Did you know the Pacific Northwest has the most waterfalls in the entire country and Oregon is home to over 1,600 of them? For that reason, you can find some of the greatest waterfall hikes in the Greater Portland area. When I am close to a waterfall I feel so vulnerable. All of my senses become tuned to the gushing water, the mossy rocks, the mist of the water, and the roaring gushing sound. I am in constant awe of how our planet Earth can create such beauty. The Pacific Northwest is indeed inspirational for those seeking waterfalls and luscious green moss rocks and trees! If you are looking for waterfalls, than Oregon is for you!

One thing to note regarding the “greater Portland area” is that many hiking areas on the Washington side of the Gorge are included. Hamilton Mountain, Table Mountain, Dog Mountain, Catherine Creek and Coyote Wall are often written in blogs and some of those are also noted here as they are just outside of Hood River with a bridge and the Columbia River dividing the section.

In this blog, I’ll show you some of my favorite waterfall hikes in the greater Portland area. I will include those on the Washington gorge side as well across Hood River. 

1. Falls Creek Falls followed by Panther Creek Falls
   Drive from Portland: 1:30 minutes
   Hiking Distance: 3.4 miles | Elevation: 850 ft | Rating: Easy
   You can additionally look here for information about the longer more moderate loop hike
   This waterfall is truly a gem. Falls Creek Falls will take you to a two-tiered 355 ft waterfall which will make you feel like you are in fairy land. After this, I would then drive to Panther Creek Falls, which is less than 30 minutes away. The roadway to Panther Creek Falls usually has some mild rock fall and downed trees, but often passable. Panther Creek Falls is about 0.15 miles and at the end of your five-minute journey you will see a memorizing waterfall falling closely from a multitiered rock! Moreover, there is no good signage for this hiker-only trail but it is well maintained with a nice viewing deck for the falls. Importantly, make sure you have your coordinates and map pulled up before hand as the “parking lot” may not seem like a parking lot and you will not have service in this area. The trail will start southwest of the parking area.
   
2. Spirit Falls
   Drive from Portland: 1:15 minutes
   Hiking Distance: 0.8 miles | Elevation: 505 ft | Rating: Challenging
   Don’t be fooled by the distance! At 0.8 miles, Spirit Falls Trails is STEEP where you pretty much just scoot down on your butt and sweat life away on our way up. A real thigh burner. This hike is absolutely stellar as it takes about 45 minutes and then you end up at this amazing triple gigantic waterfall where you can sometimes even see kayakers go over the waterfall! The craziest part about it is that they have to take those kayaks down the hike, when I could hardly even manage taking myself and my dog down! I highly highly suggest this hike but would caution you to take little ones, hyper dogs, or anything that may affect your own safety going up and down this hike.
   
3. Abiqua Falls
   Drive from Portland: 1:15 minutes
   Hiking Distance: .7 miles | Elevation: 250 ft | Rating: Moderate
   Don’t be fooled by the short mileage! Abiqua Falls can actually be quite tricky for overall navigation and hiking. Some would not recommend bringing your dog or kid, but I have seen lots of people make it happen. To get to the trail you have to drive down an unmarked steep and rocky road. The trail and drive are not well marked. I would suggest downloading an offline map and knowing your coordinates and general directions beforehand. This trail is not for the frail! There are plenty of steep declines and inclines, cliff scrambling and ropes, but it can be so much fun!
   
4. Ramona Falls
   Drive from Portland: 1:15 minutes
   Hiking Distance: 7 miles | Elevation: 1100 ft | Rating: Moderate
   Ramona Falls is what I always pictured Oregon looking like as a child. I remember seeing Ramona Falls and that being the dream hike I wanted to grow up and do because I thought it was this beautiful gushing waterfall, which it is! This is truly a photogenic 120 foot waterfall carefully caressing the various rock layers and beautiful spot that I highly recommend! Along the way to Ramona Falls there are also lots of spots to camp if you wanted to make a weekend out of it. I would recommend having the trail up on the AllTrails app as there is one section past the beginning where you need to make a slight left to use a log and cross over the river. After that, the trail is easily maintained and graded. The log crossing can be a little challenging depending on the season you go so I would suggest reading some reviews before head. I highly suggest the loop as opposed to the out and back because it doesn’t really add that much extra time and you are getting a different view after reaching the falls!
   
5. Tamanawas Falls
   Drive from Portland: 1:30 minutes
   Hiking Distance: 3.5 miles | Elevation: 580 ft | Rating: Easy
   When people hear of waterfall hikes within the Portland area, typically they hear of Multnomah Falls and Tamanawas Falls. This is a popular year round hike and absolutely beautiful for snowshoeing. Towards the end of the hike you will experience a few big rocks you need to climb over in order to view the 110 ft beautiful waterfall. Be extra cautious as these rocks can be slippery. Finally, after this hike I would totally suggest checking out Solera brewing as well as Grateful Vineyards!
   
