4 Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls That Survived Fires

The Columbia River Gorge is a waterfall lover’s dream.

As you drive east from Portland on I-84, the scenery begins to change. The cityscape dissipates, making way for lush greenery and jutting cliffs as the road parallels the Columbia River, snaking through the steep rocks. You’re in the Columbia River Gorge.

Unfortunately, in September 2017, the disastrous Eagle Creek Fire burned 49,000 acres of the beloved Gorge, causing the closure of numerous hiking trails, including Wahclella Falls, Tunnel Falls, Elowah Falls, Dry Creek Falls, Horsetail Falls, and Wahkeena Falls. Though some of these are viewable by car, here are the four must-see waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge that weren’t affected by the fire.

Latourell Falls

As you drive east from Portland, Latourell Falls is the first major waterfall you’ll see. Composed of a lower and upper falls, Latourell cascades 224 feet. The lower falls are viewable by car; however, a 2.1 mile loop trail hike is required for visitors who’d like to scope out the upper falls.

Multnomah Falls

The most popular of the Columbia River Gorge falls, Multnomah Falls, plunges 635 feet in two tiers, crossing under the iconic Benson bridge on its way down. The Oregon treasure is viewable by car and easily accessible with a lodge and vista point that requires little walking. Visitors can trek up to the bridge for a spectacular view, but unfortunately, the rest of the hiking trail has been damaged by the fire and is currently closed.

Bridal Veil Falls

Bridal Veil Falls is full, lush, and extremely easy to get to. If you keep going east through the Gorge on the Historic Columbia River Highway, you’ll stumble upon this beauty, and when there’s enough water flowing, it truly looks like its namesake. The highway passes over the falls on a bridge, and a short .3 mile jaunt from the parking lot leads to a nice view of the waterfall as it plunges 118 feet.

Starvation Creek Falls

Don’t let the name fool you—Starvation Creek Falls is anything but famished. In fact, it’s a great place to stop for lunch while you cruise along the Gorge. Accessible from the popular rest area of the same name, follow the signs to the waterfall and have a picnic at one of the tables at the base of the falls.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.