If you haven’t heard about it then you have definitely seen pictures of this perfectly made bridge with this enormous waterfall in the background. That my friend is Multnomah Falls aka the most iconic waterfall hike near Portland that all your local friends will tell you to do. 

We’ve seen it all over Instagram and Pinterest so we knew it was one place we really wanted to hike. As we were driving along the Columbia River Gorge we decided we would go to Portland first and visit our friends and come back and actually make a full day and see all the Columbia River Gorge waterfalls that are along the highway.

To see all these waterfalls, check out our post: The Best Guided Waterfall Tour From Portland.

Multnomah Falls seen from the beginning of the trail
Multnomah Falls is a must visit in Portland Oregon

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What to expect when visiting Multnomah Falls in Oregon

Hood River and Columbia River Gorge are the reasons why Oregon and the Portland area was one of our favorite spots during our US west coast road trip. The scenery is beautiful, it’s so lush and green. The amount of hikes and waterfalls that are near Portland is absolutely crazy. Like within an hour you can be in multiple different national parks just taking in beautiful scenery wherever you go.

It makes sense why so many people move out to places like Portland in the Pacific Northwest. You can hike for days and days out here.

However, this beauty also comes with a price! It gets very busy. So when you go there, you can expect to be absolutely blown away by the beauty, but you can also expect to be sharing it with a lot of other people.

Practical information about Multnomah Falls Trail

Distance: 3.2 km return / 1.98 miles return
Elevation: 251 m / 823 ft. elevation gain
Type: Out and back
Length: 1-1.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Here’s a map of the Multnomah Falls Trail near Portland.

Why Multnomah Falls waterfall should be on your bucket list

If you find yourself in Oregon and Portland in specific we have a few awesome waterfall hikes to do but if you truly want the iconic of all iconic waterfalls in Oregon then we recommend visiting Multnomah Falls.

We’ve seen some stunning waterfalls around the world, and this one is really beautiful. If you’re one of those people where you think tourists take a bit of the beauty away from it, then this would be one of those places.

The beginning of the trail is quite packed. BUT please don’t let that stop you from doing the hike and hiking to the end of the Multnomah Falls trail where you will be above the waterfall – because not a lot of people do this. Most people come to take a picture, buy some fudge at the tourist shop, and then they move onto the next waterfall.

Multnomah is stunning in so many ways and the fact you have the Columbia River Gorge right across the highway and many other smaller waterfalls in the area makes this place magical.

Views of a waterfall near Portland.

Multnomah Falls Hike in Oregon

We usually stay away from hikes like this one because of how touristy they can get. Especially since there are so many waterfalls near Portland and other excellent trails to see which not many people but locals go to. But we couldn’t say no to Multnomah.

The hike is crazy touristy and busy near the bottom since that’s where the “Instagram” shot it (see our photo below). But this hiking trail has 3 awesome spots for amazing pictures and most people only make it to the first one.

  1. The first spot is right at the beginning of the trail once you pass the visitor centre. This is where you will get that iconic shot of the bridge and the waterfall which we mentioned before. An awesome spot to get some landscape photography shots if you’re into that. We got some good ones for our Instagram! =) It’s amazing, so grab a few pictures and then continue up to the next spot.

  2. The second spot is the bridge that’s literally right in front of the waterfall. Most people do make it there too since it’s not far away and the bridge can get crowded. So if you’re smart and plan properly you can go super early in the morning and have the bridge for yourself. This is the best place to take pictures too by the way! =) They look epic with the water so close in the background! So make sure to take some good shots before it gets too crowded, like when we went.

  3. The third and final stop is right at the end of the hike where you will find a small platform that opens up to an awesome view of Multnomah Falls. The 11 switchbacks to the top are absolutely worth it. It’s a little steep but it’s honestly not that difficult of a hike to the top of the falls. Just go early enough to have the trail to yourself and you will really enjoy the hike. Plus you may even have the vantage point to yourself for a little bit to take in the views without other people bugging you.

Here’s a picture of the beginning of the trailhead for Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge.

The trailhead starts right after the visitor center where you can buy food, use the washroom, and even buy some ice cream! (Which we did after the hike of course.) Ice cream is definitely one of our guilty pleasures (and if you’re saying it’s not one of yours, you’re lying) and it seems like every time we do something remotely active and ice cream tends to follow. That’s ok, right!?

The Multnomah Falls Visitor Center is open from 9am – 6pm on weekdays. On Fridays and Saturdays, it’s open from 9am – 8pm. So if you get the chance, get there early in the morning, do the hike and check out the visitor center after.

OR if you’re up for doing a bit longer of a hike you can park at the Wahkeena Falls Trailhead and do a loop hike which will bring you to Multnomah Falls and then back to your car (Don’t worry we’ll talk more about this later in this post.)

Hiking Tip: Look up the trail on AllTrails before starting your hike 🗺️. You can find important trail information such as recent wildlife sights and trail closures. Check out the free version here or get a 7-day free trial of AllTrails Pro here.

Views of Jo and Multnomah Falls in Portland Oregon.

Camping near Multnomah Falls

There are a bunch of campgrounds near Multnomah Falls not too far from the Columbia River Gorge. It was also one of our favorite places to camp on the whole road trip. There are so many amazing hikes in the area and tons of beautiful waterfalls as well.

