How To Explore Columbia River Gorge On A Half Day Tour From Portland
Portland was our last and final stop of an incredible 2 week adventure in the Pacific North West. Aside from exploring Portland, we also wanted to get out into the nature of Oregon and we decided to do this by enjoying a half day tour exploring the Columbia River Gorge.
We picked a morning to hop around the Columbia River Gorge’s waterfalls with Wildwood Adventures which promised stops at many different places including Multnomah Falls, one of Instagram’s most photographed waterfalls in the whole world.
Our tour was from 8.30am to 12.30pm (there are also afternoon half day tours from 1pm to 5pm and 2pm to 6pm) Wanting to get a start on the day, we left the Moxy Portland Downtown Hotel around 7.45am, stopped for a coffee and pastry at Case Study Coffee Roasters on 10th Ave before heading to our meeting point. Although we met outside a restaurant called Pastini, we could have arranged a pick up from our hotel – WIldwood Adventures can do a pick up from over 30 downtown Portland hotels which is really handy!
There were a few people heading out on the full day tour who got picked up first. This full day tour of Columbia River Gorge adds on the Mount Hood Tour where you can enjoy views of Mount Hood, a mountain which attracts over 10,000 climbers per year!
After a few minutes, our bus arrived at the meeting point with our guide for the day. I can’t for the life of me remember his name but he was a great guide, helping the group get to know each other and giving us information about the area we were in as well as personal stories from his life in Portland.
Only about 30 minutes out of downtown Portland we arrived at our first stop on our half day Columbia River Gorge tour: Multnomah Falls. We made this the first stop of the day and what a good call this was from our guide. When we drove past towards the end of our tour, it was a lot busier. And that was on a rainy day. I can imagine on a sunny day, this place is packed so I’d recommend going here as early as you can if you’re visiting without a tour.
Read More: 12 Fun Things To In Portland, Oregon: A Guide For First Time Visitors
Multnomah Falls
Plummeting 620 feet in two stages, Multnomah Falls is the highest waterfall in Oregon! This easily accessible waterfall has a giant car park and from there it’s a simple walk across the road to a well kept path to the falls. You’ll get to see the full extent of Multnomah Waterfall from the entrance along with the famous view of Benson Bridge.
Walk further up the path – around 0.2 miles – to reach the bridge and get up close to Multnomah Falls. We had about 30 minutes here which was the perfect amount of time to take our time, and take some photos too!
To get that classic Multnomah Falls photo, I’d recommend standing at the first viewing platform. You’ll see some gates at the start of the path going up the hill, this is a great spot to snap a shot!
If you have longer here, you may want to take the 1 mile walk to the top of the falls or do the Wahkeena Trail (1.8 miles) or the Larch Mountain Trail (6.8 miles) if you’re exclusively visiting Multnomah Falls.
Finish your visit with a little look of the Multnomah Falls Historic Lodge which was built in 1925. You’ll find a gift shop here – perfect for a little souvenir and I’d recommend a toilet break here too!
Horsetail Falls
The next stop on our tour of Columbia River Gorge was Horsetail Falls which is often overlooked but is definitely worth the stop. Not quite as dramatic as Multnomah Falls but still impressive, Horsetail Falls plummets into a deep clear pool and is directly off the Historic Columbia River Highway which is the first planned scenic road in the United States.
If you’re doing your own trip down the Columbia River Gorge, there is a 2.5 mile Horsetail Falls Loop which passes by three waterfalls in total with views over the gorge as well!
Shepperd’s Dell Falls
Shepperd’s Dell Falls was a bonus stop on our tour of the gorge and I’m so glad our guide decided to include it. This is a 90 feet two-tiered waterfall which can be viewed from a viewpoint around 0.2 miles from the road. An easy path – created from the side of the stone cliff by masons who worked on the Columbia River Highway – takes you to the viewing point for Shepperd’s Dell Falls. It’s suitable for adults and children but sadly not for those in wheelchairs.
Shepperd’s Dell is actually a memorial to landowner George Shepperd’s wife. The 11 acre parcel of land was presented to the City of Portland in 1915, hence the name Shepperd’s Dell.
The waterfall is also part of a longer waterfall chain which continues below the road. Young Creek Falls continues another 130 feet past the viewpoint.
Latourell Falls
The next stop, and last of the waterfalls on our Columbia River Gorge Tour was Latourell Falls. My favourite waterfall of the morning after Multnomah Falls, Latourell Falls – a dramatic waterfall which tumbles 249 feet over a massive wall of columnar basalt.
The trail down to this waterfall is well maintained and is around 0.25 miles. Like some of our group, you can try and get up close and personal to the waterfall by clambering across the rocks but I’d argue the best view point is from the mini bridge crossing Latourell Creek.
After visiting here, our guide gave us a brief drive of the small town of Latourell. Virtually a ghost town, Latourell used to be a working timber town named after Joseph “Frenchy” Latourell. It’s a lot different now but it was great to see a bit more of the history of this area thanks to our guide taking a little unscheduled detour!
Crown Point Vista House
The last stop of our tour was Crown Point Vista House. Sat 733 feet above Columbia River Gorge, Crown Point Vista House was built in 1917 on top of an old lava flow.
Designed by Edgar M. Lazarus, Crown Point Vista House served as a resting stop for travellers coming along the Historic Columbia River Highway and is also a memorial for Oregon Pioneers.
With marble interiors and brass fixtures, there was no expense spared creating this show stopping view point. It was also went under a 5 year refurbishment in 2000, restoring the building to its original glory. From the viewing platform at the top of the building you get to take in 180 degree views of Columbia River Gorge and it’s also a well known spot for viewing the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights.
After our last stop, it was back to Portland. I felt like we packed so much into our 4 hours in the Columbia River Gorge. You could easily do this yourself by hiring a car and stopping at waterfalls at your own leisure. However, I loved the convenience of being picked up in downtown Portland as well as having a guide who was super knowledgeable about the area. There was enough time at each spot to have a wander around, get some photos as well as learn about the history of the area. We had some really great people in our group too – a few couples from all over the USA as well as a couple who were doing a trip from Portland all the way up to Vancouver.
Our guide then dropped us off in downtown Portland – we chose to get off near Pioneer Square as we wanted to grab some lunch at Amelia’s, one of the food trucks in Pioneer Courthouse Square. Our guide actually recommended this place, along with Fried Egg, I’m In Love, and the tacos we got were the perfect feast after a morning of chasing waterfalls.
Top Tips For Your Half Day Tour Of Columbia River Gorge
- Stop at Multnomah Falls and Crown Point Vista House for toilet breaks, there aren’t any other refreshment breaks during your tour.
- Take some snacks in case you get a bit hungry. It’s also worth taking water although your guide might have some bottles stashed away from the group in case you forget.
- Take a waterproof jacket. Firstly in case it rains but also because you might get the spray from the waterfalls on a couple of stops.
- I’d recommend going in the morning, it looks like the stops are often quieter and I think this really made a difference when we visited Multnomah Falls.
- Book direct through Wildwood Adventures or through Get Your Guide!
I hope this helps if you’re planning half day Columbia River Gorge Tour! It was definitely one of my favourite things we did in Portland – although the DIY Pizza Tour we did was up there too!
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