Multnomah Falls was the last stop on our epic Southwest USA road trip. It is part of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. We spent the night at the Best Western Cascade Inn & Suites in Portland, Oregon and headed to Multnomah Falls in the morning. The drive to the falls was about a half hour. We drove along the Historic Columbia River Highway.
Visiting Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls is one of those iconic images that I saw in some picture online and immediately added it to my bucket list… The bridge, with people standing on it, with what looked like this gigantic waterfall cascading both above and below the people… I just knew I wanted to find it someday.
So, when we were planning this big road trip, and choosing what stops to make, this was high on the list.
Parking
So let’s get there… as we were driving to the waterfall, we noticed a few different parking lots that looked like they provided a shuttle to the waterfall. When we got to the waterfall, there is a parking lot right at the location, but it isn’t huge! We drove back and forth a couple times and got lucky and got a spot in the lot. Since we had a long drive ahead of us that day, we were really thankful to get that spot!
One thing to note is that it does require a permit during peak summer hours. Permits are reserved online.
Amenities
After you cross the street from the parking lot, there is a building with restrooms, a restaurant, a snack shop, and a gift shop. A paved area brings you to the base of the lower fall. There is plenty of seating to enjoy the ambiance of the falls, with trees in the area providing shade.
Trails
From the base of the falls, there are trails you can take to the bridge and other trails. The walk to the bridge is .2 miles. To hike to the top of the falls, there is a one mile trail. The paved trail that brings you up to the bridge slopes upward and a wheelchair or stroller could be pushed up. There is an incline. Watch for falling rock… there is fencing along the trail meant to catch falling rocks, but it’s probably a good idea to keep a watch out just in case. The trail does continue on beyond the bridge (to the top of the waterfall), but we had limited time and stopped at the bridge.
The Bridge
Benson Bridge was built in 1914 by Italian stonemasons. When you get to the bridge, you’ll feel the water droplets from the waterfall. The bridge is sturdy. No wobbly feeling at all! The concrete rails are about waist high. You’ll have an amazing view of the upper falls and can look down over the top of the lower falls. The view away from the falls looks out over the visitor area at the base of the falls and the Columbia River Gorge beyond.
The Waterfall
Mulnomah Falls is so impressive to see. As the tallest waterfall in Oregon, it drops 620 feet. The upper falls are 542 feet tall and the lower falls are 78 feet. The falls are fed by underground springs on Larch Mountain.
Getting the picture
We arrived early in the morning, during June, and the light was a little bit tricky. The light was coming from behind the waterfall, so there was a glare that shot across a lot of our photos…. Just a note in case anyone is really serious about getting THE shot! Timing will be important! I bet it would also be amazing to visit during the fall colors!
The Area
This is such a beautiful area to visit. There are many waterfalls in the area and many hiking trails! This is definitely an area you could spend a whole vacation exploring!
Mulnomah Falls weighs in as Oregon’s tallest waterfall at 620 feet. It’s truly an impressive sight with the iconic pedestrian bridge built in 1914 suspended between the upper and lower falls.
