Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour from Portland, OR
Recommended by 99% of travelers
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Portland, USA
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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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
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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 1,571 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
I highly recommend this tour. Our driver Mark was very sweet and knowledgeable. He talked to us and gave us space to explore, and took our photos so we could be in pictures together.
Great experience with multiple stops along the way to see sites and waterfalls in the area. Viator was very responsive to questions prior to departure.
My friend and I had an absolutely wonderful experience on this tour! Mark was knowledgeable, personable, and genuinely passionate about sharing the history and stories behind the places we visited. What made the experience especially memorable was how he brought the history to life rather than simply pointing out locations.
We also had the pleasure of meeting an author during our tour, which added another meaningful layer to the experience. I appreciated the opportunity to learn about the history, hear different perspectives, and enjoy great conversation along the way.
Mark made the experience engaging, informative, and enjoyable. We left with wonderful memories and a greater appreciation for the area. I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Portland. Thank you, Mark, for such a memorable experience!
A really manageable taste of the Columbia River Gorge. There were stops at several lovely waterfalls and the Crown Point lookout for a sweeping view of the valley. An amazing trip, especially given how close to the city center it is, and our guide, Patrick, had plenty of interesting information and anecdotes to augment the experience!
Great host and great views. One of the best things we could’ve done while out here. Simply amazing..
Patrick was a great tour guide. This was a great way to spend morning just outside downtown! Pickup spot was very easy to find.
Beautiful scenery, so worth it and the tour guide Patrick was very nice, funny and entertaining. Highly recommend this tour!
Very good tour ro the waterfalls. Our guide, Patrick was excellent in details and would give us time to go thru the stopped location.
Beautiful waterfalls. Great tour. Nice little hikes around each area. Informative and very nice guide.
Daniel was a great tour guide, had so much fun information on everything not just the falls. Gave us plenty of time to take in the sights.
The tour guide was very informative. We saw some very beautiful waterfalls that were not in the normal tourist areas.
Comfortable van, excellent driver, great commentary, and beautiful scenery. This is even a great tour for locals who’ve never taken the time to go on their own.
You get to see at least 3 - 4 falls plus other interesting, historical sites depending on traffic snd whether everyone in the tour group returns to the van on time. It’s a great way to get introduced to the area if you’re a first time visitor.
Great story telling from our guide Chuck. Love the drama and the passion he puts into his craft. The story of each waterfall and the surrounding forest, it’s been amazing.
Wonderful! The waterfalls were a beautiful sight to see! Highly recommend! You won't be disappointed!
It was informative and comfortable and beautiful . Our guide Daniel was knowledgeable and super fun too
Great tour...good amount of time at each site...Tour guide very knowledgeable and made the whole tour a great
experience
A wonderful experience with history and humor. Patrick was a perfect host with interesting information about not only the Falls, but helpful information about Portland itself.
Just enough time to see some highlights of the Columbia River Gorge waterfalls. Patrick was an outstanding tour guide!
Patrick was an engaging tour guide and the scenery of the falls were exquisite. I highly recommend this tour with wild woods tours.
Patrick was a funny and informative! Never a dull moment in our tour! The tour gave a quick yet comprehensive guide of the falls near Portland. Very kid-friendly. My 7 year old loved it!
Amazing overall tour and Andy was great. Running it back tomorrow !!!! From the beautiful views to the history of it all.
We stopped at 4 or 5 different water falls. The guide spoke very fast and was hard to understand. I think it could been better seeing more of the gorge with fewer waterfalls.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Hi,
We are sorry that the tour didn't meet your expectations.
Your guide let us know on your tour day that he gave your group an extra couple of waterfalls due the fact that the weather prohibited clear views of the Columbia Gorge itself during the tour, in hopes that the clouds would clear as tour continued on.
We apologize if his cadence felt too fast. Our guides are often very excited to share the information they know and want to share as much as possible. We assure you or any of our future guests that our guides do want to hear if they are talking to fast and will gladly slow down their narration.
Thank you for traveling with us.
Patrick was absolutely amazing. He made the experience fun! We were able to see several waterfalls and beautiful scenery.
I liked the 4 hour experience. I was in town for a conference and wouldn’t have been able to go on a longer tour. Patrick was friendly, helpful and created a relaxed environment.
Our guide was great, informative, and friendly. Overall it was great experience. Definitely recommend it.
Great tour!. Andy was fantastic and knowledgeable,. Best part of our 2 days in Portland, beautiful waterfalls, drive and weather! Relaxing way to spend time in nature when you don't know anything good about the area! Would definitely do it again
great tour! Chuck was our tour guide and he was energetic, fun and knowledgeable about the area. Thanks for everything!
Beautiful drive along the Columbia River Gorge and stunning waterfalls! Mark was a great tour guide - personable, funny and knowledgeable! Loved his suggestion to take picture drinking from one of the waterfalls!
We have been on quite a few tours in our travels. Honestly, Patrick was the best tour guide!!! He was extremely informative and light- hearted. He was a great driver and host! The van was comfortable and air conditioned. I highly recommend this company and Patrick in particular🤩
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