PNW DAY 3 | Columbia River Gorge

Previous blog posts: Oregon Coast

If you love waterfalls, you're in for a treat with this blog post. If you love visiting waterfalls, I highly recommend the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon!

Forming most of the border between Oregon and Washington, "the big river", Columbia River, snakes its way to the Pacific Ocean west towards Astoria. The famous Columbia River is the passage that allowed the well known explorers, Lewis and Clark, to finally reach the Pacific Ocean for the first time. Just a short drive from Portland, Oregon you quickly see how the river winds its way in-between mountains on both sides of the river forming the Columbia River Gorge. A great place to see this is from the dramatic Crown Point Vista House which overlooks high up on the Oregon mountains (this is where we watched the sunset on Day 2).

It's an absolutely scenic drive traveling along the Historic Columbia River Highway as there are literally dozens of waterfalls to see either off the side of the road or a small walking distance...and even more once you hit the hiking trails through the damp forest. Growing up in the Carolinas, I'm a regular visitor to the "Land of Waterfalls" of Transylvania County in North Carolina. But after spending a whole day exploring the Columbia River Gorge, I was left wondering if I've ever seen so many waterfalls that close together in the same day.

In this blog post, I'm going to let the pictures (and videos!) take you in, as you will literally get to see all of the waterfalls in the order that we saw them on Day 3. Starting off the morning in awe, we beat the crowds to one of the most photographed and beautiful waterfalls in the United States -- Multnomah Falls. Then we trekked our way through one of the most unique and technical waterfall hikes I've ever done -- through Oneonta Gorge to see Oneonta Falls. Then following those seemingly unbeatable opening acts, we saw Wiesendanger Falls, Fairy Falls, Wahkeena Falls, Latourell Falls, and the beautiful Wahclella Falls. 

Multnomah FallsThe beautiful 620 feet waterfall of the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon Multnomah FallsThe beautiful 620 feet waterfall of the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon Multnomah FallsThe beautiful 620 feet waterfall of the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon Multnomah FallsThe beautiful 620 feet waterfall of the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon Multnomah FallsThe beautiful 620 feet waterfall of the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon Multnomah FallsRobbie and I in awe of Multnomah Fall with no one else around! Great way to start the morning! Multnomah FallsThe view from Multnomah Falls from the walking bridge

The Adventure to Oneonta Falls

Oh, did I mention Oneonta Gorge was one of my favorite hikes to a waterfall I've ever been on? Disclaimer: It's only for the adventurous at heart and those willing to get wet in the ice cold waters of the Columbia River Gorge. But this was "the shot" I was looking for as a photographer my whole trip. So I was anxiously awaiting the opportunity to hike this amazing "trail" into the gorge. But first, to get inside the photographic green canyon walls and see the dreamlike Oneonta Falls pouring out of the rock wall, you must climb over "The Log Jam". It deserves its own name because I've never seen such a mountain of ancient logs piled up blocking a path. And we had to climb over it before starting the short walk through the crack in the mountain and river bed to the epic reward! To begin, I want you to watch my GoPro video (below) to get a virtual view of how we got into this amazing gorge. Then scroll through my photos as we approach the waterfall.

Oneonta GorgeThe beautiful Oneonta Gorge is a crack in the mountain with green rock walls and a small river bed. Picture perfect. Oneonta GorgeThe beautiful Oneonta Gorge is a crack in the mountain with green rock walls and a small river bed. Picture perfect. Oneonta GorgeThe beautiful Oneonta Gorge is a crack in the mountain with green rock walls and a small river bed. Picture perfect. Oneonta GorgeThe beautiful Oneonta Gorge is a crack in the mountain with green rock walls and a small river bed. Picture perfect. Oneonta GorgeThe beautiful Oneonta Gorge is a crack in the mountain with green rock walls and a small river bed. Picture perfect. Oneonta GorgeApproaching the gorgeous Oneonta Falls Oneonta GorgeApproaching the gorgeous Oneonta Falls Oneonta FallsApproaching the gorgeous Oneonta Falls Oneonta FallsInside the Oneonta Gorge in the Columbia River Gorge Oneonta FallsInside the Oneonta Gorge in the Columbia River Gorge Oneonta FallsInside the Oneonta Gorge in the Columbia River Gorge Oneonta FallsInside the Oneonta Gorge in the Columbia River Gorge Oneonta FallsInside the Oneonta Gorge in the Columbia River Gorge Oneonta FallsInside the Oneonta Gorge in the Columbia River Gorge Oneonta Falls Oneonta Falls Oneonta Falls Oneonta FallsInside the Oneonta Gorge in the Columbia River Gorge Oneonta FallsInside the Oneonta Gorge in the Columbia River Gorge Oneonta FallsInside the Oneonta Gorge in the Columbia River Gorge Oneonta GorgeInside the Oneonta Gorge in the Columbia River Gorge Oneonta GorgeApproaching Oneonta Falls Oneonta GorgeApproaching Oneonta Falls Oneonta GorgeApproaching Oneonta Falls Oneonta Gorge Oneonta Gorge Robbie in the Oneonta Gorge Robbie at Oneonta Falls Robbie in the Oneonta Gorge Amazed by the Oneonta Gorge Oneonta Falls Oneonta Falls Oneonta Falls Oneonta Falls Oneonta Falls Epic trip to the Oneonta Gorge

More Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls

Enjoy the rest of my photos from the waterfalls and scenes in the Columbia River Gorge!

Columbia River Gorge Wiesendanger FallsThis waterfall is on a trail that goes up above Multnomah Falls Wiesendanger FallsThis waterfall is on a trail that goes up above Multnomah Falls Wiesendanger FallsThis waterfall is on a trail that goes up above Multnomah Falls Wiesendanger FallsThis waterfall is on a trail that goes up above Multnomah Falls Wiesendanger FallsThis waterfall is on a trail that goes up above Multnomah Falls Wiesendanger FallsThis waterfall is on a trail that goes up above Multnomah Falls Wiesendanger FallsThis waterfall is on a trail that goes up above Multnomah Falls Wiesendanger FallsThis waterfall is on a trail that goes up above Multnomah Falls Wiesendanger FallsThis waterfall is on a trail that goes up above Multnomah Falls Wiesendanger FallsThis waterfall is on a trail that goes up above Multnomah Falls Wiesendanger Falls Hiking in the Columbia River Gorge Hiking in the Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Fairy Falls Fairy Falls Fairy Falls Fairy Falls Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Columbia River Gorge Wahkeena Falls Wahkeena Falls Wahkeena Falls Wahkeena Falls Latourell Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Wahclella Falls Hood River, OR Hood River, OR

Hood River, OR

The last shots were from the sunset at Hood River, Oregon which was our sleeping destination that night. We watched the sunset from the Panorama Point Park which overlooks Mt. Hood in the distance. Unfortunately we had hazy skies due to the wildfires and couldn't see Mt. Hood off in the distance. But it was still a gorgeous sunset.

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul." ~Psalm 23:2-3

There's nothing more refreshing than a day filled with beautiful waterfalls and a refreshing sunset. With that, I'll leave you with a music video I made from this day in the Columbia River Gorge. Be blessed!