10 of The Most Gorgeous Waterfall Hikes in Oregon

After spending a few weeks hiking and exploring Oregon, we thought it would only be fair to share some of our favourite hiking trails and waterfall hikes in Oregon.

No matter If you’re going hiking from Portland, Mount Hood, Eugene, Bend, or The Oregon Coast, you can find the best hikes in Oregon here!

We hope you’re ready for some awesome waterfalls, beautiful scenery, and a bit of information about the famous Pacific Crest Trail that also goes through Oregon.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links which means if you decide to use the links and make a valid purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you <3

Oregon Waterfall hikes & other hikes

Below you can find our favourite waterfall hikes in Oregon along with other amazing hiking trips and great hikes you don’t want to miss in the state of Oregon.

We were amazed to see how many amazing waterfall hikes could be found in Oregon! From easy day trips from Portland to overnight trips closer to Bend, Oregon is a hiking Paradise!

The state itself has at least 238 waterfalls. You can probably imagine the amount of hikes that end up at a waterfall.

We will do our best to give you the option of at least one waterfall hike and one regular hiking trail for each location. It was hard to pick just one for each category.

In the end, we tried our best to pick hikes that are easy to navigate and that have great views. A bunch of must-do hikes that we really think everyone should try and explore!

Waterfalls and Hikes near Portland

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+ here.

#1 The best waterfall hike from Portland – Multnomah Falls:

For this first waterfall hike, we will take you approximately 45 minutes outside of Portland. It is a beautiful drive as you drive along the Columbia River Gorge. On one side you see the Gorge and on the other you see stunning mountains.

Multnomah Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls in Oregon. It is more of a tourist attraction but don’t let that take any of the beauty away from the gigantic waterfall.

Luckily, it’s possible to get away from the crowds. If you keep going past all the tourists you can actually continue hiking up and experience some amazing views.

If don’t have a car and don’t plan on renting one, you can easily go on a guided tour to visit Multnomah Falls and some of the other waterfalls nearby.

We decided to go with Wildwood Adventures and were extremely satisfied with the tour they provided. Read more about the tour here: The Best Guided Waterfall Tour From Portland.

You’ll be amazed at how many waterfalls are near Portland. We could have spent two weeks in that area camping and hiking.

Thankfully if you plan accordingly, you may have a few extra days in the Mt Hood area.

We also have a post with all the information you’ll need about this hike: Iconic Waterfall near Portland – Multnomah Falls Hike.

#2 The best hike from Portland – Wildwood Trail:

If you’re looking to go hiking in Portland you might as well do a cool one!! Why not go hiking in America’s largest forested urban park?

Located on the north-west side of the city you will find all WildWood Trails. They weave through the remarkably big forests and offer over 30 miles of hiking.

There are many trails in Forest Park and it’s easy to get lost. So here are 5 different trails you can take while hiking the WildWood Trail in Portland.

There’s nothing better than only having to drive for a short amount of time to visit such amazing scenery. This is one of the many reasons we love Portland so much.

• More info: Wildwood Trail on AllTrails
• WildWood Trail Trailhead: Click here for Google Maps

Waterfalls and Hikes near Mt Hood

#3 The best waterfall Hike from Mt Hood – Tamanawas Falls:

The hikes around Mt Hood are amazing (!) and this area was without a doubt one of our favourites in all of Oregon. When we were in Portland, we had so much fun mountain biking and hiking around Hood River.

Our favourite waterfall hike near Mt Hood would have to be Tamanawas Falls which is located off the scenic Mt Hood Highway.

Tamanawas Falls trailhead is very easy to find since you’ll see a bunch of cars parked right off the side of the road. The waterfall at the end is absolutely stunning!

We don’t want to spoil too much but if you’re interested in doing the hike then here is all the info you need on Tamanawas Falls: Easy Waterfall Hike in Mt Hood – Tamanawas Falls.

#4 The best hike from Mt Hood – Ramona Falls:

Ramona Falls is actually another waterfall hike in Oregon but we had to have it on the list. This hike is close to Mt Hood National Park and has a stunning waterfall, river crossing, and beautiful views of Mt Hood!

Something super cool is that, while doing the hike, you actually walk along part of the Pacific Crest Trail(famous hike from the border of USA/Mexico to the border of USA/Canada).

Here is another awesome guide for everything you need to know about hiking the Ramona Falls Trail: Fun Waterfall Hike in Oregon – Ramona Falls.

Waterfalls and Hikes near Eugene

#5 The best waterfall Hike from Eugene – Upper Trestle Creek Falls Trail:

Only about 45 minutes away from Eugene you will find this awesome loop trail located near Dorena.

Upper Trestle Creek Falls has an awesome waterfall, and it truly is a photographers playground. You will have beautiful nature and multiple different angles at capturing amazing shots of the waterfall.

In the past, the Trestle Creek trail hadn’t been well maintained but now it’s better than ever and the perfect time to finally go see the waterfall that cascades down 45 feet into a small pool! 

• More info: Upper Trestle Creek Falls Trail on AllTrails
• Upper Trestle Creek Falls Trailhead: Click here for Google Maps

#6 The best hike from Eugene – Spencer Butte Trail

Spencer Butte Trail is an ideal hike if you’re looking for something close to Eugene. Located only 15 minutes from downtown Eugene, this makes it an awesome afternoon activity.

The hike itself is relatively short and easy to do but it gives you great views of the Oregon landscape and beautiful flowers.

• More Info: Spencer Butte Trail on AllTrails
• Spencer Butte Trailhead: Click here for Google Maps

Waterfalls and Hikes near Bend

#7 The best waterfall Hike from Bend – Proxy Falls

Proxy Falls is the perfect hike for anyone wanting to get into hiking and see a stunning waterfall.

