Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Half-Day Tour From Portland
Meet your guide and group in downtown Portland at your appointed time. Hop aboard your comfortable, climate-controlled vehicle, and then head east along the Columbia River towards the quaint town of Troutdale, known as the Gateway to the Gorge. Continue along the Historic Columbia River Highway to the first stop: Crown Point. This famous overlook sits 733 feet (223 meters) above the river, and offers 180-degree views. It also includes the Vista House, an observatory and museum listed on the National Register of Historic Places. From there, drive deeper into the Columbia River National Scenic Area. Visit the first waterfall of the trip: Latourell Falls, which plunges 249 feet (76 meters) down. Depending on the season, stroll along a short, paved trail for a closer view. Next, head to a lesser-known waterfall directly off the historic highway, Horsetail Falls. Feel the mist on your face as the water plummets down into the deep pool below. The final stop of the tour is the grand Multnomah Falls. Plummeting 620 feet (189 meters) in two major steps, it is the highest waterfall in Oregon and second-highest continuously flowing waterfall in the nation. Stop in the Multnomah Falls Historic Lodge before departing. Finally, board the vehicle for a return trip to Portland via the Columbia River scenic route. Depending on changing visitation patterns in the Columbia River Gorge, this tour may also run in reverse order.
Highlights
- ✓This Columbia River Gorge tour is great for first-time visitors
- ✓Round-trip transit from central Portland makes exploring easy
- ✓This small-group tour is capped at 12 to keep your sightseeing personal
- ✓Discover several waterfalls and scenic viewing points in just half a day
What you'll see & do
- ✓Our central meeting location and pick up point! A beautiful, urban park in the middle of Downtown Portland.
- ✓We will depart downtown Portland and drive east alongside the Columbia River to Troutdale, known as the Gateway to the Gorge! We will join the beautiful Historic Columbia River Highway, the first planned scenic roadway in the United States.
- ✓Typically, our first stop for the day is the Crown Point Vista House. This famous overlook sits 733 feet above the Columbia River, atop the remains of a lava flow that swept through the Gorge around 14 to 17 million years ago! Here, we will find amazing 180-degree views of the Columbia River Gorge and explore the Vista House. An intricately designed observatory and museum, the Vista House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- ✓From the Vista House, we will drive deeper into the Columbia River National Scenic Area. Our first waterfall for the day will be the dramatic Latourell Falls which plunges 249 feet over a massive wall of columnar basalt. Depending on the season, a short ¼-mile trail hike will be led to get a closer view of the falls.
- ✓The next waterfall we will visit will be the famed Multnomah Falls. Plummeting 620 feet in two major steps, Multnomah Falls is the highest waterfall in Oregon and second highest in the nation! Here, we can explore the Multnomah Falls Historic Lodge (a Cascadian style stone and timber lodge built in 1925) as well as the beautiful Multnomah Falls itself. The easily accessible viewing platform offers a full view of the Benson Bridge and cascading falls beyond it.
- ✓We will spend about 10 minutes enjoying this overlooked gem right off of the historic highway!
- ✓We end our tour back at Director Park, our central drop off location in the heart of Downtown Portland.
What's included
- ✓In-vehicle air conditioning
- ✓Bottled water
- ✓Knowledgeable, local and friendly guide
- ✓Transportation in a premium, high-roofed passenger van
- ✓Live commentary throughout the tour
What's not included
- ✓Gratuities- If you enjoy the tour and would like to tip your guide, a 20% gratuity is suggested
Good to know
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
A maximum of 12 people per booking
Cancellation policy
- •A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
- •No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.
Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Half-Day Tour From Portland
Meet your guide and group in downtown Portland at your appointed time. Hop aboard your comfortable, climate-controlled vehicle, and then head east along the Columbia River towards the quaint town of Troutdale, known as the Gateway to the Gorge. Continue along the Historic Columbia River Highway to the first stop: Crown Point. This famous overlook sits 733 feet (223 meters) above the river, and offers 180-degree views. It also includes the Vista House, an observatory and museum listed on the National Register of Historic Places. From there, drive deeper into the Columbia River National Scenic Area. Visit the first waterfall of the trip: Latourell Falls, which plunges 249 feet (76 meters) down. Depending on the season, stroll along a short, paved trail for a closer view. Next, head to a lesser-known waterfall directly off the historic highway, Horsetail Falls. Feel the mist on your face as the water plummets down into the deep pool below. The final stop of the tour is the grand Multnomah Falls. Plummeting 620 feet (189 meters) in two major steps, it is the highest waterfall in Oregon and second-highest continuously flowing waterfall in the nation. Stop in the Multnomah Falls Historic Lodge before departing. Finally, board the vehicle for a return trip to Portland via the Columbia River scenic route. Depending on changing visitation patterns in the Columbia River Gorge, this tour may also run in reverse order.
Highlights
- ✓This Columbia River Gorge tour is great for first-time visitors
- ✓Round-trip transit from central Portland makes exploring easy
- ✓This small-group tour is capped at 12 to keep your sightseeing personal
- ✓Discover several waterfalls and scenic viewing points in just half a day
What you'll see & do
- ✓Our central meeting location and pick up point! A beautiful, urban park in the middle of Downtown Portland.
- ✓We will depart downtown Portland and drive east alongside the Columbia River to Troutdale, known as the Gateway to the Gorge! We will join the beautiful Historic Columbia River Highway, the first planned scenic roadway in the United States.
- ✓Typically, our first stop for the day is the Crown Point Vista House. This famous overlook sits 733 feet above the Columbia River, atop the remains of a lava flow that swept through the Gorge around 14 to 17 million years ago! Here, we will find amazing 180-degree views of the Columbia River Gorge and explore the Vista House. An intricately designed observatory and museum, the Vista House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- ✓From the Vista House, we will drive deeper into the Columbia River National Scenic Area. Our first waterfall for the day will be the dramatic Latourell Falls which plunges 249 feet over a massive wall of columnar basalt. Depending on the season, a short ¼-mile trail hike will be led to get a closer view of the falls.
- ✓The next waterfall we will visit will be the famed Multnomah Falls. Plummeting 620 feet in two major steps, Multnomah Falls is the highest waterfall in Oregon and second highest in the nation! Here, we can explore the Multnomah Falls Historic Lodge (a Cascadian style stone and timber lodge built in 1925) as well as the beautiful Multnomah Falls itself. The easily accessible viewing platform offers a full view of the Benson Bridge and cascading falls beyond it.
- ✓We will spend about 10 minutes enjoying this overlooked gem right off of the historic highway!
- ✓We end our tour back at Director Park, our central drop off location in the heart of Downtown Portland.
What's included
- ✓In-vehicle air conditioning
- ✓Bottled water
- ✓Knowledgeable, local and friendly guide
- ✓Transportation in a premium, high-roofed passenger van
- ✓Live commentary throughout the tour
What's not included
- ✓Gratuities- If you enjoy the tour and would like to tip your guide, a 20% gratuity is suggested
Good to know
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
A maximum of 12 people per booking
Cancellation policy
- •A full refund will apply if you cancel more than 24 hours before the activity start time.
- •No refund is possible if you cancel less than 24 hours before the activity start time.