The Perfect Portland Day Trip: Waterfalls and Columbia River Gorge
If you’re looking for a Portland day trip with stunning mountain views and waterfalls that are all within driving distance, this blog post is for you.
All it takes is a relatively short drive from the city of Portland to get to the Columbia River Gorge — an incredible river canyon that is 80 miles long and 4,000 feet deep!
With plenty of sights to see, you’ll want to get your day started early.
Multnomah Falls
Columbia River Gorge is home to the famous Multnomah Falls. It is the most visited natural reaction site in the Pacific Northwest, garnering millions of visitors every year!
For that reason, we knew we had to get there early for the best chances of beating the crowds. The visitor’s lodge opens at 9 AM, so we left our hotel around 8 AM to get there a little before opening.
The best parking entrance is the eastbound Interstate 84 parking lot at Exit 31. Our plan worked and we were one of the only cars there in the morning!
From the parking lot, the visitor’s lodge and the falls are a short walk away. It’s amazing how close you can get to the falls without hiking at all!
Take a moment to take some photos up close before embarking on a short trail to the bridge. The bridge gives you a bird’s eye view of the lower falls and the upper falls.
There is a longer hike to get to the upper falls but since we had other falls to see, the short hike was enough for us.
After seeing Multnomah Falls, it was time to head west! Note that you can also travel in the opposite direction, west to east, to see all the sights I’ll be listing below. We opted to go straight to Multnomah first to beat the crowds and this way worked well for us.
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Portland Women’s Forum State Scenic Viewpoint
Address: 39210 Historic Columbia River Hwy, Corbett, OR 97019
This next must-see viewpoint of Columbia River Gorge is a little less than 20 minutes driving from Multnomah Falls. Named after the organization that fought to preserve this beauty, you’ll see for yourself why this viewpoint is so popular.
Though you can see the Vista House from here (another stop on this list), I think the Women’s Forum viewpoint is the best and most accessible way to see the stunning Columbia River Gorge.
Vista House at Crown Point State Scenic Corridor
Address: 40700 Historic Columbia River Hwy, Corbett, OR 97019
The historic Vista House was completed in 1917 and serves as a clifftop rest stop, observatory, and memorial to Oregon pioneers. It gives you an incredible, 360 degree-view of the Columbia River Gorge and mountains, since it is almost 700 feet above the river!
On the day we went, the actual Vista House happened to be closed so check the hours if you want to go inside. The viewpoint is still open to visitors, though!
Latourell Falls
Keep driving along the historic Columbia River Highway and you’ll encounter a sign for Latourell Falls located in the Guy W. Talbot State Park.
To get to the falls, there is a trail from the parking area. After a descent down some stairs and a short trail, you’ll be face-to-face with the falls!
Latourell Falls is 249 feet high and looks super impressive up close. It was amazing to hear the force of the water hitting the ground.
It’s so cool how close you can get to these falls!
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Bridal Veil Falls
Our trip to Columbia River Gorge ended at Bridal Veil Falls. Unlike the other falls, it is not a short walk from the parking lot, but luckily, getting there was not too strenuous.
You’ll take a short hiking trail to get to the falls, a 2/3 mile round-trip route.
This waterfall is named for its two tiers, and was the widest waterfall we saw that day!
There are so many beautiful sights to see at the Columbia River Gorge, and this is just a snapshot. If you wanted, you could definitely dedicate a whole day to exploring the gorge!
Even if you only have a few hours to spare and don’t want to partake in a strenuous hike, I hope this itinerary helps you get the most out of your visit to the Columbia River Gorge.
Check out my other Portland, Oregon content for inspiration for your next trip!
