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The upper section of Multnomah Falls. As seen from the bridge.

At 611-feet (between the upper and lower portions), Multnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in Oregon and the crown jewel of the state.

It’s been on our bucket list for quite some time and recently, we were fortunate enough to finally see it for ourselves. Let me tell ya, it was every bit as epic as we were expecting.

We discovered, however, that depending what time of year you go, it isn’t as simple as just, ‘showing up’. You will have a few things to iron out before going.

So what do you need to know before going? Will you need a permit? Is there an admission fee? How do you get there? We cover all of that and more below. (Updated January 22nd, 2024.)

*A big fire ripped through this area a few years ago and severely damaged many trails. Some have been repaired and reopened, but others remain closed. For up-to-date information on trail closures and what’s open, refer to the website, “Ready Set Gorge”.

*Multnomah Falls, including its trails, are open to the public.

Directions To Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls sign at the park entrance.

Multnomah Falls is easy to get to and is conveniently located right off of the Columbia Gorge Historic Scenic Byway.

The nearest town to it is Troutdale, Oregon, but it isn’t far from major cities like Portland and Vancouver. In fact, it’s only a 30-minute(ish) drive from either.

Distance to Multnomah Falls

From downtown Portland: 32 miles or a 35 minute drive
From Portland Airport: 26 miles or a 30 minute drive
From downtown Vancouver: 34 miles or a 40 minute drive
From Salem, Oregon: 75 miles or a 1 hour and 20 minute drive
From Eugene, Oregon: 140 miles or a 2 hour and 15 minute drive

It’s one of the most visited natural sites in the Pacific Northwest, so road signage is plentiful. Plugging in, ‘Multnomah Falls”, into your GPS of choice will get you there easily.

What we suggest you do, especially if you’re coming from Portland, is to start at Vista House and then work your way from waterfall to waterfall along the Historic Columbia River Highway.

Multnomah Falls Parking

Small parking lot across the street from Multnomah Falls.

There are two parking lots at Multnomah Falls. The closest is the small one directly across the street from the lodge along the historic highway. By our estimate, it can hold around fifty vehicles.

If you’re able to snag a spot here (like we did), it’ll grant you the fastest and most convenient access to the falls. Just cross the street and you’re there. In addition, you won’t need a parking permit.

It’s a small lot, though. We were here in March, arrived early, and got the second to last available spot. In the summer months, it can and does fill quickly.

The larger lot is right off of I-84 via exit 31. A walking path leads you from the lot, under the highway and to the crosswalk. There’s no fee during the off-season. However, between May and September, you’ll need a timed use permit (more on that below).

Multnomah Falls Timed-Use Permits

During the summer months, you will need a timed reservation in order to park at the I-84 lot (exit 31). In 2023, the official timeframe is May 26th - September 4th.

*Note: There hasn’t been an announcement as of yet pertaining to timed reservations for 2024. However, the 2023 test proved to be successful, so I predict the same process for this year. I will update this post when details are released.

Timed reservations are made through Recreation.gov and there are two options to consider:

Option One: Timed reservations become available 14-days from your desired date, starting at 7am PST, on a rolling daily period. For example, if your desired date is August 15th, reservations become available August 1st. at 7am PST.
Option Two: A certain (unspecified) amount of timed reservation permits will be available for same-day, in person pick up at the Gateway to the Gorge Visitor Center in Troutdale and at the Cascade Locks Historical Museum.

The fee for a reservation is $2.00, per permit. You’ll only need one permit, per vehicle. This is NOT a per person charge. If you arrive early enough and find parking at the small lot along the historic highway, a timed use permit is NOT required.

In 2022, Oregon officials decided to restrict access to the historic highway (waterfall corridor) between Bridal Veil Falls and just past Multnomah Falls via a timed use permit during the summer months.

For 2023 (and presumably beyond), they’ve decided to contain the permit requirement to just the I-84 parking lot for Multnomah Falls. You will NOT need an additional permit to access the waterfall corridor.

Some other things you’ll need to know:

You must arrive at the time stated on your reservation. You’ll be given a one-hour grace period. After that, your reservation becomes invalid.
You can show either a printed copy or the digital version (preferred).
Drop-offs in front of the Lodge will not be allowed.
Once you’re there, you can stay for as long as you like.
Timed reservations are NOT required if you arrive via shuttle, bicycle, or tour.

Shuttle Service To Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls as seen from Benson Bridge.

Taking a shuttle to Multnomah Falls is an excellent alternative to driving and dealing with the traffic congestion.

There are numerous operators, each with their own fees, operation schedules, and pick-up locations. All, however, offer hop-on/hop-off privileges at all the main sites.

These include:

Multnomah Falls
Crown Point (Vista House)
Latourell Falls
Bridal Veil Falls
Wahkeena Falls
Horsetail Falls
And more!

Fares vary, but between the three that we’ve found, it seems to be a range of $15 - $21, per adult. Some include one child in the price.

Here are the shuttle operators. Tap or click the name to go to their website:

The cost of shuttles are way more than the reservation fee for sure, but the advantages of not having to worry about getting one at all or dealing with parking may be worth it to you.

Lower Viewing Deck

The main viewing deck is in front of the lower section of the falls. It’s the easy to get to as it’s just to the left of Multnomah Falls Lodge.