If you have the time you should spend a few days between Portland and Hood River. Just on that stretch of highway between the two cities is where all these waterfalls and great campsites are.

Ainsworth State Park

Ainsworth State Park is literally less than a 10 minutes drive from the trailhead of Multnomah Falls. If you want to see the best waterfalls near Portland and spend a few nights in the outdoors then this is your place. Sites start at $17 for standard tents and around $30 for full hookups.

We loved the fact that there are a bunch of trails that actually start right from the campsite so once you’re there you really don’t even need to drive anywhere. The campsite is nicely shaded and located in the forest. Here are the directions from Ainsworth State Park to Multnomah Falls Visitor Centre – you can even walk there if you want!

Bridge RV Park and Campground

Bridge RV Park / Gorge Base Camp is a bit further away from Multnomah Falls than Ainsworth State Park but if you’re hauling an RV then this is a good spot for you!

It’s about a 45 minute drive to the trailhead, so not too bad, since the drive is absolutely beautiful. You’ll drive right along the Columbia River Gorge for most of the drive until you turn off for the hike.

Mt Hood National Park and Hood River get extremely busy during the summer months. For that reason, we recommend you call and book in advance if you’re traveling during peak season and know the exact dates that you’ll be in the area.

Check prices here.

Dom and Jo at Multnomah Falls in Portland, Oregon.

How to get to Multnomah Falls

From anywhere in Portland

  • It’s about a 45 minute drive from the center of Portland. So most likely a little bit shorter if you’re coming from the Eastern suburbs.
  • Directions can be found here.

From anywhere in Hood River

  • It’s just over a half hour drive from Hood River to Multnomah Falls – another reason why it’s a good area to stay and camp in. The drive from Hood to the trailhead is beautiful as well.
  • Directions can be found here.
Hiking trail in Portland, Oregon.

When to visit Multnomah Falls

Every season brings out something different. If you want to visit Multnomah Falls over Christmas you will definitely see way fewer crowds. If you’re lucky and it’s cold enough you may see the falls turn into ice.

Otherwise, spring, summer, and fall all bring different elements to the experience and bring out its own beauty. We were there near the end of summer and it was absolutely beautiful. Because of that, we did end up sharing the hike and the trails with lots of tourists since this was during peak season.

However, any time of year is good to go. Especially if you can try and go at the right time and maybe during the weekdays.

Before you go

Guided waterfall tour near Portland, Oregon.

Make sure to check the weather and plan accordingly before you go – ideally, go early in the morning or later in the evening when it’s not super touristy. Here is the weather forecast for Multnomah Falls!

The track can get super muddy when it rains so you may want to bring some proper shoes. We’d recommend wearing hiking shoes but you can do without if you don’t have any.

Leave no trace

When you go hiking (and do other outdoor adventure activities), always remember to follow the 7 principles of leaving no trace.

This means:

  1. Plan ahead and prepare.
  2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
  3. Dispose of waste properly.
  4. Leave what you find.
  5. Minimize campfire impacts.
  6. Respect wildlife.
  7. Be considerate of others.

What to bring to Multnomah Falls

We’d recommend bringing a camera to snap some pictures. This is a hike that is definitely more for the pictures than the hiking. Also, bring the appropriate gear especially if you plan to do the longer loop trail It can get quite chilly in the trees during fall.

Packing list for Multnomah Falls:

Alternative hike near Portland: Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail

We mentioned Wahkeena earlier in the post so we wanted to come back to it. There are many awesome waterfall hikes near Portland and just good hikes in general, but we wanted to let you know about Wahkeena because it’s basically a part of the Multnomah Falls hike.

Wahkeena is a loop trail so you can either start at the Multnomah Falls trailhead or at the Wahkeena Falls trailhead. It’s perfect if you’re looking for a bit of a longer hike. It adds an extra 4.4 km or 2.7 miles to the hike which will give you a nice full day of exploring and chasing waterfalls.

If you have the time and want to do a nice proper hike then we definitely recommend the Wahkeena Falls loop trail! It’s also a lot less touristy once you get past the Multnomah Falls sections which is nice and you’ll get up close to a few waterfalls in the forest. You’ll get a chance to see the best Columbia River Gorge waterfalls in the area.

You may also like…

Waterfall near Portland, Oregon.

Other useful info when visiting Multnomah Falls near Portland

We hope you enjoy Oregon and especially this little area near Portland. This area around Multnomah Falls has so many awesome hikes. If you find any other awesome trails in the area please let us know so we can check them out next time we’re back!

Have fun!

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3 Comments

  1. Katerina on June 12, 2020 at 1:51 am

    What a beautiful hike! We have loved visiting the Pacific NorthWest and the Columbia River Gorge in particular. I agree, I can totally understand why people move to this region – hiking in your own background would be absolutely fabulous. Plus, spending time together out in beautiful nature, with views and waterfalls, what could be better?

  2. Ahmed Bertino on June 16, 2020 at 8:04 am

    Pretty! This has been a really wonderful article. Thank you for providing this info.

    • redwhiteadventures on June 17, 2020 at 1:14 am

      Hello,

      Of course! Multnomah should be visited by everyone travelling through Oregon if they get the chance! =)

      -Dom

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