COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE NATIONAL SCENIC AREA, OR :: On my way back home from Painted Hills, I made a stop again at the waterfalls between exits 31 and 35 on Interstate 84. I have to say, this place is very special. Everything about this area is beautiful. The wide Columbia River Gorge is flanked by a seemless carpet of greenery and enclosed by towering basalt cliffs. I enjoyed cruising the Historic Highway’s smooth, curvy blacktop, bordered by stone walls and dappled with sunlight filtering through large, leafy, overhanging branches. I imagine it would be quite a spectacle during the Fall.
Along this road are several turnouts and parking lots for about a dozen waterfalls and trailheads. I pulled over at Horsetail Falls, grabbed my tripod, and hiked a very pretty 2.7 mile loop. The well-maintained trail very quickly climbs 600′ before reaching Upper Horsetail Falls (Ponytail Falls). The trail wraps behind this one, which is always fun, and continues upwards a little bit and onward to Oneonta Gorge, crossing it via a footbridge that offers a great view of Upper Oneonta Falls. Beyond the bridge is a fork which I wish I had known more about. Taking the path South leads you to Triple Falls in about a mile. I went North to reconnect with the main trail that offers views of the river gorge along the cliff’s rim before descending back to the road.
After returning to my car, I drove a short ways to Wahkeena Falls, where a quick, mile-long trail takes you to a viewpoint and back. Then of course, I did the short walk to the viewpoint for Multnomah Falls, which can’t be missed, and grabbed an ice cream cone before heading back home.
Along this road are several turnouts and parking lots for about a dozen waterfalls and trailheads. I pulled over at Horsetail Falls, grabbed my tripod, and hiked a very pretty 2.7 mile loop. The well-maintained trail very quickly climbs 600′ before reaching Upper Horsetail Falls (Ponytail Falls). The trail wraps behind this one, which is always fun, and continues upwards a little bit and onward to Oneonta Gorge, crossing it via a footbridge that offers a great view of Upper Oneonta Falls. Beyond the bridge is a fork which I wish I had known more about. Taking the path South leads you to Triple Falls in about a mile. I went North to reconnect with the main trail that offers views of the river gorge along the cliff’s rim before descending back to the road.
After returning to my car, I drove a short ways to Wahkeena Falls, where a quick, mile-long trail takes you to a viewpoint and back. Then of course, I did the short walk to the viewpoint for Multnomah Falls, which can’t be missed, and grabbed an ice cream cone before heading back home.
Nice shots of those waterfalls. Thanks for sharing some of your tips. I’m curious how do you go about capturing your waterfall pictures?