Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls lies on Multnomah Creek in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, east of Troutdale and about 48 kilometres east of Portland, Oregon. It is reached from the Historic Columbia River Highway and Interstate 84 and is managed by the US Forest Service.

The falls drop about 189 metres in two tiers over basalt cliffs, making it the tallest waterfall in Oregon. Springs and snowmelt feed the creek, so the falls flow all year.

The Benson Bridge, a concrete footbridge built in 1914, crosses the creek between the upper and lower falls and gives a close view of both. A paved trail climbs to the bridge in a few minutes, and a longer trail with switchbacks continues to a viewing platform at the top. Multnomah Falls Lodge, built in 1925, houses a restaurant, gift shop and visitor information.

There is no entry fee, but a timed use permit has been required for the I-84 parking lot in the busy season. Wildfires in 2017 damaged trails in the area, so check for closures before hiking beyond the bridge.

The falls draw more than two million visitors a year, which makes them the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest. A sign at the site and the US Forest Service describe Multnomah as the second tallest year-round waterfall in the United States. Underground springs on Larch Mountain feed the creek, topped up by snowmelt and rain.

The trail system grew from a local campaign. Portland businessmen raised money for a trail from the base to the top of Larch Mountain, the financier Simon Benson and his son Amos paid toward it, and the Forest Service put up $1,500 and built the trail and a lookout. Benson's name stayed on the footbridge.

The rock face is unstable. On Labor Day in 1995 a boulder of about 400 tons broke away and fell 69 metres into the upper pool above the Benson Bridge, and a falling rock damaged the bridge walkway and railing in January 2014, closing it for repairs. In September 2017 the Eagle Creek Fire forced the lodge and trails to close, and in 1991 an earlier fire burned 650 hectares nearby.

In 1915 Benson gave the city of Portland more than 1,400 acres, including most of the falls and nearby Wahkeena Falls. Early morning on a weekday is the best chance of finding parking without a long wait.