6. Eagle Creek Trail to Punchbowl Falls (or beyond to Tunnel Falls)
   Drive from Portland: 45 minutes
   Hiking Distance: Up to you! Can be as short as 4 miles roundtrip, or as long as 24 miles roundtrip!
   First, important to know the mileage is up to you! For this hike, I would say at least make it to punchbowl falls which is 2.2 miles in. If you can push a little further, then make it 4 miles to High Bridge Lookout 3.5 miles in. If you want to push a little further, then make it 6 miles to Tunnel Falls! This is a special hike as it was closed for many years due to the fire. It is an out and back with potential to camp 5 miles in. You will walk along a cliff, looking into a deep canyon. You will hear the gush of multiple waterfalls.
   
7. Dry Creek Falls
   Drive from Portland: 60 minutes
   Hiking Distance: 4 miles | Elevation: 900 ft | Rating: Easy
   Dry Creek Falls is a fabulous hike as it is short, relatively easy, dog friendly and well-maintained. It will likely be less crowded than the its neighboring Multnomah Falls. Expect mud on the trail and the parking to be a bit difficult in the small parking lot. Just wait it out you will find a spot or you can park a bit further! At the end, you will find a moss covered rock with a shorter size waterfall gushing over. Here is your picturesque photo-op!
   
8. Multnomah Falls (or really any falls in this area!)
   Drive from Portland: 35 minutes
   Hiking Distance: 2.4 miles | Elevation: 870 ft | Rating: Easy-Moderate
   Standing at 611 ft, Multnomah Falls is the most iconic and tallest waterfall in Oregon, and for that reason gets a lot of traffic! Almost two million visitors each year come to see these falls making it one of the most visited natural areas in the entire Pacific Northwest. The nice thing about these falls if you don’t actually have to hike them, you can park and see the beautiful view from the bottom. If you do choose to hike, it’s a moderate hike which people don’t expect! This hike will leave you a bit winded so go slow!
   
   As of recent, you now need to reserve a permit ahead of time to see the falls from May 24-September 5. As this is a high tourist area I would recommend going off peak, mid week, and before 8 AM as the parking lot can be hectic as well as the one way road to get there. Better yet, park much further such as the Vista House and bike down the narrow scenic road! After your bike or hike enjoy yourself a super tasty ice cream and grilled cheese sandwich at Sugar Pine Drive In or enjoy a beer with a view at Thunder Island Brewing Co!
   
   Lastly, if making your trip to Multnomah Falls, I would also make sure you add on the Vista House and all falls (you will see pull outs) from the Vista House to the Falls.
   
9. Silver Falls State Park
   Drive from Portland: 1:15 minutes
   Hiking Distance: 7.4 miles | Elevation: 1150 ft | Rating: Easy-Moderate
   In multiple blogs and websites, Silver Falls State Park is said to be the best hike of Oregon. With a crazy amount of waterfalls you can explore and literally walk behind and feel the sensation of the gushing water. Most of this trail is unfortunately not dog friendly so leave your pooch at home if you’re planning on hiking The Trail of Ten Falls! If you are just going to explore the South Falls then you are safe to bring your dog as this is short cement trail. This trail is relatively maintained, fairly muddy, family friendly and well marked. I would also totally recommend this hike in the rain as there is not a view of the mountains so you won’t need to worry about the views being fogged over and you will get an even crazier sensation of the gushing water!
   
10. Chush Falls
    Drive from Portland: 3:15 minutes | Closer to Bend
    Hiking Distance: 5.75 miles | Elevation: 830 ft | Rating: Moderate
    Are you in the Bend/Three Sisters Wilderness Area wanting to check out a cool waterfall hike? I you have a car with high clearance, then Chush Falls is for you! Walk a few miles through a burnt forest (due to the Pole Creek Fire) while absorbing drastic views of Three Sisters Wilderness and Broken Top. Importantly, it is recommended to have GPS ahead of time to ensure you are going the right directions. The last mile of the hike consists of downed trees and a confusing path.
    Once you reach the top, you will come to a clearing with signage for Chush Falls Lookout. The viewpoint is limited, but here you will see a boot path worn down by hikers leading to the base of the falls. As with any hike, proceed with caution as the closer you get to water, you will expect more slippery and tricky areas. Once at the base, you find yourself with a drastic view of the almost 70 foot falls.
    
11. Walupt Creek Falls
    Drive from Portland: 3:45 minutes
    Hiking Distance: 2 miles | Elevation: 415 ft | Rating: Challenging
    Are you checking out the Packwood area and wanting a nice waterfall to end your day? Check out Walupt Creek Falls!
    
12. Sahalie & Umbrella Falls
    Drive from Portland: 1:15 minutes
    Hiking Distance: 3.4 miles | Elevation: 666 ft | Rating: Moderate
    Want to check out a beautiful not crowded waterfall hike? Sahalie & Umbrella Falls is for you!
    
