Columbia River Gorge
An eighty-kilometre canyon cut by ice age floods, holding the densest concentration of waterfalls in the country.
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The gorge is the only near-sea-level route through the Cascade Range, cut deeper by the Missoula Floods - a series of catastrophic ice age outburst floods that scoured it repeatedly, leaving hanging valleys whose streams now fall directly off the walls. That is why there are so many waterfalls in so short a distance, Multnomah Falls at about 189 metres the tallest. The Historic Columbia River Highway, opened 1916, was built deliberately as a scenic road with stone parapets and easy grades. The gorge also funnels wind reliably, which made Hood River a windsurfing centre. The Eagle Creek Fire in 2017 burned about 190 square kilometres and closed trails for years; some remain shut.
What you actually see
- Waterfalls off hanging valleys - the flood-scoured walls left them.
- Multnomah Falls - about 189 metres, the tallest.
- The 1916 scenic highway - stone parapets and gentle grades.
- Reliable funnelled wind - the basis of Hood River windsurfing.
When to go
April to October; waterfalls are fullest in spring. A full day.
Honest expectations
Multnomah Falls requires a timed permit in the busy season. Fire damage from 2017 has closed trails, some permanently. Winter ice storms close the highway. East winds in winter are severe.
Nearby
Hood River is east; Portland is west.
What to pack for Columbia River Gorge
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
