Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls is a waterfall on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge, located east of Troutdale along the Historic Columbia River Highway. The falls drops in two major steps, split into an upper falls of 542 feet and a lower falls of 69 feet with a gradual 9 foot drop in elevation between the two, so the total height of the waterfall is conventionally given as 620 feet (189 m). Multnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in the State of Oregon and only three falls in the nation are higher.


A foot trail leads to Benson Footbridge, a 45-foot-long footbridge that allows visitors to cross 105 feet above the lower cascade. The trail continues with views of the Columbia River to a platform at the top of the upper falls, the Larch Mountain Lookout. The footbridge is named after Simon Benson, who had the bridge built in 1914.

Multnomah Falls Upper Viewpoint
To get the full spectrum, you can hike to the top of the falls. It’s 1.2 miles and gains about 600 feet in elevation. where visitors get a bird's-eye view of the Columbia Gorge and also of "Little Multnomah", a small cascade slightly upstream from the "upper" falls, which is not visible from ground level.


Origin legend
There is a Native American legend that explains the origins of the falls. In this legend, a tribe was infected with a deadly disease and was in danger of dying. The daughter of the chief went to the top of a cliff and prayed to the Great Spirit to find how she could stop the epidemic. She was told that to stop the epidemic, she would have to throw herself off the cliff and sacrifice herself. She did this and died. The next day, the chief found his daughter's body at the bottom of the cliff. He wept bitterly and cried out to the Great Spirit to give him a sign if this sacrifice was not in vain. At that moment, water began to fall from the top of the cliff, forming Multnomah Falls. The legend also says that under the right conditions, you can see the daughter's face in the waterfall.

Multnomah Falls Lodge
The Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company gave Portland land at the base of Multnomah Falls contingent upon their agreement to build a lodge at the site. A few years later architect A.E. Doyle, who designed the Meier & Frank Building, was commissioned by the city to design the lodge, which was completed in 1925. The lodge is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in 1925, the lodge provides fine northwest cuisine with a panoramic view. It sits right at the base of the falls.