4 hours (approx.)
Daily Tour
12 people
English
Species seen nowhere else in the world, dramatic basalt lava flows nearly a mile deep, and some of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls are a few of the sights that await you on this tour. Come experience the grandeur of the Columbia River Gorge, one of the United States’ most photographed Natural Scenic Reserves. We will drive along the oldest scenic highway in the US, stopping at sweeping viewpoints, flowing falls, and a historic lodge.
Our central meeting location and pick up point! A beautiful, urban park in the middle of Downtown Portland.
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
We will depart downtown Portland and drive east alongside the Columbia River to Troutdale, known as the Gateway to the Gorge! We will join the beautiful Historic Columbia River Highway, the first planned scenic roadway in the United States.
• Admission Ticket Free
Typically, our first stop for the day is the Crown Point Vista House. This famous overlook sits 733 feet above the Columbia River, atop the remains of a lava flow that swept through the Gorge around 14 to 17 million years ago! Here, we will find amazing 180-degree views of the Columbia River Gorge and explore the Vista House. An intricately designed observatory and museum, the Vista House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
From the Vista House, we will drive deeper into the Columbia River National Scenic Area. Our first waterfall for the day will be the dramatic Latourell Falls which plunges 249 feet over a massive wall of columnar basalt. Depending on the season, a short ¼-mile trail hike will be led to get a closer view of the falls.
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
The next waterfall we will visit will be the famed Multnomah Falls. Plummeting 620 feet in two major steps, Multnomah Falls is the highest waterfall in Oregon and second highest in the nation! Here, we can explore the Multnomah Falls Historic Lodge (a Cascadian style stone and timber lodge built in 1925) as well as the beautiful Multnomah Falls itself. The easily accessible viewing platform offers a full view of the Benson Bridge and cascading falls beyond it.
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
We will spend about 10 minutes enjoying this overlooked gem right off of the historic highway!
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
We end our tour back at Director Park, our central drop off location in the heart of Downtown Portland.
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free