When researching hiking trails to add to our vacation itinerary, I chose Hamilton Mountain Trail…read morebecause of the waterfalls..Pool of The Winds, Hardy Falls, & Rodney Falls and also, because it was located across the way from Beacon Rock. It was perfect weather for our hike on September 3, 2021 & it took my hubby & I almost 2 hours to hike up to the Pool of The Winds waterfall & back down. We did make multiple stops along the trail to take pictures/videos & to catch our breath. :)) While, I don't consider myself an avid hiker, I do consider myself in pretty good shape BUT I did NOT feel in good shape a few times during our hike up Hamilton Mountain! Going straight up that mountain is no joke! No worries though, I pulled through & made my way up that mountain & back down w/out any assistance...barely! :)) There are a few spots where the climb is very steep & slippery so be mindful of your steps. For sure having actual hiking boots would have served me better than the running shoes, I had on. Okay, so enough of my "out of shape" info..let's move on to the awesomeness of Hamilton Mountain Trail. As you are climbing up the trail, you're surrounded by huge trees & everything around you is so still & just peaceful. There is a small bench for sitting along the way & if you keep going pass that, you eventually come to an open clearing and the waterfalls. The waterfalls themselves are just so awesome! Mother Nature really is displaying her best work when you're standing right next to a waterfall! The Pool of The Winds waterfall was my favorite & there's a bridge right beneath it that is the perfect picture backdrop. I also wanted to add that it wasn't crowded at all during our visit & we did go on a Saturday around 2:30pm. Lastly, there was plenty of parking & a restroom at the beginning of the trail head. Hope this info helps! ~Rebecca out

We hiked Beacon Rock the day before, and this trail is right across the street. In fact, you can…read moreget a good view of Beacon Rock through the trees from the Upper Parking Lot. The hike to Rodney Falls and Pool of the Winds seemed do-able, and we had a short amount of time, so we thought we could knock it out. As we started out, we learned that it had a pretty steep incline, and was a bit of a butt burner on the way up. I'm not an avid hiker, so let's just say I had a bit of a rough time (gasp) with lots of stops for photos (read: to catch my breathe). There are tons of trees for shade, with a few sun spots here and there. Just as I thought I couldn't hike another step, a fellow hiker offered encouragement, letting me know it was just a few minutes farther. And boy was it worth it. Pool of the Winds is a gorgeous falls with a clear pool of mountain water. And there are several spots to get good views of Rodney Falls and to continue on the hike if you choose (I did not!). Easy time going down. Quite a few people had hiking poles, to make it easier on the knees. I'd call this a success! (even with sore legs for a day or two afterward).

Beautiful hike. How to get to the hike you have to drive down a long gravel road I recommend…read moredriving a suv or a car you don't care about it's a tight trail at some points so you will get scratches on ur vehicle but the hike is amazing one of my new favorites

This is a beautiful hike! If you follow all trails map, it will start you at the bridge of the…read moregods trailhead. There is another lot a couple of blocks away. The bridge of the gods trailhead does not have a lot of parking. If you do park there, cost is $5 cash for the day be sure to bring that with you. Bathrooms are open. There are trash cans at the parking lot. The views of the bridge of the gods are stunning from the parking lot. the first bit of the trail is a little bit loud. It is very cool to be on the PCT. Especially if you are not from the area. It is nice to have had my feet touch a small portion of the PCT, hopefully someday there will be more. The trail is very green and lush. It is also well signed and marked. The birds were singing. I arrived at 730 am and was the 2nd car in the lot. I didn't see anyone out until i was on my way back down and in my last 3/4 of a mile. From reading reviews on all trails though it can get busy so best to know where the other parking lot is in case you can't get a spot at the bridge of the gods trailhead parking lot. The trail has a gentle but steady incline from the get go. The falls at the end are of course lovely. If i were in the area again i would do this one again.

Great hike good views to get to the punch bowl water fall took about a hour and a hour to get back…read morebut you can keep walking after that fall if you like longer hikes o recommend going early to find parking

Eagle Creek is now on my top 10 of hikes of all time…read more SO many waterfalls on one trail :') AND I didn't even get to see all of them! I did the 10 miles round trip to Tunnel Falls, and boy, was it well worth it. It was mostly flat with some twists and turns, gradual inclines, and narrow walkways. Good thing I had snacks, a lunch wrap, and a smoothie because that helped me get through! If you're up for it, this is a MUST! Btw it's salmon spawning season, and you can see all of the salmon swimming upstream at the very start of the trail. So cool!