There’s a ramp to the right of the stairwell enabling access for wheelchairs and strollers. You can enter the ramp near the lodge’s snack bar.

It’s where most people view and photograph the falls from and is open year round. Even on a busy day, there’s plenty of elbow room.

Benson Bridge

The footbridge is a unique feature of Multnomah Falls. It is named after a man named Simon Benson, who is the person responsible for the bridge’s conception.

It was built in 1914 and is made of reinforced concrete. It spans across Multnomah Creek, between the waterfall’s two cascades, 105-feet above the base of the lower fall.

It provides unparalleled views of the upper section and connects visitors to the trail leading to the top of Multnomah.

To access the bridge, you’ll see an iron gate to the side at the lower viewing deck. Go through the gate and continue up the Larch Mountain trail.

*During winter, the bridge is known to freeze over. If this occurs, that gate will be closed and visitors are not allowed past that point.

From the lower viewing deck, it’s a 2/10’s of a mile, steadily uphill walk to the bridge. It is paved and the falls are within view nearly the entire route.

Hiking Trails To The Top & Beyond

Hiking trail to the top of Multnomah Falls.

If you’re feeling up to it, you can continue for another 8/10’s of a mile (one-mile from the bottom) to the top of Multnomah Falls.

You’ll be going up switchbacks the entire way and there’s a small viewing deck at the end overlooking the top of the falls.

We decided against this as the bridge was fairly iced over and we were told by others coming back down that the trail itself was worse.

If it’s warmer while you’re here, we definitely recommend going up there. We’ll be doing it on our next visit for sure.

There are two other destinations you can reach from this trail. They are:

Wahkeena Falls: Via the Wahkeena Trail portion, you’ll continue past the upper deck of Multnomah Falls and will eventually reach Wahkeena Falls, passing multiple other waterfalls along the way. Total milage from the bottom is 1.8-miles.
Larch Mountain: For those looking for a challenge, hike up to Larch Mountain. Based on the pictures we’ve seen, the views are spectacular. Total milage from the bottom is 6.8-miles.

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Multnomah Falls Lodge

Multnomah Falls Lodge is an authorized concessioner providing many amenities to visitors. It features a gift shop, restroom, restaurant, and espresso bar.

If you want to dine here, specifically in the summer months, reservations are highly ecouraged. If you want to check out their menu, go here.

If you’re like us and visit during the off-season, you shouldn’t have a problem getting a table. We walked in and we’re seated right away.

The service was great, we were seated at a table with a great view of Multnomah, the beer was cold, and the food was good.

Nearby Lodging

Despite the name suggesting so, Multnomah Falls Lodge doesn’t have a hotel attached to it.

If you’ll be spending the majority of your vacation in the Columbia River Gorge, here are a few hotels located nearby:

Columbia Gorge Hotel: In Hood River, Oregon, 25-miles east

Best Western Columbia Inn: In Cascade Locks, Oregon, 11-miles east

Edgefield Manor: In Troutdale, Oregon, 18-miles west

So where should you stay? That’s dependent on your preferences, plans, and budget. If you’re coming strictly for the gorge, we would recommend staying in Troutdale or Cascade Locks.

If you plan to visit Portland as well, basing yourself in the downtown area and driving/shuttling into the gorge may make more economic sense.

Weather and Best Time To Go

We visited Multnomah Falls in March of 2022. The weather, while a bit chilly in the morning, was great and we experienced very little in the way of crowds.

If your goal is to see Multnomah at its peak flow and the least amount of visitors possible, we recommend visiting in either winter or mid-spring.

Just keep in mind that due to the mist from the upper fall, Benson Bridge often freezes over and thus, the bridge and trail closes to the public for safety.

In winter, the lower viewing deck could also be frozen over due to snowy conditions.

During our visit, the bridge was partially frozen, but open. We witnessed more than a few people nearly eat concrete (including us) because of it.

If you want to ensure that you can access the bridge, then summer or fall would be the times to go. However, these months come with their own downsides:

Crowds get thick.
Parking can be difficult to come by.
You’ll need a timed reservation to go.
The flow dies off a little bit (winter/spring is the peak).
It’s hot (summer)

If you can stomach the above challenges, then visiting during summer or fall would be the way to go if Benson Bridge is important to you.

For our next visit, we plan to go during the fall. We’ve seen photographs of the fall foliage in the gorge and it is simply stunning.

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Additional Information & Reminders

There are no EV charging stations. The nearest ones are in Troutdale, Oregon, west of Multnomah Falls.
Drone use is prohibited. It’s painful, but true. As of January, 2022, the use of drones at Multnomah Falls is prohibited.
Reservations may be required. If your visit coincides with the mid-May to mid-September timeframe, you will need a reservation through recreation.gov.
There are amenities. There’s a clean restroom, gift shop, ATM, snack bar, and restaurant on-site, but no lodging. The closest hotels are in either Troutdale or Cascade Locks.
The bottom platform is handicap accessible. There’s a ramp adjacent to the stairs leading to the bottom platform. All of it is paved. The trail going to bridge, while paved, is not accessible.
Pets are allowed. As long as they’re leashed, you can bring your pet.
Benson Bridge may be closed during your visit. If it freezes over, Benson Bridge closes to the public.

Guests sitting down and eating at the Multnomah Falls Lodge restaurant.

A Quick Note…

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