The Pacific Northwest has always been a popular spot for travels in the US. This area has a bit of everything from rugged coastlines to expansive mountains, amazing food and temperate weather. There is no shortage of beautiful places to visit and things to do. It is a traveler’s dream! If you happen to be heading to the area, make sure to plan a day trip to take in some wonderful waterfalls.
Getting There
To see these waterfalls you will need to travel to Portland, Oregon or the immediate surrounding area. Just outside of the city is the beautiful Columbia River Gorge. Spanning more than 80 miles, the gorge borders Oregon and Washington state. You can drive here on your own if you have a car, or you can sign up for one of many local tours.
A vacation to the area is not complete without visiting this beautiful place just 30 minutes from Portland. Here you will see fantastic towering trees and stunning vistas along the Columbia River, as well as many other beautiful spots. This is the place to take in the picturesque waterfalls! There are opportunities to hike or just soak in the scenic views throughout the gorge.
Along the way, you will encounter many great waterfalls. While there are plenty to choose from, here’s our list of those you should not miss!
Must see waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge
Horsetail Falls
This waterfall is located directly off the highway and is the first one we saw on our tour. I love how this stream cuts through the green and gently splashes into the pool below.

Multnomah Falls
Cascading for more than 620 feet from top to bottom, this iconic two-tiered waterfall is one of the most well-known in the area. Visitors can take a short walk up the trail to access the bridge in the middle. This view gives a great vantage point of the waterfall above, as well as the continuation of the water rushing down below.
Wahkeena Falls
Hidden within the dense foliage, Wahkeena Falls works its way through the landscape and is less dramatic than its nearby neighbors. Regardless this waterfall and the foliage are beautiful to take in. There is a short hike you can take for optimal viewing.

Shepherd’s Dell Bridge
While there is a waterfall here, the bridge is what you really want to see at this spot. This area is perfect for photography!
Latourell Falls
This straight waterfall plunges off the rocks, directly into the pool below. With a little bit of hiking around the pool, you can end up right beside this waterfall!
The Vista House at Crown Point
Stop here for great views of the gorge and Columbia River! You’ll have the opportunity to take in some history and grab snacks here too.

These waterfalls are all so big and beautiful! The natural environment they are set in is so dense and lush. You’ll be impressed out how diverse each waterfall is, and none of them disappoint! There are plenty more in the area to see too! Remember, you can easily access this great showcase of nature from Portland. Plan at least half a day, or a full day if you have time in your schedule.
And, always remember the advice from a waterfall!
“Go with the flow, roar with excitement, let your cares fall away, make your own music, immerse yourself in nature, stay active, and make a splash!” – Ilan Shamir
Have you visited Columbia River Gorge? What did you think? Tell us about it in the comments below!

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Who doesn’t love waterfalls and these are stunning set in lush surrounds. I haven’t been to Portland yet, but when I do, I’ll be visiting some of these falls.
Yes, be sure to visit the gorge and these waterfalls when you make it up that way! They are so beautiful!
Oh. My. God. Already love it.
I know, right!?
What a lovely place to visit to see those amazing waterfalls. I just love waterfalls. I like how easy it is to view them and they make such a great photo opportunity. Stunning photos and I pinned this for later use when I visit Oregon. Thanks for sharing! #feetdotravel
Thanks for pinning! Yes, these are just beautiful and so easy to access. It was a great way to spend a day!
I’ve always wanted to see that waterfall and I should have when I lived in Montana! I was practically right there! #feetdotravel #8
But now you have a reason to go to this area!
I love this part of the USA. Everything is so lush and green. I’ll be checking these out the next time I’ll be in the Pacific northwest.
I couldn’t get over how green it was!
I am a lover of waterfalls I must admit and these are all gorgeus, but if I had to pick a favourite, it would have to be Multnomah – it’s stunning! Thanks for showing me more of this part of the world, pinned for future reference #feetdotravel
Multnomah was definitely impressive!!
Wow. These are stunning! Worth trekking for. Wahkeena Falls looks like such an amazing spot!
All these great waterfalls are right in a row, so you can’t go wrong.
Your place is like mine – all waterfalls and a lovely walk (my post this week in FeetDoTravel) there are some beautiful waterfalls to see around the world 🙂
Ahhhhh our home! I have to admit we haven’t been to most of these yet since we moved to Portland, but we are excited to explore more. We are only 45 minutes from all of this 🙂 summer is going to be the bestest! Beautiful shots.
They are all right in a row! You will love them – enjoy! 🐶
While I’ve seen so many photos of the bridge at Multnomah, I like that your focus is on the waterfall which is quite incredible in its own right. Wahkeena Falls looks really idyllic too, lush and dense nature there too. Beautiful stuff Jenn!
Really beautiful landscape – I love waterfalls and this seems like a great place to hike and explore before taking a break and taking in the amazing views. I am still yet to visit that part of the States but definitely somewhere I would want to check out!
Wonderful pictures illustrated with a lovely quote! Thanks for sharing some beautiful shots with us and thanks to you we have added those waterfalls to our to do list! Keep up the good work!
Patrick and Cécile from http://www.travel4lifeblog.com
We just saw all of these waterfalls in August! We joined an electric bike tour which was a fun way to see all of these falls. Columbia River Gorge is so beautiful–really worth a visit anytime someone is in the Portland area.
I love waterfalls. It would be nice to visit these too. Thanks for sharing!
Beautiful waterfalls! As a nature lover I always like to see them.
Waterfalls always make me happy! I look forward to seeing these ones if I’m ever in the area. Thanks for the great advice.
I love a waterfall! These looks like such fun places to visit and to get some nature back in my life after lockdown in the city.
There is something so majestic about waterfalls! Does anyone ever get sick of them? If I ever manage to make my way to Oregon, this is going on my bucket list!
This is such a great list! I went in May 2019 and loved it!
Gorgeous waterfalls and how amazing is the Multnomah Falls!! I’d love to visit these falls.
We did not plan on visiting the Columbia Gorge when we were in Portland, so really only wandered along. We found a few of the beautiful waterfalls. But your post would have helped us plan to see so many more.
I have wanted to see Multnomah Falls ever since I heard of it years ago! Looks like there are plenty other waterfalls I need to see, too, when I finally make it over there!
We visited back in 2018 and thought this area was so breathtaking! Multnomah Falls was one of our favorites, and we also really enjoyed the Trail of Ten Falls in South Falls Historic District. I’d love to go back to see Latourell Falls! Thanks for the recommendation. Xx Sara
I have visited the Gorge many times, but it is always fun to see all the waterfalls. We ate at Multnomah last Fall and it was cool to sit in the dining room and see the falls in the backdrop.
Beautiful captures!
I’ve really been loving seeing so many waterfalls lately. Thank you so much for sharing. Saving this for later.
Really informative guide; definitely makes me wish to visit… I’ve never heard of it before!
OMG those waterfalls are calling my name! absolutely stunning!
It’s such a beautiful area!
All these waterfalls are so stunning. I especially loved the horsetail falls.
That’s my favorite one too!
I adore Columbia River Gorge! My brother lives in Oregon so we go almost every time I’m in the area. Such a beautiful part of the country.
These waterfalls are beautiful! We go waterfall chasing when we travel and I haven’t been to any of these! Saving for later 🤗💜