Well....this will be one of the easiest reviews for me to write. Waterfall Alley!!! This area is…read moresimply FANTASTIC! Situated along scenic 74 mile Columbia River Gorge...I'd say it's about a 7 - 9 mile stretch of nothing but majestically perfect waterfalls! Along my cross country road trip I had the Columbia River Gorge on my to-do list...but I never expected such a stretch of waterfalls! I was in awe! This area is as good as it gets!!! One of the best places I visited in the USA! And for those who'd like to come here...it's simple. Waterfall Alley is located about 25 miles away from Portland....right on the borders of Oregon and Washington. I actually spent 2 full days exploring along the Columbia River Gorge...yet all the action...all the highlights...all my best memories came from here at Waterfall Alley, bar none! Here's a list of my favorite waterfalls and how I'd rank them, lol... 1. Multnomah Falls is the main event. It's the 4th tallest waterfall in the United States with the Upper Falls measuring at 542 feet and the Lower Falls at 69 feet high. There's a bridge connecting the base of the upper falls to the peak of the lower falls....it's a photographer's paradise! Unfortunately during this summer of 2020 amidst the pandemic, the bridge was closed. My advice for exploring is to arrive FIRST THING IN THE MORNING or it gets real crowded, real quick. Then you'll have tourists interrupting your pictures. There's a giant parking lot right off the Columbia River Gorge. It's free to park and viewing Multnomah Falls is free as well. 2. Latourell Falls - the first major waterfall you'll come upon while driving the CRG. Parking can be tight here. It's a short short walk to the base of the falls. Latourell Falls is 269 feet high! I climbed on some rocks and sat down to grab superb photos of it's entirety with myself in the pictures. I was thrilled to be here! It genuinely set the tone for Waterfall Way. You can hike to the top of Latourell Falls but what good would that be looking down from high above? All you need are photos at the base...and you'll be in pure bliss, lol. 3. Horsetail Falls - right before Multnomah Falls, this Horsetail Falls is located literally right off the side of the road. You can see this 176 foot waterfall as you're driving. I found parking here to be quite difficult and had to wait till someone eventually moved. Horsetail Falls is so unique being close to the road and yet the 176 foot drop was extremely impressive! 4. Bridal Veil Falls - this was a quiet area of Waterfall Way. There were 2 short walking paths here and one of them brings you to Bridal Veil Falls - a double cascading waterfall. Although it's not one sheer drop...I still appreciated this. I guess I just got spoiled by all the wonderful surroundings along the CRG. Bridal Veil Falls is easily accessible and there's a viewing platform. But I stepped below the viewing overlook platform and got myself in a few photos with Bridal Veil Falls in the background. 5. Wahkeena Falls - close to Multnomah Falls. Parking here was almost impossible. Finally I discovered some grass off the road where I parked. For Wahkeena Falls, I had to hike up a trail a short distance (about 1/2 a mile). Upon arriving at what I thought was Wahkeena Falls, I was slightly disappointed by the appearance. It was one basic waterfall trickling down the canyon walls. I took a few pics and decided to hike higher...but never uncovered any significantly worthwhile views. Ultimately, I just walked back down the trail. Overall, this Waterfall Alley was simply spectacular! If you skipped driving the rest of the Columbia River Gorge and just witnessed these waterfalls (humbling in and of themselves)...it would still make for quite a fulfilling day trip. Lastly, these waterfalls were virtually all roadside stops. You barely have to navigate hard to arrive at any of them. This Pacific Northwest area of the country is hands down 5 stars!

I've chosen this listing, "Waterfall Alley," because that's what the trek feels like. This could…read morealso be commingled with the Columbia River National Scenic Area, but that includes more than just waterfalls. Also, while reviewed and photographed separately, Multnomah Falls is within Waterfall Alley, and is the highlight of this drive. Coming from the west, and presumably from Portland, it is best to get off at Corbett (exit 22) and wind up the road to the Vista House, following all the signs at about 2 or 3 forks in the road. The view over the Columbia River Gorge is gorge(ous), especially on a clear day and the "alley" to all the falls seemingly begins there. The day of the visit was not amenable to picture taking of the panorama. The falls along the way include Latourell, Wahkeena, Bridal Veil, Multnomah, the rippling waters through Oneonta Gorge, and Horsetail. They all have different personalities, with some having trails up to them and others being "that's all, folks." Regardless, this road is a collection of natural treasures and a must for anyone visiting the Portland area, because it gives a feel for the unspoiled natural wonders in this corner of the state, though they don't necessarily define the entire state. If I had to pick a Top 5 for logos of Oregon, they would be: (1) the Portland skyline with Mount Hood looming beyond, (2) Multnomah Falls, (3) Haystack Rock at Cannon Beach, (4) Crater Lake, and (5) a meadow of Ponderosa type pine and mountains near Bend or Redmond, in Oregon's interior. So, there you have it, one of the five best Oregon highlights, and then some, are contained within this easy drive!

