620-Foot Multnomah Falls

At 620 feet, Multnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in Oregon and it’s the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest. More than 2 million people stop each year. Until recently, most of the trail was shut down due to the 2017 Eagle Creek fire, but they were able to repair it enough to re-open in 2019.

Once you take Exit 31 off I-84 and park, it’s only a short walk to the base of the waterfall. The closer you are to the waterfall, the greater chance there is of getting sprayed with mist, so wear a rain jacket if you don’t want to get wet! 

After parking, you will walk through a short tunnel under the freeway to get to the base of the waterfall. There’s a great (and popular) spot to take a photo with the waterfall behind you. From here it’s a short walk to Benson Bridge which is another great place to take photos. You will definitely get sprayed by water on the bridge!

Once you get past the bridge, you will hike through 11 switchbacks to get to the top of the waterfall. This hike is only 2 miles from start to finish but the switchbacks are no joke. You are pretty much hiking uphill for entire first half of your hike. The views of the Columbia River Gorge on the way up make it worthwhile.

At the top, you will hike downhill for a very short stretch and come to a small platform where you can see the top of the waterfall and some of the Gorge. This is another great spot to take photos (and a break).

From this point on, all that’s left to do is hike back down the hill. Once you reach the bottom, you can visit the Lodge for a meal or stop by the gift shop. If the bottom platform was too busy when you arrived, take this opportunity to snap a photo in front of the magnificent waterfall. 

Multnomah Falls is just one of many beautiful locations on the way through the Columbia River Gorge. It’s close to Latourell Falls, Wahclella Falls and several other short hikes. We would love to know what your favorite waterfall is so snap a photo and let us know on Instagram by tagging us with #discovermthood!

Trail Details

Type of Trail: Out and back
Length: 2 miles
Difficulty: Easy up to Benson Bridge. Moderate on the way to the top. A lot of parents are able to take their children to the top.

Extra Details: The trail is dog-friendly (leash required). Remember to bring bags for waste disposal.

Check out our Mt. Hood Scenic Loop Itinerary which has Multnomah Falls listed as a stop along the way. We will update this article when more of the Multnomah Falls trail opens up.