Best Waterfall on the Columbia Gorge – Latourell or Multnomah? You Decide

Multnomah Falls is the more famous of the two, and one of the top attractions in Oregon, receiving 2 million visitors a year. It can be reached easily from the main Gorge Highway, 84.

At 622 feet high, it’s one of the tallest in the country. It’s a beauty and you should definitely see it, preferably in the off season without the crowds.

But there’s another waterfall at least as beautiful as Multnomah – Latourell Falls, the first you come to going eastbound on the Historic Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway 30. We visited last week and took the scenic route winding through the fog till we arrived at the falls.

Latourell Falls drops 224 feet, into an amphitheater of columnar basalt, brightened by golden/chartreuse lichen. You can see it from road or take the short path down to the base and feel the spray on your face.

A beauty, don’t you think? You can get closer to it, without the crowds; it has my vote.

There are several other waterfalls on the scenic route, including Shepherd’s Dell Falls, most requiring no hiking, unless you want to. (We didn’t.)

This route will also take you to Multnomah Falls, so you can easily do both from Historic Highway 30. I highly recommend it.

~ Susanne