Only an hour drive from Bend, you’ll see this hiking trail which is a 2.5km loop trail. It may not be the hardest hike, but it is definitely a rewarding one! The scenery and the landscapes are stunning in this part of the state.

The Proxy Falls trailhead is very easy to spot and follow and the path itself is very clean – all of which make it a great hike to do near Bend.

Take in the lush dense forest and enjoy the sounds of Proxy Falls as you have a picnic in the nature of Oregon.

• Fee: $5 or included with an America the Beautiful Pass
• More Info: Proxy Falls on AllTrails
• Proxy Falls Trailhead: Click here for Google Maps

#8 The best hike from Bend – Garfield Peak:

Garfield Peak is hands down one of our favourite hikes in Oregon! (Yes, we have many favourites)…

Garfield Peak is located within Crater Lake National Park and is a steep but fun switchback hike that gives you a breathtaking view (literally) over Crater Lake the entire way up.

The drive itself from Bend to Crater Lake takes about 1.5 hours. If you have the time we totally recommend this hike if you’re staying in Bend and looking for a hike to do near Bend.

If you want to visit Crater Lake National Park and tackle Garfield Peak Trail then we highly recommend that you check out this post: The Best Day Hike in Crater Lake, Oregon: Garfield Peak.

There is plenty of information regarding the hike, parking, passes, etc in the post. Enjoy the deep blue water of Crater Lake! 🙂

Waterfalls and Hikes on the Oregon Coast

#9 The best waterfall hike from The Oregon Coast – Munson Creek Falls:

If you’re lucky enough to be driving along the magical Oregon Coast then you should go and explore Munson Creek Falls. This hike is located west of Portland.

It’s only a 45-minute drive from Pacific City, so this waterfall hike is not too far from the coast.

It’s a very short trail which makes it a perfect place to stop if you’re driving down the coast and want to see as much as you possibly can in a short period of time.

On the flip side, if you have all day to hike, then you can also go on a bunch of other hiking trails in the area. This leads us to our last and final hike of this post…

• More info: Munson Creek Falls on AllTrails
• Munson Creek Falls Trailhead: Click here for Google Maps

#10 The best hike from the Oregon Coast- Tillamook Head Trail:

For our last hike that we are going to share on this post, we wanted to give you basically a bit of everything Oregon has to offer. So we decided on the Tillamook trail which is a hiking trail right outside of Cannon beach.

Tillamook trail is a bit of a longer hike but you do not have to go the whole way since it is an out-and-back hike. Once you’ve seen enough you can simply just hike back to your vehicle.

But if you turn back too early you won’t see the lighthouse, the WW II bunker, Tillamook rock, and other breathtaking views. So get out early to the trailhead and enjoy your day at one of Oregon’s most Western points!

• More info: Tillamook Head Trail on AllTrails
• Tillamook Head Trail: Click here for Google Maps

So there you have it! 5 of the best waterfall hikes in Oregon and 5 of the most exciting and rewarding hikes close to specific locations in Oregon.

We chose them all based on convenience, accessibility, and just good ol’ fun! We’d love to hear from you once you complete a few of these off your list! 🙂 Let us know which one you enjoyed the most and why!

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.

You may also like…

• The Best Mountain Biking Adventure in Oregon
• The Best Guided Waterfall Tour From Portland
• Ramona Falls Mt Hood Waterfall Hike
• Garfield Peak – The Best Day Hike in Crater Lake, Oregon
• Multnomah Falls – Iconic Waterfall near Portland

Other useful info while hiking in Oregon

• All National Parks require you to pay to enter. So, save money by buying an America The Beautiful Pass. It’s a year-long pass that allows you to enter every National Park in the country. You will save a ton of money if you plan on exploring some of these National Parks in Oregon and other ones around the country. You can get your pass on REI’s website here.
• Always check the weather and conditions before going hiking. Some of the roads and trails may be closed during the winter months, and some hikes are just not meant for bad weather. (Crater Lake for sure)
• If you have questions about hiking in Oregon or anything hiking related in the state then join this Facebook group we found. It’s full of useful information!
• Also, this guide is super useful if you need any hiking gear. Or anything you think you may need while you’re out hiking in Oregon.

Information on the Pacific Crest Trail

• The PCT starts just south of Campo, California, and finishes on the edge of Manning Park, British Columbia in Canada (it can be done backwards as well).
• 4265 kilometers (92650 miles) is the total distance. It can take anywhere from 3-6 months to complete!
• The lowest point is 140 feet (43 meters) above sea level in Cascade Locks, Oregon! There’s a good chance you’ll drive by Cascade Locks on your way to some of the hikes mentioned above.
• The highest point is 13.153 feet (4009 meters) above sea level in Forester Pass, California.
• Some of the hardest parts of the whole hike are timing and making sure you get food supplies at the right places – and having good luck with the weather conditions. It’s an absolute process to plan it all out but totally worth it if you’re a crazy outdoor person! Dom plans to try and tackle this one day!

Recap of 10 of the best waterfalls to visit in Oregon

We hope you enjoy Oregon and get a chance to see some of the stunning waterfalls around the state. The best part is they’re not all in the same area so wherever you are around the state you’ll find some stunning waterfalls.

Let us know if you get a chance to visit most of them! If you have any questions about Oregon, waterfalls, or places to visit then feel free to reach out to us on Instagram @redwhiteadventures.

You can also leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you! Enjoy chasing waterfalls!

Love it? Share it!