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Multnomah Falls Oregon Hiking Trail | Waterfall Hike

Oregon Waterfall Trail Loop Hike Overview: What could be better than 1 waterfall? Well, how about 5! …Yes, 5 waterfalls! Let’s #GoHikeIt discover the best of Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge!

For this Go Hike It adventure, we start at Multnomah Falls, which is an incredible 620+ foot waterfall located in the heart of the Columbia River Gorge in Multnomah County, Oregon. The year-round waterfall is divided into two sections, a 525 foot upper waterfall and 69 foot lower waterfall.  The upper and lower water fall is divided by the famous 45-foot Benson Footbridge, which allows hikers to cross over the falls and continue on a trail loop. The bridge was built in 1914 and names after Simon Benson who helped finance the construction of the bridge. A decade later, the Multnomah Falls Lodge opened in 1925 to serve tourists as a hotel and most recently has been converted into a restaurant and gift shop.

After Multnomah Falls, the switchback trail continues on a 5.5-6 mile loop up Larch Mountain that passes by 4 additional waterfalls including, Wiesendanger Falls, Ecola Falls, Fairy Falls & Wahkeena Falls. All of these waterfalls are majestic and have their own unique qualities as they are surrounded by the luscious forest and fueled by Oregon’s rainfall and the year-round flowing river.

The entire 6-mile Larch Mountain loop can be strenuous.  It’s recommended to take plenty of water and trail snacks. If you are not feeling up for the entire loop and just want to hike 1.2 mile trail to Multnomah Falls, you will not be disappointed. Both experiences are incredible and provide plenty of opportunity to explore Oregon’s beautiful nature!

Estimated Time: 1 hour – 5 hours (depending if you hike the 6 mile Larch Mountain loop)

Total Distance: 1 mile – 6 miles

620 Foot Waterfall & Tallest Waterfall in Oregon

Located Along the Historic Columbia River Highway

R

The waterfall flows at a rate of 150 cu ft/s

Second Tallest Year-Round Waterfall in United States

Trail Pictures

Map & Directions

Total Distance (miles)

Total Estimated Time (hours)

Multnomah Falls Trail Loop Photo Gallery

Oregoan Hiking Trail Image Gallery (click on image to rotate through image/s) 

When to Go

Spring/Summer: Multnomah Falls and the surrounding waterfalls flow year-round. However, sections of the trail may be closed during the cold winter months. It’s recommended to explore the Larch Mountain and surrounding area in the Spring, Summer or late Fall months and remember the early hiker gets the best pictures! It’s a popular destination, so arriving early will help you get a good parking spot and enjoy uninterrupted views!

Dog Friendly

Yes, dogs are permitted. However, they must be kept on leashes.




Trail Map & Directions

Address for GPS: 53000 Historic Columbia River Hwy, Corbett, OR 97019

Intensity Levels

Barry-the-Bear: Breathtaking! I felt like Hawaii collided with a forest and created a beautiful symphony of nature!

  • Intensity Level 80% 80%

Larry-the-Lion: Rest your legs beforehand, if you plan on doing the entire loop! The Larch Mountain loop is strenuous, but worth seeing the 5 different waterfalls!

  • Intensity Level 60% 60%

Chris-the-Cheetah: Awesome! This has been my favorite hike in my cheetah-erific life! I loved exploring the forest, taking pictures of the waterfalls and being surrounded by the r-o-a-r of the Columbia River Gorge.

  • Intensity Level 45% 45%

Trail Pictures

Map & Directions

Why We Liked It

EPIC! We love that word here at Go Hike It, but the Multnomah Falls & Larch Mountain trail loop are truly EPIC! From the start, the waterfalls views are incredible and scenery continues throughout the entire hiking adventure. We felt as if we were in the middle of a Jurassic Park movie set as the luscious Oregon forest provided a protective canopy and created a unique breathtaking atmosphere.

The ranger station at at the Multnomah Falls Lodge offers a trail map, which is a helpful resource for the upper section of the trail loop. Additionally, there is water and a few trail snacks available for purchase at the lodge.

We recommend taking the time and doing the entire loop to see all 5 waterfalls! You will love it!




Enjoy it?

Have you hiked in Oregon? Share your adventure below or #GoHikeIt on a social media post.

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