Bridal Veil Falls is one of those places that looks like a postcard even when your phone camera is…read morehaving an off day. Short walk, not much effort, and suddenly you're staring at a clean drop of water tucked into thick green forest. Compared to Nevada, this place feels like someone turned the saturation all the way up and forgot to turn it back down. The lower viewpoint gives you the classic shot, but if you wander a bit, you'll catch different angles and smaller side flows that most people ignore while they rush back to the parking lot. Wildlife bonus: geese everywhere, and yes... their turds are absolutely that big. Consider it part of the authentic experience. Then there's the unexpected highlight... a tiny Jesus figurine casually posted up on a wood waste bin like he's supervising the whole operation. Didn't expect spiritual oversight on a waterfall trip, but here we are. He seemed pretty calm about the crowd, the noise, and humanity in general. Probably seen worse. Overall: Easy access, great views, ridiculously green, and just weird enough to be memorable.

Bridal Veil Falls was the third waterfall that my wife, her mom, and I stopped by, around 8:51 am,…read moreto the Bridal Veil state park. It has a decent size paved parking lot (with spots for 15 cars or so), with a lot of surrounding greenspace. It has two trails, one a self-contained one that provides views of the nearby highway. The second goes down, to a bridge that crosses the Falls. The park also has an indoor bathroom. To get to the falls, one must take the downward hike to the path on the right. I got as far as the bridge to see the stream, but didn't realize until later that I needed to go further to actually see the falls. Notes: -- 118 feet high -- named for the resemblance to the delicate veil of a bride

Nice easy trail to see the falls. The parking lot was really close by and we were lucky to get one…read moreof the few spots they had here. Beautiful views of nature

Wahkeena Falls was the fourth waterfall that my wife, her mom, and I stopped by, at 9:36 am. There…read moreis a parking paved angled parking lot with 20+ spots. One can then either take 10 steps or a handicamp ramp to get to a nice viewing spot. From that spot, one can climb a steep trail further to get closer to the falls. Notes: - named after the Yakama Indian word meaning "most beautiful". - 242 feet high

Pretty upset, I was told off by some frolfers because I had mixed the clothing optional area up…read morewith the disc golf course. Geez give a guy who's a long time listener, first time caller a break. Live and learn I guess . Otherwise, I enjoyed my time along the river. If only Trader Joe's had parking lots that were this size, we'd be in business! Great time on a Friday evening.

Beautiful place, paid I think it was $5 dollars and parked and went to the clothing optional area…read moregot naked and enjoyed nature absolutely loved it nobody there judges you and I got nice compliments as I'm a young guy 20 years old lol but man it's so pretty the trails are sandy and good on your bare feet so u don't really have to worry about wearing shoes I do recommend only for some areas the majority is sandy and soft though for the trails leading to the beach area obviously I can't post my naked pictures but god it's just heaven on earth you are surrounded by green tall grass and trees so very pretty :)

Multnomah Falls is a beautiful double waterfall located in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic…read moreArea. As you make your way to the falls, the Columbia River runs alongside Highway 30, making for some beautiful scenery along the drive. The falls have a total drop of approximately 620 feet, making them the tallest waterfall in Oregon. The waterfall consists of two sections: an upper drop of about 542 feet and a lower drop of around 78 feet. The water comes primarily from underground springs on Larch Mountain, with seasonal snowmelt adding to the flow. Benson Bridge is a historic footbridge that spans the waterfall between the two cascades. It's a great spot to take pictures and get a closer look at the upper falls. There's a mildly steep, paved path that takes you up to the bridge. Beyond that, things get real! There's a super steep, dirt trail that continues up to the top of the falls. I made it about a quarter of a mile up before deciding that was enough for me and turning around. The falls and the entire surrounding area are absolutely beautiful. Visited August 2026. I can only imagine how gorgeous this place must be in the fall with all the changing colors. Definitely a place that I hope I get a chance to visit again.

It's about a 30-45 min drive away from the city. Went on a morning in September where there were…read morestaff doing clean up and the trail that led to the bridge, was closed off. It was still such a great and gorgeous view. The small walk from the parking lot is great! No hike, and you can see the whole thing! There's some porta potties right when you enter and they were really clean. The cleanest ones I've ever been in. To be able to see a beautiful waterfall was amazing. I loved there was also a little gift shop at the base of it all and a restaurant to have a bite to eat. Lots of people were coming and going. We actually came back to the falls again after doing a different hike and ended up going on the bridge and got to see the falls up close. It was so nice and relaxing and not bad of a hike at all. Would definitely come back again to visit!

