Any girl raised in the 90s when they think of waterfalls think about the famous TLC song. But I wanted to do the opposite of the advice, I wanted to chase the waterfall. We were headed to Portland, Oregon, and every blog post I read on the city told me that you had to get out to the Columbia River Gorge and see the famous Multnomah waterfalls. But it was a weekend trip, I didn’t want to rent a car, and we aren’t really what you’d call hikers. So, I decided to use my favorite resource, Get Your Guide, and book a tour with Wildwood Adventures. They promised us transportation and the chance to see several waterfalls. Sold! We found the perfect option for our family who like nature but are not necessarily the biggest fan of hiking.
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About Wildwood Adventures
I found this tour through Get Your Guide, and I loved what I found. Wildwood Adventures specializes in small group tours that leave from Portland and take people to the surrounding areas. We took the Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Half Day Tour, but they also offer a full day tour that includes Mt. Hood, a full day tour of the Oregon coast, and a Willamette Valley Wine Tasting excursion. They use comfortable smaller passenger vans and knowledgeable tour guides. Our tour with them felt small and intimate, which we loved. We felt like we had a knowledgeable person with us and that we didn’t have to fight a ton of people to get our questions answered.
About the Tour
This passenger van picks you up from Director Park right in the center of Portland and takes the 30-minute drive out to the Columbia River Gorge. As you are driving along, you are given some information by your tour guide about the geography of the area, and how it was created. Then, to my surprise, history was also involved. We learned the history of the Columbia River Highway, the first planned scenic roadway in the US.
Your first stop is the Crown Point Vista House. This historic rest stop was created as an observatory for the travelers of the Columbia River Highway to see the river for all it’s glory. It is a gorgeous historical building, unlike the rest stops you are bound to stop by in the interstate today. Besides stopping to see the history, you get an incredible view of the Columbia River Gorge. We happened to be there on a perfect, blue-sky day, and you could see out for miles. The kids and I went into the building and climbed the stairs to get the view from higher up. We were given about 20 minutes to explore the area (and use the facilities if you needed) before we headed back in the van.
The next part of the tour were the highlights, the waterfalls! We got to stop and see four waterfalls (and one we got to see from the van as we passed).
Latourell Falls – These were the first falls and the ones that required the most hiking on an unpaved trail. You park at the top and take a short hike down some stairs and a path to these dramatic falls that plunge over 200 feet. It’s a single, thin waterfall, but it’s powerful and off a gorgeous cliff.
Shepperd’s Dell – At this stop, you need to be a little careful as there is a small area where you have to walk on the highway where not all people drive the slowest. But your caution is well rewarded. Right off the highway is a bridge and a stairway down to Shepperd’s Dell. It’s a shorter waterfall, but in a beautiful area and able to see right from the historic bridge. The stairs were mossy so my husband with his bad back, and me with my bad knees decided not to chance a fall and watched from the bridge. But the kids with their healthy legs and straight backs, ran all the way down the path to see the falls from the end of the path.
Wahkeena Falls – We were not able to stop and see these falls because the parking was full, but we could see it from the road. It’s visible form the Columbia River Highway, and you can see the water rushing down 240+ feet as you drive by.
Horsetail Falls – Another waterfall that could be seen from the road, but here we were able to stop and explore more closely. This one is a little louder, as you can get right up to where the water plummets and falls into the lake below. The falls are perfectly named, they look just like a horse’s tail gently going down the rocks. That being said, this was the coldest place as the spray would come up and it was November. The kids enjoyed climbing the rocks and trees around the lake at the bottom of the falls.
Multnomah Falls – This is considered the highlight of the tours. This is a two-tiered waterfall that falls 620 feet. And it’s the biggest waterfall on the tour. We happened to come a day after some rains so we got to see her in her full glory with massive water rushing and falling down the cliffs. Development in these areas started in the 1880s, and it now has a number of historic structures including a bridge that originally carried trains through the area, and the Benson Footbridge which gives you access to look at both the falls up close and personal. This is the biggest attraction for visitors so you can expect well maintained, paved paths, and it’s an easy, though up-hill, quarter mile hike to the Benson Footbridge so you can see the both the falls from the top of the lower falls and the bottom of the upper falls. It’s well worth the hike up. At the bottom of the falls there is a visitors’ center with a store, and some food, and facilities. We had about an hour just at this area so we had plenty of time to walk around, see the falls, and enjoy the short hike.
