The 3 months we lived in Oregon felt like a lot longer with all that we did while we were there, however, we didn’t come close to hitting the 238 waterfalls that Wikipedia says are in Oregon. With that said, out of the ones we did go to, here are my 3 favorites!
#3: MULTNOMAH FALLS
The bridge makes this waterfall one of the most special waterfalls around. Really, the only issue with this waterfall is that the area gets so busy (and for obvious reasons). It’s easy to get to (very close to Portland, inexpensive shuttle that will take you there RT from Portland), virtually no hiking involved (very short walk from the parking area), and you can even see it from the road when you’re driving by! Despite the crowds, it will give you incredible scenery. Whether you’re observing from down below, from above, or from the bridge, this is a spectacular waterfall to check out, located only about 40 minutes from Portland.
#2: NATIONAL CREEK FALLS
I definitely like feeling when you have a long hike and feel rewarded at the end with a spectacular view. This didn’t exactly apply here (it’s only a .7 mi out and back hike). Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed this waterfall. First off, it’s not nearly as populated as Multnomah Falls. When we arrived at this one, there were only 2 other people there. This one’s a wider falls with several areas of drops. The river below is not too deep and you can stick your feet in and cool off. There’s a nice mist from the falls as well. You can view from several different spots at the bottom and it’s a really awesome spot for lunch or just to chill for a bit. I had some fun photographing this one.
#1: TUMALO FALLS
To me, this waterfall gave me the most breathtakingly scenic view out of all the waterfalls we saw in Oregon. Unfortunately it’s another one that you aren’t rewarded with following a hike. The view point from the photo below is a 5 second walk from the parking lot. Nonetheless, this view gave me everything I could have asked for on my first trip to Bend, OR. This pretty much sums up what I picture the Deschutes National Forest looking like. You can do a short hike (about a half mile) to the top of this waterfall, however, this is definitely the best view.
RUNNER UPS
I’ve got to include 2 more that didn’t make my top list. I really enjoyed Latourell Falls in Multnomah County as well as Toketee Falls.
Latourell Falls: pretty short hike, long drop, lots of mist.
Toketee Falls: One of my biggest regrets following our time here was not going to the bottom. I think if we had, this one would have made the Top 3 list. Unfortunately, I missed it on my planning. Click here for info on accessing the bottom of Toketee Falls. Accessing the top will provide you with the view below and is quite the scene.
https://instagram.com/p/BV5Pw7agxnV/?utm_source=ig_embed
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