So glad we stopped here! Parking is $10 and the switchbacks go on and on but 100% worth it! Enjoy…read morethe views along the way and the engineering feat to creating the switchbacks. Don't rush to the top so many wonderful overlooks along the way that are even better than the top. Dog friendly but slightly tricky with the narrow sidewalks.

Amazing hikes & views at the park. Beacon Rock Trail, that goes up to the top of the rock, is well…read moremaintained and had gorgeous views the whole way up. Even the drive through the Gorge to get to the park is amazing. I would absolutely recommend visiting! Only issue I ran into was that the parking payment meter in the parking lot was broken and I had to buy a pass online and write the info on a scrap piece of paper like the taped-on signage on the meter said. Many over grown blackberry bushes, but they were not a problem.

"Have you been there?" asks our biology teacher friend as we're trundling down Hwy 26 on our way…read moretoward the mountain, pointing at one of those smallish wooden signs you always see along the road. "That's one of my favorite recreation areas!" She's led a lot of field trips here, and it has a bunch of trails, and an underground fish window in the stream, and random nature art mixed in with all that actual nature...and the next thing you know, we're definitely turning the car around. Like so many recreation areas and campsites and secret river spots, once you go there, you think: how have I never known this exists? The park is located right on the Salmon River, so if you go at the right time of year (now, for instance), you can see salmon spawning. Which, like all of nature, is kinda gross and kinda cool. There's a big walking bridge that takes you over the river and onto a series of boardwalks that go through wetlands where you can find newts, and if you explore enough, you can connect to the Pacific Crest Trail from here, too, and wonder at the remnants of some of the massive old-growth trees that they just don't grow like they used to. It's a nature smorgasbord! My teacher friend says she likes to bring students here because it's so nicely designed and well-maintained and filled with so much variety that even the kids who think nature is scary can find it accessible and cool. It is a day-use only facility (so no camping), and there are picnic tables and fire pit areas and benches and -- for better or worse -- lots of random nature art tucked in throughout the trails. So basically Disneyland's California Adventure. Except instead of plaster and chlorine, they used actual trees and water. I'm totally down with that.

What a great little place for hiking! I would call it more of a nature walk rather than a hike, but…read morethat's what makes it great for small kids or those in wheelchairs. There are two short trails that are less than a mile each. The Streamwatch Trail takes you along the water and even has a little underwater fish viewing area. There weren't any fish in March, but it must be pretty cool to watch the fish underwater during busier seasons. The Wetlands Trail takes you along a wooden boardwalk to literally go through a wetland area. Most of these trails are stroller/wheelchair friendly, but there are some parts that are on dirt and gravel, which may be a little trickier. There are also a lot of picnic tables along the Streamwatch trail, which would be perfect in warmer weather.

Shepperd's Dell was the second waterfall that my wife, her mom, and I stopped by, around 8:40 am…read more One can park on turnouts on either side of the, with spots for at most 4 cars at a time. It is viewable from the road, with a closer view accessible via a short path with railings leading downward. Once at the bottom, one can climb a bit upwards following the path of the falls. My wife stayed back and took a nice picture far off picture. Notes: -- 46 feet high -- named for George Shepperd, a local dairy farmer who originally owned the land.

Shepard's Dell is a smaller waterfall in the Columbia scenic driveway. It is next to bridge and a…read morestairway walks down to the trail. There are no parking lot near this fall. Most people park on the side of the road for a quick photo op or park at Bridal's Veil lot and walk. The fall itself is cute. The water comes to an acute point then spread out. It is much calmer than the larger falls in the area.

When I went to Eagle Fern Park for the first time two days ago, I have to admit, I was blown away…read more(but in the positive sense) when I saw how beautiful it was. For one thing, there was the floating suspension bridge; it sure was amazing, as well as very awesome to walk on. And there were some really great paths to take when it came to the trail. Far from being steep or hard to climb, they were just right to walk on; in fact, they sure were amazing, as well as very inspiring for nature photographers and writers. (And speaking of which, I suggest bringing a camera when you go to Eagle Fern Park; photos do make awesome souvenirs, after all.) Then, there was the creek; hearing it made me smile from ear to ear. Also, seeing the ferns reminded me of the jungles from India (and they still do, even now). Basically, when it comes to the flora and fauna, nature sure never ceases to amaze me (or anyone else, for that matter). Finally, I highly recommend this park to anyone who likes nature, nature parks and trails, nature photography and hiking. And I give it five stars as well (although ten stars would be even better).

Great little park with river access. You do have to pay a small fee. Plenty of picnic tables and…read moreplaces to set up for the day while enjoying the river.