After Multnomah Falls, the tour drives back to Portland and drops all the visitors off at the starting point. There was a bit of traffic on the way back, so it was a little slow going. But after all the “exertion” my tween & teen took a nap (Who am I kidding, I think we all did…).
Why I Like This Tour
This tour made it easy. They took care of transportation. They gave us the information we needed. They took us directly to the waterfalls we needed to see. I didn’t have to do any research. I didn’t need to drive and follow Google Maps. I always have to research the hikes beforehand. For us, who are not avid hikers, but like nature, it was an easy way to see some the beauty of the area without me needing to do the research that is needed when you go into nature. And if I had done it on my own, I’d likely have just seen Multnomah Falls, and not see some of the others, which honestly, I liked more. Those smaller falls had less visitors and you got to see them without people around. They were a short hike to the falls but you got to see them with nature around and not a lot of people and cars and buildings. We could all relax on the drive home without having to worry about traffic.
I generally love tours because they always provide you with information you don’t normally get otherwise. I was able to get my teens to tune in and learn something as opposed to rolling their eyes at whatever mom was saying. And since they knew we were on a tour, there was no complaining about “how long will this be”. It was all pre-set. I was able to show them the itinerary and they liked knowing the schedule. It actually cuts down on the whining. And now that they both have phones, they had a good time playing with taking pictures and recording all around them.
Who is this tour for?
This tour is for people who want to see the waterfalls without too much hiking. You should be able to walk at least ½ a mile up a slight hill without an issue, but that’s the level of athletic ability needed. It’s great for those who are in the area a short time and want to see the highlights.
In my opinion, this is perfect for families. The information is all age-appropriate, and the kids will love being able to run around the trails and rocks. For younger children who may not yet listen, you will want to make sure that you keep them close as there are areas where they can get into trouble. Wildwood Adventures allows children of all ages on this tour, however all children who require a seat on the van require a ticket. Parents and Guardians are required to bring the appropriate child seat based on height, weight and age for anyone eight years and younger as per Oregon law. If you’re bringing a car seat, please let Wildwood Adventures know ahead of time as they need to accommodate extra time to install the seat.
Tips
- Wear Sturdy Shoes – I don’t think you need your hiking boots, but make sure to wear shoes with a good grip. All of us wore our Skechers Sneakers with good rubber soles to ensure we have some grip, especially as some of the trails can get slippery.
- Bring a Raincoat – There are several areas where the waterfalls spray can be felt. And let’s face it, Portland is known as a rainy area. A good raincoat will have you covered on all occasions. We wore our trusty Columbia raincoats (Note: Columbia is based in Portland and they have a flagship store in the city with no sales tax!).
- Bring Snacks – This is a four-hour tour, and the only place where you can pick up food is at the last stop, Multnomah Falls. We had a big brunch before we left, but the kiddos were hungry at the end. I was glad I had a bunch of granola bars and snacks in my day bag.
- Bring a Portable Charger– You will take a lot of pictures and your phone will go low on battery. There are no places to charge your phone along the way. I like to get one with 10,000mAh so it charges more than one phone.
Conclusion
If you want to see the waterfalls that Oregon is famous for, but don’t want the hassle of driving out and planning it yourself, then book this tour with Wildwood Adventures. The hosts are great, it’s the perfect size, and it packs a punch with all you see in such a short amount of time. I think this is great for families of all ages, and you will be happy to have someone else managing the details while you manage the kids.
I reached out to Wildwood Adventures and they are offering readers of this blog 10% off tours booked directly through their website, www.wildwoodtours.com. Use the code AWK2PDX to get the discount. (Note: Maximum of 30 uses). You can also book through Get Your Guide (Note: if you book through Get Your Guide, I do receive a small commission. But I always encourage you to do the best deal for you and your family)
Getting out in nature is so important. When you are in such a beautiful place as Portland, it would really be a shame to miss the Columbia River Gorge and all its beauty. If you want to make sure to give you and your family this experience without the hassle of driving yourself or renting a car, check out Wildwood Adventures. It’s the perfect tour to see so much beauty and actually learn about what you are seeing.
Editor: SKS
* Starred Photos taken by Atma Photography
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