Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour from Portland, OR
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Portland, USA
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
The Columbia River Gorge is known for its dramatic waterfalls and impressive vistas—but if you don't have car, planning a trip from Portland can be tricky. Instead, enjoy a hassle-free way to check off many top attractions in just half a day, all thanks to this small-group sightseeing tour. Visit the historic Vista House, admire Latourell Falls, stop at Multnomah Falls, and more, all while your guide shares insider stories.
- This Columbia River Gorge tour is great for first-time visitors
- Round-trip transit from central Portland makes exploring easy
- This small-group tour is capped at 12 to keep your sightseeing personal
- Discover several waterfalls and scenic viewing points in just half a day
What's Included
- Transportation in a premium, high-roofed passenger van
- Knowledgeable, local and friendly guide
- Bottled water
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Live commentary throughout the tour
- Gratuities- If you enjoy the tour and would like to tip your guide, a 20% gratuity is suggested
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 900 SW Taylor St, Portland, OR 97205, USA
We pick up at one of the corners of Director Park, located at the cross-streets of SW 9th Ave and SW Taylor St. The guide will aim to pull up in front of a restaurant called Pastini.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Meet your guide and group in downtown Portland at your appointed time. Hop aboard your comfortable, climate-controlled vehicle, and then head east along the Columbia River towards the quaint town of Troutdale, known as the Gateway to the Gorge.
Continue along the Historic Columbia River Highway to the first stop: Crown Point. This famous overlook sits 733 feet (223 meters) above the river, and offers 180-degree views. It also includes the Vista House, an observatory and museum listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From there, drive deeper into the Columbia River National Scenic Area. Visit the first waterfall of the trip: Latourell Falls, which plunges 249 feet (76 meters) down. Depending on the season, stroll along a short, paved trail for a closer view.
Next, head to a lesser-known waterfall directly off the historic highway, Horsetail Falls. Feel the mist on your face as the water plummets down into the deep pool below.
The final stop of the tour is the grand Multnomah Falls. Plummeting 620 feet (189 meters) in two major steps, it is the highest waterfall in Oregon and second-highest continuously flowing waterfall in the nation. Stop in the Multnomah Falls Historic Lodge before departing.
Finally, board the vehicle for a return trip to Portland via the Columbia River scenic route. Depending on changing visitation patterns in the Columbia River Gorge, this tour may also run in reverse order.
Continue along the Historic Columbia River Highway to the first stop: Crown Point. This famous overlook sits 733 feet (223 meters) above the river, and offers 180-degree views. It also includes the Vista House, an observatory and museum listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From there, drive deeper into the Columbia River National Scenic Area. Visit the first waterfall of the trip: Latourell Falls, which plunges 249 feet (76 meters) down. Depending on the season, stroll along a short, paved trail for a closer view.
Next, head to a lesser-known waterfall directly off the historic highway, Horsetail Falls. Feel the mist on your face as the water plummets down into the deep pool below.
The final stop of the tour is the grand Multnomah Falls. Plummeting 620 feet (189 meters) in two major steps, it is the highest waterfall in Oregon and second-highest continuously flowing waterfall in the nation. Stop in the Multnomah Falls Historic Lodge before departing.
Finally, board the vehicle for a return trip to Portland via the Columbia River scenic route. Depending on changing visitation patterns in the Columbia River Gorge, this tour may also run in reverse order.
1
Director Park
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area (Pass By)
2
Vista House
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Latourell Falls
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Multnomah Falls
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
5
Horsetail Falls- Columbia River Gorge
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Director Park
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- A maximum of 12 people per booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 1,314 reviews
Karen_F, May 2026
Our guide Sean was very knowledgeable about all things regarding the history, geographical points, botanical etc. he gave us personalized attention and any questions we asked were thoroughly answered. He was very attentive to our needs and areas of interest. It was one of our best experiences on our vacation and the landscape is awesome and beautiful. We would highly recommend this tour and specifically Sean Connolly to anyone!
Julia_N, May 2026
Perfect for solo travelers! Loved our tour guides and all of our destinations. Would 10000% booking this tour.
Marlene_W, Apr 2026
Relatively easy walks to some spectacular waterfalls. our guide, Eric, was very knowledgeable, entertaining and helpful.
Hovhannes_H, Apr 2026
Special thanks to Patrik
We are having very good time ……………………………. ……………. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, !!!!!!!!!!!! ……………:
Alicia_P, Apr 2026
We had a wonderful time visiting the Columbia River Gorge. Our guide was lively and knowledgeable, and made our first trip to Portland memorable.
John_P, Apr 2026
It was an excellent trip. Very informative and lots of interesting facts. The waterfalls were amazing
blairbedford, Apr 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed my half-day waterfall tour with Joe! He was on time and the van for the tour was kept up well. He gave us enough time to see all of the waterfalls, walk around and enjoy the scenery. He was very knowledgeable and prioritized safety by making sure everyone was accounted for before leaving each stop. The tour of the waterfalls was amazing and it was great to see that side of Oregon. After the tour, Joe was helpful in dropping us off near food and had great recommendations. I would definitely book the full day experience if/when I come back to the Oregon area!