Wahclella Falls is my favorite easy hike near PDX. It's about 2 miles and is an out and back trail…read morewith a waterfall. It takes a little over half an hour to complete and has one of the most interesting waterfalls in the gorge.

On the list of No spend summer activities Hiking has to be my favorite especially if its in the…read morePNW . Not too far from Portland this hike is short and fun and it does award you with gorgeous views at certain points . We had a 5 year old with us who was easily able to do most parts of it . The waterfall is two tiered and the pool it falls into is perfect for a dip. The biggest challenge is the parking and we saw plenty of people get tickets .

Just back from a killer overnight backpack to Benson Plateau!…read more I was the only person on the Plateau mannnnn, it was really beautiful. Got to check out Camp Smokey, Hunter's Camp and the camp I set up at, Benson Camp. The site is right there in the middle of the Plateau, right next to Ruckel Creek. I started my 6 1/2 mile hike from Wahtum Lake, then took the Pacific Crest Trail, north. . . to Benson Plateau. The one way trip takes me about 3 1/2 hours, and I'm not young! Check my photos mannnnnnn!

We hiked the Benson Plateau last weekend. My first observation after hiking there is that Mark S's…read morecommentary is entirely accurate with one exception. The final stretch from Camp Smokey to the Plateau can be pretty tiring. (He may be in better shape than me). Ruckel Creek can get pretty buggy if it is warm so bring a net, bug spray and some tolerance. On the return trip there is a small area on the hikers left about 1/2 mile above Camp Smokey. We were there around 7:30 AM to make coffee and take in the incredible views. Interestingly enough we also went 23 hours before we say another person. Great place to hike!

Though I prefer easy hikes (especially after. 5-hour drive), Elowah Falls was totally worth it…read more Four stars because parking is scarce. We got there late in the day, so we found a spot, but most people would need to park along the road. The trail itself has a moderately steep climbs, but I ran into one hiker who was leery of the narrow trails. This is not a trail I would recommend tackling in flip flops. The trail narrows to a rocky, sometimes muddy single track. All-in-all, though, the falls themselves in its secluded amphitheater make the effort worth it.

Nice short trail that has a lot of up and downs. Even though the overall elevation change was ~500…read moreft, there is a very steep drop towards the end near the waterfall. The waterfall itself is quite tall and shaded even in the early afternoon. Parking wasn't too much of an issue since this waterfall isn't overcrowded like multnomah falls. If you're looking for a short hike, ~1.5 miles round trip, to see a different waterfall I'd check this out.

Moderate difficulty hike that's 5.4 miles from the North Bonneville Trailhead to Gillette Lake. I…read morerecommend looking up the trail on the gorgefriends.org website for directions and additional helpful info. You do have to pay to park at the trailhead unless you already have a Northwest Forest Pass (it's currently a $5 day-use fee to park if you don't have that pass). There's a couple pit toilets and picnic tables at the trailhead parking lot as well. The trail is dirt in some sections and loose gravel/rocks in others. There are sections of inclines as well, so along with the rocky sections of trail, some people may prefer to use trek poles for stability. The incline sections aren't too long and it's a good mix of up and down, so you don't get too winded of you're in relatively good shape. It's also a nice mix of shaded sections in the forest, and open areas in the sun. There's nice views of the surrounding area in the upper open sections and the lake itself is quite pretty. There aren't any benches at the lake, though, so plan on sitting on the ground, or bring your own camp chair, if you want to hang out at the lake a bit. There also isn't a lot of open shoreline, either, so keep that in mind.

This is a super easy hike. You follow the trail from the Bonneville dam trailhead for about 1/2…read moremile, until it connects with the Pacific Crest Trail. Hang a left, and it's 2 miles to Gillette Lake. The trail has a mix of Forrest, clear-cut, and rocky talus. While the clear-cut is a little depressing, it does allow for some nice views throughout the hike. You pass by another lake on the way to Gillette, and there is a nice stream just past the lake. You can continue up the Pacific Crest Trail for as long as you like. There is a decent little loop about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile past Gillette lake. It's worth it if you want to add a few miles onto the hike. There is supposedly a viewpoint or overlook up this way, but we did not find it. The trail is fairly muddy if you hike in winter. But this is a nice alternative to many of the very hard hikes out here in the gorge. A great Sunday outing for the family. There is a fee to park, unless you have a Northwest forest pass or a Discover pass. I think the fee is five dollars. There are some pit toilets at the trailhead if you need that sort of thing.

