Seasons change. Fall brings a return of rains seeming endless, at times. Late summer streams replenish aggressively. Waterfall Alley resumes its magical aura. Falls dwindled by summer drought flash into prominence once again. Where you once could get a photo easily at the bottom of a falls, now means getting very wet from the same spot.

WATERFALL ALLEY

Waterfall Alley is the nickname for the area along the south cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge from the Vista House east to Bonneville Dam. The guidebook Curious Gorge by Scott Cook includes only up to the community of Dodson, a 13 mile stretch covered by the Old US 30 Scenic Highway. You can easily extend that run further east to Yeon State Park where a large trailhead parking lot lets you walk to the nearby Elowah Falls – when the trail has been restored – and Upper McChord Falls. I think a further extension east on the freeway can easily be added to the Bonneville Dam exit where you can take in Wahclella Falls as a finale.

There are also many fine waterfalls outside of the Waterfall Alley to the east and over on the Washington side of the Gorge.

SOME FINE POINTS TO CONSIDER

As Scott Cook advises, try not to do the entire 13 mile stretch on the Old Highway during the summer around midday. The bottleneck at Multnomah Falls can last up to an hour as people wait on the road for a parking spot to clear at the much smaller parking lot in front of Multnomah Falls Lodge. There is a much larger parking lot on the freeway, but that also fills during the summer and any sunny weekend around noon. Get out of bed earlier or come on a weekday out of season.

During the summer, you have to get a parking permit for the freeway lot ahead of time, but that still does not help you on the Old Highway. There is also a summertime shuttle bus you can take that runs along the Old Highway which allows you more one-way hiking options.

Living close to the Gorge, I can take advantage of out of season weekdays. The scene changes from Spring to Fall. Views extend with fallen leaves. Waterfalls churn away dramatically. Most of the waterfalls take advantage of the snowpack developing high in the upper reaches of the Gorge. The Gorge walls can run almost 5,000 feet above. Rain is a main source for water volume throughout the year, but especially, fall through spring.

QUICK RUNDOWN AND SEASONAL COMPARISON

Latourell FALLS

Dropping down from the Vista House on Crown Point along the Old Highway, Latourell Falls is the first main waterfall – two miles down. The first is one of the best right off the mark. Dropping 224 feet, an easy walk takes you to the bottom of the falls in a couple minutes. Look west on the highway and you will see the first of many bridges put in for the Scenic Highway back in 1914.

Not enough of a walk? You can extend your walk to a two mile loop taking you up to an upper falls. This falls lies at the end of a beautiful forested canyon with a plunge you can squeeze behind.

There is not the circus one finds at Multnomah Falls at Latourell. That said, all of the parking lots on the smaller falls along the Old Highway can fill quickly. Come early. The light doe not really get a whole lot better as the day progresses. The waterfalls drop from north-facing cliffs meaning very little direct sunlight hits them. That could mean a cloudy day still has potential. At least, it makes picture-taking a little easier with contrast differences simpler to adjust for.

There is another waterfall a short distance beyond at Sheperd’s Dell. This waterfall peters out late in the summer. There is a very small parking lot on the east side of the falls bridge, but the road is very narrow here, as well. The short trail has been closed recently due to fire damage and erosion.

bridal veil

Two miles east from Latourell Falls is a larger parking area for Bridal Veil Falls. Just across the road is the Bridal Veil Lodge which would make for the perfect waterfall base to reach out from. Two paths wander out from the parking area. One goes north through meadows to cliffs above the I-84 freeway. The previous difficulty in traveling through the Gorge before the 1950’s freeway are hard to properly appreciate today.

Most people take the other half mile trail dropping down to the bottom of Bridal Veil Falls in a canyon restored from 19th century industrialism to natural beauty. The waterfall churns down from the road bridge above. An even more spectacular falls can be found a few miles upstream, but access is much more difficult.

wahkeena falls

Another two and a half miles east brings you to Wahkeena Falls. Originally known as Gordon Falls, the local climbing club the Mazamas renamed the falls Wahkeena, “most beautiful” in the Yakama language. Unique, it twists and turns within a narrow defile. Just under half miles up from the parking lot brings you to the base of the falls where the waters pound and the mists get you and your dog quite wet. The trails continue higher. Many enjoy the Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop taking in both Multnomah, Wahkeena and three other falls along the way – five miles and over 1,500 feet elevation gain. An even better day hike I earlier described in the Wahkeena Lollipop.

multnomah falls

This is the King. 635 feet. a magnificent two-tier drop made more interesting with the bridge above the lower falls. You are never alone here, though pick your day and you can leave everyone behind on the switchbacks above the lower falls. The path above the lower falls suffers from damage from the 2017 fire. Erosion and fallen trees close the paved path above at times. I have read that the view – here, read Scott Cook again – from the top of the falls is not worth the time and effort. I disagree. Of course, it depends upon how many are sharing that view with you at the same time.

The trail continues above the upper falls all the way to the top of Larch Mountain – 7.2 miles up from below. Even if you don’t go the whole way, join others for the five mile loop up Multnomah Creek – passing two more falls – and then looping back down Wahkeena Falls.

Multnomah Falls is best seen on a weekday out of season. After good rains two other falls to the west of Multnomah can be seen as well. They dry up late in the summer.

horsetail and ponytail falls

Another two and a half miles past Multnomah brings you to Horsetail Falls. You can see Horsetail and its upper partner, Ponytail, from the freeway – though it is a very quick glance. Horsetail has a larger parking lot, maybe because so many will try the half mile trail to Ponytail above.

Similar to Wahkeena, Horsetail Falls does a bit of twisting before plunging into a large pool below. Stairs access the plunge pool where out of summer you will get wet.

Four switchbacks take you up a half mile to the falls above Horsetail, Ponytail. This plunging falls is one of those you can walk behind. Other examples in Oregon would include two falls in the Silver Creek Falls State Park east of Salem – North and South Falls – as well as Shellburg Falls, also east of Salem.

elowah falls

See my earlier posts here and here for information about Elowah Falls.

Wahclellah falls

Wahclellah Falls is the perfect endpoint for Waterfall Alley.

ONWARD EAST

Just past Bonneville Dam is the magnificent Eagle Creek canyon with its waterfalls. Ruckel Creek drops in a short falls which can be glanced at quickly from the freeway. Several other falls can be noted further east of Cascade Locks, as well, especially near the Starvation Creek Falls trailhead.

Other falls await on the Washington side of the Gorge. These have the advantage of sunlight dappling upon them.