Jesse_S, Apr 2026
Great learning experience very professional staff easy booking and safety friendly staff service and always on time
Brook_M, Apr 2026
Well put together and very enjoyable experience. Totally worth it! Our tour guide Joe, was very knowledgeable.
Robert_G, Apr 2026
Our guide Patrick, knew everything about the waterfalls. He’s a nature guy. He was very informative and he kept the tour interesting.
Patrick also gave excellent food venue information located thru out the Portland area.
Elizabeth_C, Apr 2026
Great tour! See a lot in a short amount of time. Expect a little bit of walking but not too bad. Worth it!
Rochelle_C, Apr 2026
Great half day trip to see many sights. We enjoyed hearing about the history. Thr time of year with all the runoff was awesome seeing the waterfalls.
Julie_W, Apr 2026
Joe was a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic tour guide. Joe was very respected and came prepared with ponchos and umbrellas. Also gave recommendations for food and activities around each area. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Joe as our guide
Cynthia_P, Mar 2026
Perfect tour. Stopped at various waterfalls to get out and walk around. Very convenient and easy. Dave, our tour guide was great.
Michelle_B, Mar 2026
The driver was very knowledgeable. However, there were two main issues: The (rainy) weather was not conducive to this kind of tour, and there was not one decent bathroom on this 3 hour and 45 minute trip. I appreciate how carefully Chuck drove and how he was prepared with umbrellas....they were hard to work but they helped!
Regine_J, Mar 2026
We recently took the Columbia River Gorge and Waterfalls tour from Portland, and it was easily the highlight of our trip! Our guide was incredibly professional, punctual, and full of fascinating facts about the geology, biodiversity, and history of the region. The van was clean and comfortable with large windows for sightseeing.
Henry_R, Mar 2026
It was very informative of Portland and Oregon in general. The tour guide Chuck was great. The sites he took us to were beautiful.
Joseph_G, Mar 2026
Our guide Chuck was excellent! He braved the very rainy weather and made the trip memorable. On another positive note, the heavy rains for several days made the waterfalls amazing!
Adeyemi_S, Mar 2026
Great experience for a solo traveler, Aaron was the best he explained everything well and made it interesting !
Hanns_H, Mar 2026
Mel was great. She was informative and was passionate! She was good at Giving us fun facts always asked if we needed umbrellas or water
Very attentive
Larry_W, Mar 2026
We had an amazing time on the Columbia River Gorge waterfalls trip. Our guide was incredibly informative and clearly very knowledgeable about the area. She did an excellent job explaining the history, pointing out interesting details along the way, and making sure everyone in the group was engaged and comfortable throughout the experience.
You could tell she genuinely enjoys what she does and takes pride in giving people a great experience. The trip was well organized, relaxing, and a lot of fun.
It was absolutely worth the money and the time. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone visiting the area. If you’re looking for a great way to explore and learn more about Mammoth Falls, this is definitely something you should do.
Viridiana_T, Mar 2026
Dominique is an incredible guide, I enjoyed a lot the ride with her and the group.
The Multnomah waterfall is beautiful
Paula_S, Feb 2026
Patrick was such a great guide!! Definitely recommend this tour if you are able to go. Great views, amazing waterfalls. Would definitely go again given the opportunity
Satish_A, Feb 2026
Great tour of the waterfalls in the area. Very knowledgeable and passionate guide. Learnt a lot about the ecology, geography and environment of the Columbia River Gorge. Numerous photo opportunities along the way !
James_M, Feb 2026
Great experience all the way around. Well worth it. Guide was fantastic. The falls were fantastic. All around excellent.
Amber_N, Feb 2026
It was great loved the it all very knowledgeable about history and area.
Highly recommend worth sitting bak and enjoying
James_B, Jan 2026
Mel was an amazing guide! She was both personable and knowledgeable of all the areas we went. The locations were perfect and well described. Her personal touches made the tour so much more worth the price. Would recommend this tour to anyone!
Julie_S, Jan 2026
We had a great time on the tour. Would not hesitate to book future tours. Great value! Great guide! Made our stay in Portland an even more enjoyable experience.
Margaret_D, Jan 2026
The guide did a great job. It was very cold and windy the day we went but was still good to hear all about what we were seeing
Azucena_U, Jan 2026
I went with my husband first time in Oregon and all I can say is we both had the best experience ever! I would really recommend this for first time visitors visiting the waterfalls. AMAZING SERVICE!!!!
From $89.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour from Portland, OR
1,313
4 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$89.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
Attractions in Portland, USA
- Mt. Hood National Forest Tours & Tickets
- Crown Point State Scenic Corridor Tours & Tickets
- Pioneer Square Tours & Tickets
- Wahkeena Falls Tours & Tickets
- Latourell Falls Tours & Tickets
- Bonneville Dam Tours & Tickets
- International Rose Test Garden Tours & Tickets
- North Mississippi Avenue Tours & Tickets
- Oneonta Gorge Tours & Tickets
- Powell’s City of Books Tours & Tickets
- South Park Blocks Tours & Tickets
- Willamette Valley Tours & Tickets
- Portland Art Museum Tours & Tickets
- Hoyt Arboretum Tours & Tickets
- Washington Park Tours & Tickets
- Multnomah Falls Tours & Tickets
- Forest Park Tours & Tickets
- Columbia River Gorge Tours & Tickets