Ponytail Falls is also known as UPPER HORSETAIL FALLS in the heart of the waterfall section of the…read moreColumbia River Gorge. It's an easy reach and visit for everyone. It's located 4/10th's of a mile along Horsetail Falls Trail, which is a pleasant hike through the forest. For everyone that comes to check out Horsetail Falls, which sits right beside the Historic Columbia River Highway, I'd suggest at least doing the hike up to Ponytail Falls. It's worth it. It may not be as grand as Multnomah Falls (which is obviously in a league of its own), but I'd categorize in the second tier rankings of waterfalls around the area. When you see the Horsetail Falls Trailhead sign, there will be NO MENTION of Ponytail Falls. It'll specifically say Upper Horsetail Falls (which will be your cue for Ponytail Falls) and that it's 4/10th's of a mile to reach. Ponytail Falls (or Upper Horsetail Falls...I know I'm getting redundant, lol) is 88 feet tall and splashes down into a pool of water. You can go swimming in it, but when I stopped by in late August, temperatures were still pretty cold. Also great about Ponytail Falls is that the trail navigates about 270 degrees around and right underneath the waterfall. You can catch dramatic views watching behind the falls as the charging water splashes down below. Plus, the surroundings hiking into the lower bowl where the waterfall is situated, can offer undisturbed vantage points from almost any angle. It doesn't take long to experience Ponytail Falls, especially if you're turning around and heading back to the trailhead below. But if you do continue on Horsetail Falls Trail, there are cool glances from the tree line horizon looking down on the Columbia River Gorge from high up. Plus, you can connect with the Oneonta Trail leading to Triple Falls Waterfall (which gets slightly difficult the higher you climb) or continue towards the right hand side where the pathway navigates throughout the forest before returning back down to the road. Overall, although it may be rewardingly efficient to see Horsetail Falls and then immediately return to your car and heads towards the next activity around the Columbia River Gorge, I'd keep in mind making the effort to hike to Ponytail Falls. I think it's impressionable and you'll get to check off two waterfalls right near each other for the price of one admission.

Great hike went on a not sunny day had the place completely alone to enjoy it very beautiful hikeread more

Extraordinarily beautiful! Whether you are taking a drive, riding your bike, or hiking the trail,…read morethe historic Columbia River Highway (Scenic Hwy 30) is a must experience. As you follow the twists and turns of the road, incredible vistas of the Columbia River, the basalt cliffs of the gorge and the rolling hills dotted with orchards and farms awaken all of your senses. This is incredible territory and makes you understand why the early settlers came from far away to live here! Accolades to the Civic Engineering team who built the the many stone guardrails with arches, meticulous work to creat the symmetry, and the many tunnels along the way. The tunnels were cut right into the rock cliff. Amazing! over 100 years later, we are still marveling at the engineering feat and using this road, tunnels and bridges to explore this marvelous country. In several areas there are white metal guardrails that create a stunning contrast to all the green and blue along the way. The road starts around Corbett - make sure to stop At Chanticleer Point for the most amazing view, the Crown Point and Vista House for more - and continue to Hood River and then Mosier, a quant and charming town of just 430. Along the way there are dozens of trails to hike, look out points to pull over, and waterfalls to see from the road. This route never gets boring. Every day is different based in the sun, clouds, blooms and foliage. it's living art and it makes me happy every single time I am traveling this route. Breathe it all in, it's good for the soul!

Go see the wondrous twin tunnels in Mosier on the historic Columbia River Highway. It is shut down…read moreto vehicle traffic. So you can go by bikes, Ebikes, running shoes, walking shoes and strollers. Hatfield east side or west side entrance it's about 5 miles one way. From the East side it's 1 mile to the tunnels - a construction marvel for any time in history. The tunnels have been preserved and are over 100 years old. Pretty amazing that construction workers cut the tunnel right in the side of a sheer rock cliff. About 500 feet above the Columbia River level. We enjoyed a good bike ride starting at the eastside in Mosier and road west towards Hood river and back again which was a little over 10 miles. The ride totaled 1,300 feet total elevation gain on a flat to rolling paved double wide trail. Average elevation was 170 to 670 feet. Pedaling along you have extraordinary views of the Columbia River and sheer cliffs surrounding the river. Plenty of look-out stops. The majority of time you're riding under the shade of some maple and pine tree canopies. Have fun - you will enjoy!