Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may receive a small commission (for which I am very grateful for) at no extra cost to you.

The Pacific Northwest is famous for its waterfalls and Portland is a great home base if you are planning to explore some of these. There are so many different options to choose from so to help narrow it down, here are the best waterfall hikes near Portland, Oregon.

Note: If you have time to explore a little farther around the state, check out this list of the best waterfalls in Oregon.

What to wear when hiking in the Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest has so many waterfalls because it can be pretty wet – so not surprisingly you may need different gear than when you hike in other areas of the country. In addition to the ten essentials, make sure to pack a rain jacket, wear waterproof shoes, gloves, and bring extra layers – I prefer wool baselayers from WoolX Wool.

Best Waterfall Hikes near Portland

Favorite and best are very relative terms, so these are not ranked in any particular order. They are also not all in Oregon since Portland is so close to the Washington border. If you are looking for things to do around Portland that aren’t hiking, check out this post about how to spend a day in Portland. Although this should go without saying, remember to practice leave no trace anytime you are visiting these beautiful waterfalls or just exploring nature in general.

Multnomah Falls

Number of Miles: 2.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 810 ft
Difficulty (1 is easiest – 5 is hardest): 2
Permit Required: No
Fees (if applicable): No (reservation system in summer/fall of 2021, unsure for 2022)
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Best Time of Year to Hike: Year-round

Going to get this one out of the way because it is iconic but not because it is necessarily the best waterfall hike near Portland. In fact, this is the most visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest. The bridge makes the waterfall incredibly picturesque. This is a great one to add in for a quick pitstop just to visit the base (for the classic photo op you see all over the internet) if you are already in the area seeing other beautiful waterfalls such as Wahclella (below), Wahkeena, Bridal Veil, and Latourell Falls. This falls, and the others in the Columbia River Gorge area, will now require a permit for your vehicle from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Wahclella Falls

Number of Miles: 1.9 miles
Elevation Gain: 223 ft
Difficulty (1 is easiest – 5 is hardest): 2
Permit Required: No
Fees (if applicable): $5, Covered under the Northwest Forest Pass/America The Beautiful Annual Pass
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Best Time of Year to Hike: Year-round

This is another amazing Columbia River Gorge waterfall hike you should check out. It is an impressive waterfall with an excellent view to effort ratio. There are some areas on the trail with steep drop-offs to one side so extra caution would be necessary if hiking with children.

Ramona Falls

Number of Miles: 7.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,066 ft
Difficulty (1 is easiest – 5 is hardest): 3-4 (4 in the spring and fall)
Permit Required: Yes, trail register
Fees (if applicable): $5, covered under the Northwest Forest Pass/America The Beautiful Annual Pass
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Best Time of Year to Hike: Spring – Fall (road closes in the winter and this adds an additional 2.5 miles each way)

Ramona Falls is the first waterfall hike I completed when I moved to Portland and I was lucky enough to have it all to myself. The road to get there has a few potholes but we made it in our van. In the winter the road closes and adds on extra miles. Additionally the river crossing can be very intense. It’s best to do early in the day as more water melts as the day goes on making the river flow faster.

Side Note: If you’re visiting Oregon in summer on a road trip or vanlife trip, the Mt Hood area is higher elevation and cooler in the summer so it’s a perfect area to explore and avoid sweating to death in your parked vehicle (speaking from experience). Here’s our vanlife packing list if that’s you.

Abiqua Falls

Number of Miles: 0.7 miles
Elevation Gain: 249 ft
Difficulty (1 is easiest – 5 is hardest): 3 (not great for kids)
Permit Required: No
Fees (if applicable): None
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Best Time of Year to Hike: Year-round

I know I mentioned not ranking this list but Abiqua Falls is definitely one of the best waterfall hikes near Portland, if not the best. Getting to the waterfall requires quite a bit of effort though. First the road is intense and requires 4WD. Then the hike itself has ropes and can be pretty tricky. That being said, you are rewarded with a stunning waterfall for your efforts. This trail is on private property so be sure to pick up after yourself to make sure people can continue to enjoy this trail for years to come. There is no cell service and no signage so download your trail map prior to embarking on this trail.

Trail of Ten Falls

Number of Miles: 9 miles
Elevation Gain: 1404 ft
Difficulty (1 is easiest – 5 is hardest): 3
Permit Required: No
Fees (if applicable): $5, covered under the Oregon State Parks Pass
Dogs Allowed: No
Best Time of Year to Hike: Year-round (but the trail is shortened in the winter)

Not many trails offer the opportunity to see 10 different waterfalls and this trail does not disappoint. I have done this trail twice personally and the fall was better than the summer with the leaves changing colors and the falls flowing more strongly than they were in the summer. The trail even includes waterfalls that you can walk behind! Get started early as this trail is no secret.

Falls Creek Falls

Number of Miles: 3.2 miles
Elevation Gain: 695 ft
Difficulty (1 is easiest – 5 is hardest): 2
Permit Required: No
Fees (if applicable): $5, covered under the Northwest Forest Pass/America The Beautiful Annual Pass
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Best Time of Year to Hike: Spring-Fall (road is closed December-April making it 8.6 miles)

Our resident Washington waterfall hike that is totally worth the border crossing to get there. While you’re in the area, consdier stopping at Panther Creek Falls. This waterfall is really impressive and bigger than it looks from the photos.

Dry Creek Falls

Number of Miles: 4.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 886 ft
Difficulty (1 is easiest – 5 is hardest): 2
Permit Required: No
Fees (if applicable): $5, covered under the Northwest Forest Pass/America The Beautiful Annual Pass
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Best Time of Year to Hike: Year-round

This hike reminded me a lot of Abiqua Falls but without the ropes and without the sketchy road to get there. In fact, you park right in the heart of Cascade Locks just before crossing the Bridge of the Gods to access the trail. When I did this hike, I visited mid-week and never saw another person – it was quite glorious.

Tamanawas Falls

Number of Miles: 3.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 580 ft
Difficulty (1 is easiest – 5 is hardest): 2
Permit Required: No
Fees (if applicable): $5, covered under the Northwest Forest Pass/America The Beautiful Annual Pass
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Best Time of Year to Hike: Year-round

After I completed this trail in the summer – I heard from several people that it is even better in the wintertime. Therefore, hiking it in the winter is on my bucket list. This is another waterfall that you can walk behind but it can be a bit sketchy to get back there.

Best Waterfall Hikes near Portland

Hopefully this list of the best waterfalls near Portland can help you narrow down some pretty incredible choices when you are planning your trip to chase waterfalls in the Pacific Northwest. Which one of these best waterfall hikes near Portland is your favorite? Or is it one not on the list? Let me know in the comments.

You May Also Enjoy These Posts:

• Hiking in the Winter
• Hiking the Enchantments in Washington State
• Best Waterfalls in Oregon
• 10 Places to Visit in Oregon
• Best Wildflower Hikes in the Columbia River Gorge
• Best Columbia River Gorge Hikes
• Best Hikes near Portland Oregon

Let’s Stay in Touch…

name:
email:

Sharing is caring!