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| The tourist view of Multnomah Falls |
Multnomah Falls is one of the largest tourist attractions in Oregon, and probably the most popular stop in the Columbia Gorge. It is the tallest waterfall in Oregon at 635 total feet over three drops, but contrary to popular belief, it is neither the fourth tallest ephemeral nor the second tallest year-round falls in the US. The trail to the top is the most popular in the state, and is one of the most beautiful sights to see in the Pacific Northwest. The creek, Multnomah Creek, starts from underground springs high on the slopes of Larch Mountain (4,061 feet) and descends rapidly over just about six and a half miles to the shore of the Columbia River. Mt. Hood National Forest trail No. 441 parallels the creek from top to bottom and winds through stands of old-growth Douglas Fir forest for 6.8 miles. We hiked it one way, from Larch Mountain to the river shore.
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| A fire moved through here several years ago. |
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| Foxglove |
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| Old stone wall at the end of a logging road |
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| Forest clearing |
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| Berry bushes in the forest |
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| Artist's Conk (Ganoderma applanatum) |
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| This fungus is renowned for its ability to display drawings on its surface. |
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| The trail crosses a talus slope |
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| Looking back into old growth |
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| The first open view of the canyon |
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| Mossy branches |
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We finally reach the creek level. The lack of rain and
snow has left the water level extremely low. |
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| Old Growth Douglas Fir along Multnomah Creek |
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| First Bridge |
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| Low water |
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| Large side creek with multiple small waterfalls |
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| Slickrock creek bed |
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| Still not very much water. |
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| Huge trees through here, many over 200 feet and 400 years old. |
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Another bridge. This one had been damaged when a tree fell on it,
and has a posted limit of one person at a time. |
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| Water flows across the trail at many points in the middle canyon. |
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| Backlit trees |
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| Looks like the edge of a waterfall ... |
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| And so it is! |
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| Ecola Falls |
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| Cola falls suddenly appears and is hidden from the trail by trees. |
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| Often in this narrow gorge, the trail is cut out of the basaltic cliffs |
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| Looking down into the gorge |
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| Weisendanger Falls |
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| Weisendanger falls is at the head of a narrow gorge |
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| Wide shot of the gorge |
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They call this the Dutchman Tunnel after the Dutchman Falls
lower on the creek. |
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| Narrow gorge |
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| The top part of Dutchman Falls, which is only about 20 feet total. |
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| The last footbridge before Multnomah Falls. |
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| Small cascade just before the lip of the falls. |
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| Speaking of which, here is the lip of the Falls. |
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| Spectacular view of the gorge from here |
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| Descent |
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| Some of my favorite Turkeytail Fungus just upstream |
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| 542 feet of falling water. |
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| I was up there 13 switchbacks ago! |
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This is the lowest stage of the falls as viewed from
the famous Benson Footbridge |
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| The footbridge as seen from the main viewpoint. |
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| Union Pacific Train Bridge passing over Multnomah Creek. |
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