What to Hike: Columbia River Gorge Highlights
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The Columbia River separates Oregon and Washington states and provides a great area to hike and explore. With river canyon views, cascading waterfalls, and scenic vistas, there’s a ton to see! Heads up, a couple of years ago a wildfire burned up parts of the Columbia Gorge and a few areas were closed to hiking until recently. So always be sure to check trail conditions and to see what’s closed. (As of writing, there are quite a few trails closed in the area, but we haven’t included any of those here).
Multnomah Falls
Distance: 2.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 810 feet
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
You may recognize this iconic PNW waterfall from photos you’ve seen. You can either just walk around the base of it, close to the parking lot, or go on a hike to the top of it and look down from above. This is a great hike for families or people who only have time for a quick stop. You won’t regret seeing this amazing waterfall!
Horsetail Falls and Ponytail Falls
Distance: .9 miles
Elevation Gain: 331 feet
Difficulty: Easy
The Columbia River Gorge waterfalls you see on this hike are amazing. It’s the perfect hike for families and waterfall chasers. You’ll get to hike to two waterfalls, and even be able to hike behind one of them! Try to go when the waterflow is at its peak, in the winter and fall, for the best views.
Bitterroot Trail and Rowland Wall Trail Loop
Distance: 2.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 738 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
With mountain views, river gorge vistas, wildflowers, and rolling hills, this is a beautiful hike in the Columbia River Gorge area. It’s also on the Washington side of the river, so no matter what hike you go on, make sure you know and have the right parking passes and permits!
Dry Creek Falls
Distance: 4.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 885 feet
Difficulty: Easy
Another great waterfall hike, Dry Creek Falls rewards hikers with a beautiful waterfall, cool pool for swimming, and a great spot for a picnic. It’s a great hike for beginners and families. The falls at the end of the trail are definitely worth the hike!
Wahkeena Falls Loop Trail
Distance: 5.1 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,656 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
This beautiful loop takes you to Multnomah Falls (listed above) just by a longer route. With multiple Columbia River Gorge waterfalls along this route, and the ability to look down from the top of Multnomah, it’s a great hike to go on!
Dog Mountain
Distance: 6.5 miles
Elevation Gain: 2,988 feet
Difficulty: hard
The spring wildflowers on this trail light the hills up in gorgeous colors. One of the best Columbia River Gorge hikes, it will give you beautiful views of the gorge, and take you up a steep mountain. Because of the gorgeous wildflowers, it can be pretty crowded in spring. Permits for each hiker are required to hike on weekends and Memorial Day during peak wildflower season, April 24 to June 13, 2021. Learn more about obtaining permits.
Mount Defiance
Distance: 12.4 miles
Elevation Gain: 5,072 feet
Difficulty: Hard
Considered to be Oregon’s hardest trail, you’ll see amazing views of the Columbia Gorge, Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt. Hood along this route. It’s the highest point of the Columbia Gorge, and you’ll be climbing a six-million-year-old shield volcano. At the top, you’ll find one of the best views of Mt. Hood around. This trail is best for experienced hikers with a high level of fitness and preparation.
No matter when you go to explore the Columbia Gorge, you’re going to love the river views, amazing waterfalls, and rolling hills. Hikers of any skill level will find something for them here, and everyone will love the scenery. Be sure to tag us on social media so we can see your adventures here too! And if you want us to design a personalized itinerary for you here, check out our Columbia Gorge Trip.
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