City Cast Portland logo

The Best Waterfalls Near Portland

Posted on March 27, 2024   |   Updated on September 30, 2025
City Cast Portland staff

City Cast Portland staff

waterfall with greenery on the sides

Upper North Falls at Silver Falls State Park. (John Notarianni / City Cast Portland)

City Cast

How To Actually Go Chasin’ Waterfalls

00:00:00

All the Pacific Northwest rain means we get some beautiful waterfalls. Norther Emily of Wild Solitude Guiding recently shared her picks for the most scenic spots around.

“Silver Falls is a forever classic,” says Emily.

Tips: For the Trail of Ten Falls, pick your time and entry point, to avoid crowds

Southwest Washington: Lewis River Falls 🌲

This is an easy option that doesn’t get too crowded.

Tip: Reservations are required from June 15 to Sept. 6 and open for the season on May 20.

Columbia Gorge: Starvation Creek Falls 🌳

“Starvation Falls in the Eastern part of the Columbia River Gorge would be a great option if you want to do some fun Gorge stuff,” Emily says. “That area didn't burn” — in the 2017 Eagle Creek fire.

Tip: Areas downhill from a forest fire can be particularly dangerous five to eight years after a burn, so exercise caution and consider alternate locations in the Gorge, like this one.

“Those are really beautiful, a nice short hike that you could do with kids or if you just wanted some easy movement,” says Emily.

Tip: Check out this one as a family-friendly option.

This one doesn’t require a hike. You can drive up to it if you’re looking for something more accessible.

Tip: This one is more impressive when it’s recently been raining, like now.

More Tips for Waterfall Hikes

Share article

Hey Portland

Stay connected to City Cast Portland and get ready to join the local conversation.

Can't subscribe? Turn off your ad blocker and try again.

The latest in Portland

Local CivicsOctober 29

Your Guide To the Fall 2026 Election in Portland

We’re closing in on Election Day 2026, so here's your guide to the key races and how to vote in the Portland area.

hand putting ballot into mailbox
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandOctober 25

Side Quest: A Bubbly Backstory

Which backstory of downtown Portland’s Benson bubblers do you choose to believe?

A four-armed drinking fountain pedestal, known in Portland as Benson Bubblers, squirts water. Yellow leaves cover the bricks and some leaves have even landed in the bowls of the bubbler.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandOctober 22

Your Guide to Downtown Portland

Last caw! Don’t miss out on “Follow the Crows,” an interactive art trail in downtown Portland celebrating Laika’s upcoming film, “Wildwood.”

Downtown Portland’s skyline sparkles during blue hour. The perspective shows the view from Pittock Mansion, facing eastward.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandOctober 18

Side Quest: Drawing Nature into the City

Every award-winning park starts with a sketch. See the history behind one of Portland’s most famous green spaces.

Landscape design sketches from architect Lawrence Halprin show the vision for a tree-lined promenade in downtown Portland’s Open Space Sequence.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandOctober 18

Your Guide to Portland State University

There’s always something to do around the South Park Blocks, from the PSU Farmers Market to cultural celebrations like Catrinas en la Calle.

Two passengers walk onto the yellow and green Portland Streetcar beneath a leafy green canopy at the South Park Blocks stop on Portland State University’s campus.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandOctober 11

Side Quest: From Beyond the Grape

Frightful festivities from beyond the grapes await as Willamette Valley wineries host Halloween events. Throw on your costume and get rea...

Fog sits low among the fields and trees of Willamette Valley wine country. In the foreground, green grape plants show signs of fall as leaves begin to turn yellow.
The Weekly Wander by City Cast PortlandOctober 11

Your Guide to Tualatin

Don’t rock the gourd or you’ll miss Tualatin’s West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta when it returns Oct. 18. Join the fun and see what else t...

Two costumed people — one dressed as an aviator and the other in a squirrel suit — paddle their giant pumpkins toward the finish line at the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta in Tualatin. Crowds of people cheer them on in the background.
Food & DrinkOctober 5

The Best Fall Foods in Portland

A fall festival at Bauman's Farm apples at a Hood River orchard (Kiyokawa Family Orchards, ideally), and a Sauvie Island pumpkin patch (B...

A pulled pork sandwich, soup, and apple cider slushy at Sugarpine Drive-In.