Hey Pacific Northwest lovers! My name is Victoria Schaefer and welcome to my article on the beautiful Multnomah Falls of Oregon. I am originally from Syracuse, New York which is located in Upstate New York.
This area has tons of waterfalls, small towns and captivating drives to enjoy. I currently live in Aurora, Colorado with my amazing wife and travel partner.
My passion for travel came from a volunteer trip to Ecuador that I went on in college. I initially submitted my application for the trip because I thought it was going to be volunteering at an animal sanctuary in Costa Rica.
I wasn’t very excited about the traveling aspect, but I really wanted to help some animals. It turned out that the trip would be to Ecuador.
Me and ten others were chosen to volunteer out of hundreds of applicants. I got much more than I expected with the trip. I got to volunteer at school and travel to parts of Ecuador. This is where my passion truly started.
After that I traveled to Mexico, Costa Rica, Iceland and several other US states. Prior to this trip, I had never even left the state of New York. Now I travel constantly and am living my dream that I never even knew I had.
Exploring the Beautiful State of Oregon
I visited Oregon recently as part of a larger trip with the goal of seeing all of the beautiful areas in both Washington and Oregon. I have always been inspired by the waterfalls in Oregon, as well as the greenery of the forests.
When I think of exploring Oregon, I think of long drives through endless trees with the smell of pine and overcast skies that intensify the beauty of the forests.
While in Oregon, I traveled through Portland, visited the Airplane Home owned by Bruce, saw Falls Creek Falls, Toketee Falls and Multnomah Falls, and experienced the natural bridges at the Samuel H. Boardman State Scenic Corridor before camping at Harris Beach State Park.
Oregon was such a beautiful place to visit and each location took my breath away. It’s shocking to think there is so much beauty all in one place.
My Experience at Multnomah Falls
Multnomah Falls is a popular place. I think it’s one of the most famous waterfalls in the US. This waterfall was on my list since I had seen so many people visit and come back with amazing pictures to tell the tale.
The waterfall is reached through a wheelchair accessible path that is a few minutes away from the main parking area. There are two viewpoints. One has seating and is the first overlook that the path takes you to. While the other is a winding path that takes you to the bridge at the falls.
I was stunned when I first saw the falls. I think my mouth was open and stayed like that for two minutes. The waterfall is just so large. None of the photos that I saw captured what the waterfall looks like in person.
The waterfall was so loud and I could feel the water hitting me at the main overlook. Although the pictures were spectacular, nothing compares to experiencing Multnomah Falls in person. It was such a breathtaking sight!
My best moment at the falls was when my wife and I were sitting in the chairs at the main overlook. We sat there watching the water crash down and thought to ourselves how thankful we were to see places like this.
Many people don’t have those opportunities in life either because they cannot afford to take adventures or because traveling isn’t a big priority for them. We were just very grateful to be enjoying something so magical.
Tips for Visiting Multnomah Falls
Portland is a 45-minute drive from the falls and has many hotels and other attractions. I recommend staying there. I personally just stayed in a cheap motel because as a traveler who only uses a hotel for sleep, my standards are not high. I am sure there are many awesome hotels in Portland though.
Before visiting Multnomah Falls, check the USDA Forest Service website for closures and info. Depending on the season, permits may be required.
I visited Multnomah Falls in August and there was a permit system but it allowed 600 permits for every hour. This meant that the falls were busy and also caused people to have issues parking, according to recent reviews.
I recommend arriving right before sunset. There were not nearly as many people there at this time, parking was easy, and I even got to see the falls with no one on the bridge! It was quiet and very relaxing at that time.
