it’s truly impressive in person. You can take a pretty cool photo standing under the falls.

There really are no trees in the way so you will enjoy a perfect clear view of this one. I love that you can get so close to the end of the falls that you can feel the fresh mist, although it’s often freezing cold even through the late spring/early summer months.

There is a short 2 mile loop to the upper falls, although our tour parked at Guy Talbot State Park and hiked a really short .25 mile alternative path to the Lower Falls. Personally, I would rather complete the entire hike just to enjoy the natural surroundings a bit longer!

This is one of the most well known and popular falls in this region, so you can expect large crowds here at any time. Although you could be waiting a while to get your picture, it’s worth the wait for the gorgeous viewpoint! A great souvenir to frame! Accessibility options include ADA parking as well as a paved path to the lower falls.

Vista House at Crown Point

In addition to viewing the marvelous waterfalls, your tour guide will also make a stop at Crown House Vista Point if the weather is not too windy. On the drive from Portland to the Gorge area, you will notice a magnificent house upon a cliff overlooking the river.

At exit 22 near Corbett lies the historic Vista House, built in 1916 at the same time as the scenic highway. While it is often too cloudy, rainy, or windy (winds frequently exceed 100 mph) to get out of your vehicle, if you happen to visit on a nice day, the views are truly incredible. Fortunately, the weather was pretty clear and the wind not too extreme so we got to enjoy this marvelous viewpoint.

The house was built on a cliff 723 feet above the river and the views are breathtaking.  Although originally constructed as a place where visitors could use the restroom & grab a few refreshments before continuing on, it’s now more popular for the extraordinary vistas. The inside of the house is beautiful too as it is was constructed almost entirely of marble. This earned its’ one time nickname of the “$100,000 Outhouse.” While residents were once shocked over the hefty price tag, recent renovations have cost upwards of 4 million!

Learn more about this historic landmark

*Overall, this tour is a great way to explore some of the tremendous nature surrounding the city. Although the city of Portland is home to all sorts of eclectic restaurants, shops, museums, and attractions, it’s nice to escape the clutter for a few hours to explore the natural wonders of the area.

The $89 per person price tag (as of 2026) is definitely a great value. As you are provided transportation, a knowledgeable guide, and not to mention a convenient way to see the best falls without much effort, it’s a steal.

Pricing based on the Half Day tour. Prices subject to change. Please check the website for updates.