13. Tumalo Falls Loop
    Drive from Portland: 3.5 hours | Closer to Bend
    Hiking Distance: 7 miles | Elevation: 1460 ft | Rating: Moderate
    Tumalo Falls is definitely worth visiting in Bend! First, you will need the Northwest Forest Pass or cash for day parking. Once parked, you can access Tumalo Falls just a few minutes from the trailhead. Here, you can picnic, hike, or mountain bike once at the trailhead. If mountain biking, the North Fork Trail is uphill only for mountain bikes. If you do not want to hike the entire loop, you can go .25-1.25 miles to access the falls out-and-back.
    
14. Sahalie & Koosah Falls
    Drive from Portland: 2.5 hours | Closer to Bend
    Hiking Distance: 2.9 miles | Elevation: 360 ft | Rating: Moderate
    Minimal effort to see TWO stunning waterfalls? Count me in! Sahalie & Koosah Falls is a great stopping point on your way to Bend. These beautiful falls are located along the McKenzie River. The falls were created as a result of lava that poured down the McKenzie River Valley >3000 years ago. Sahalie Falls stands at 100 feet, meanwhile, Koosah falls stands at 70 ft. To start, park in the Sahalie Falls parking area, walk to the viewpoint, and turn left following the ‘Waterfall Trail.’ Follow the trail down to Koosah falls, and then turn right at every junction to continue the loop. If you have made reservations in advance or get lucky, you can camp on trail at Ice Cap Camp or a little further at Cold Water Springs Campground.
    
15. Latourell Falls
    Drive from Portland: 30 mins
    Hiking Distance: 2 miles | Elevation: 639 ft | Rating: Moderate
    Latourell Falls Loop Trail | Map, Guide – Oregon | AllTrails is a classic for it’s short distance to the falls and accessibility in the gorge area. Once at the bottom of the falls, you will be standing underneath a 224 ft waterfall over basalt columns and mossy rocks. I would not necessarily say this is an “easy” hike as it can be quite slippery and muddy on the descent and towards the upper falls, however it is worth the short walk down. Additionally, you have a view of the falls from the parking lot if you are unable to walk down. These falls also has a picnic area in the parking lot where you can hear the roaring falls.
    
16. Salt Creek Falls
    Drive from Portland: 3 hours | Closer to Bend
    Hiking Distance: 50 yards (viewing platform) – 4 miles (loop) | Elevation: Varies | Rating: Easy
    Salt Creek Falls is a great quick stop destination as someone drives from Portland to Bend. The trail consists of an observation platform to make it wheelchair accessible and makes for a quick stretch break. Additionally, this is an accessible year round trail as you are able to snowshoe and cross country ski in the winter months, and hike during the other season.
    
17. Drift Creek Falls
    Drive from Portland: 2 hours
    Hiking Distance: 3 miles | Elevation: 525 ft | Rating: Easy
    Drift Creek Falls is definitely not one to miss as you make your drive from Portland to Lincoln City. This hike is family and dog friendly. If you feel like you don’t want to drive all the way out for just one hike, you can pair this with God’s Thumb and kill two bird with one stone since you are out in that direction! The trail starts by going down a gradual forest slope and ends with crossing a suspension bridge. All around you, you will see Western Hemlocks and Douglas Fir while hiking in the shaded forest. Finally, after crossing the suspension bridge 1.5 miles in, you will have stunning and magical view of the falls!
    
18. White River Falls
    Drive from Portland: 2 hours
    Hiking Distance: 0.8 miles | Elevation: 170 ft | Rating: Moderate
    Ever wanted to see a massive waterfall with easy access? White River Falls is a MUST do on a hot summer day. This is a state park you can picnic at the top and walk down to the giant waterfall at the end! The park has a grill and a wide open grass area with a viewing point at the top. At the end of the short hike you can soak your feet and body in the water!
    
19. Proxy Falls Loop
    Drive from Portland: 3 hours | Closer to Bend
    Hiking Distance: 1.6 miles | Elevation: 147 ft | Rating: Easy – Moderate
    This is definitely one of Oregon’s most epic waterfalls! This spectacular hike will take you about 45 minutes and is located off OR 242 Mackenzie Highway. While walking through the moss-covered forest, you will get to a junction. It does not matter which route you go as one route will lead to Upper Proxy Falls and the other to Lower Proxy Falls. Both which are worth visiting. At each view point you will see a magical waterfall running over multiple layered mossy basalt slabs. The closer you get to the water on the lower path, the more slippery it will get. To get closer to the falls, there is no true trail and you will need to scramble. Make sure to wear good traction shoes and water + rocks = slippery slopes!

There are many other waterfall hikes, but this is enough to get you started! Do you have any waterfall hikes that should be mentioned?

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