Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Steven Dutch, Professor Emeritus, Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay


Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Multnomah Falls is a 600-foot waterfall on the Columbia River gorge east of Portland.
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Numerous waterfalls drop off the edge of the canyon. The walls of the canyon are Columbia Plateau basalts. Four distinct flows are visible in this view.
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon A rest stop on I-84 offers distant views of Multnomah Falls.
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Above: views of the gorge from the rest area. Below: an exit for the falls leads to a road parallel to the interstate.
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Above: a small fall on the way to Multnomah Falls

Left and below: Multnomah Falls. Not only is the falls beautiful in its own right, but the bridge enhances the setting.

Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Left and below: near the base of the upper falls is columnar basalt.


Lower view area from the bridge
Mouth of the gorge from the bridge
Looking down the lower falls.
Closeup views of the bridge are mostly blocked by trees.
Left: Undercutting at the vase of the upper falls.

Below: Nets catch falling rocks and trees
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Below: the gorge from Multnomah Falls.
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon

Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon The road continues west and climbs the cliffs to Crown Point. There are some nice views and some small waterfalls, but no shoulders.
 
         

Wahkeenah Falls

Wahkeenah Falls is a small fall about a kilometer west of Multnomah Falls.

Crown Point

Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Crown Point offers a sweeping view of the Columbia River gorge. The pictures here start looking east and sweep around to the west. The gorge owes its dramatic topography partly to the scouring of the Missoula Floods.
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
The Vista House is the trademark of Crown Point.
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon
Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, Oregon The postcard view from Crown Point

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Created 15 November 2005, Last Update 08 June 2020