My favorite waterfall hikes in the Pacific Northwest
Both the Northwest states – Oregon & Washington, are blessed with a plethora of rivers and streams that while working their way through the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean, create plenty of waterfalls. Oregon alone has 200+ waterfalls! If you add Washington to the mix, there’s one too many to count.
While most visitors obsess over the mighty Multnomah falls & the Columbia River Gorge, there are plenty of equally impressive & beautiful waterfalls in Central Oregon & Southwest Washington that are visit worthy. I have ranked my favorites from all my trips to the Northwest. Caveat: I have done but a fraction of all the waterfalls in these two states, and these are just my picks among the ones I have seen. It goes without saying that this list is by no means comprehensive. I am hoping I can go back to the pacific northwest to keep adding to this list.
1. Proxy Falls
| Trailhead | Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty |
| Proxy Falls Trailhead on OR 242 E (McKenzie highway), an hour and a half from Eugene, OR | 1.6 miles | 147 feet | Easy |
Proxy Falls – my “happy” place! Close eyes, calm my mind, visualize, and i’m in this glorious panoply of lush green, and poof goes my stress. I find it, however, one of the hardest places to photograph; this is a 200 feet behemoth & it is impossible to capture it all. It’s sheer force creates a constant mist leaving you wiping your lens dry after every shot, the sun pierces the canopy and creates harsh lighting conditions, you need to wade into & stay in the cold water for the best shots, it’s slippery as hell, and to top it off, it decided to rain throughout my hike. But yet, nothing beats the tranquility of this place.
Make sure to have a full tank of gas when driving to the trailhead – this part of McKenzie highway has very few service stations. As you navigate through the fairly easy hike, you will pass through lush greenery and lava rock fields, and towards the end, the hike splits into Upper Proxy Falls and Lower Proxy Falls. You should do both if you have time, but if you don’t, my vote would be to head to the Lower Proxy Falls. To get to the actual falls at the end of the Lower Proxy Falls hike, there is a very short & steep trail that takes you to the stream bed. You will need to wade through the stream in a couple of places to get to the base of the falls, and the water will likely be ice cold (unless you’re doing the hike in the peak of summer). Trust me, it is well worth it!
Proxy Falls is located east of McKenzie Highway on OR 242 in the Willamette National Forest in the Three Sisters Wilderness Area. Smith Rock is just an hour and a half away, and Painted Hills is not too far away either. You could ideally combine all these and do them in one trip.
Caution: This hike is off limits during winter and early spring. The trailhead to Proxy Falls is on the McKenzie Highway (OR 242). McKenzie highway is closed in Winter and typically opens late spring. If you are planning this into your itinerary, do check with the closest Park Ranger office.
2. Tamanawas Falls
| Trailhead | Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty |
| Sherwood Trailhead | 3.6 miles | 700 feet | Moderate |
We were supposed to do a photography trip for wildflowers at the Mt. Rainier National Park. Turns out, we were a little too early for wildflowers. My friend Cheran, an Oregon resident and an outdoor enthusiast, came up with an alternate plan for a hike he had heard about. We quickly switched up plans, and what started out as a hunt for wildflowers in Mt.Rainier turned into a spectacular dawn hike at the Mt.Hood Wilderness area in Oregon with a very lush waterfall as the payoff.
Located in the Mt. Hood Wilderness area, Tamanawas is Chinook for “guardian spirit”, and all it takes is for one to do the hike to understand why it might evoke such a sentiment. There is a $5 hiking fee you will have to pay in a self pay envelope (cash only). This is a popular hike, so do try to do it on a weekday, or earlier in the morning. The hike is fairly straightforward, but there are places where it gets very rocky. You are next to a rushing stream for most of the hike. At the end of the hike, the forest opens up to a rather dramatic view of the waterfalls. You could also get around to the back of the falls as well. The mist, the greenery, the rush of the falls, and the serenity of this place makes it an incredible payoff.
3. Wahclella Falls
| Trailhead | Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty |
| Wahclella Falls Trailhead | 2 miles | 300 feet | Easy |
I have a rather strange relationship with my photos – a majority of them hold my interest for a few days, a few weeks, and maybe even months at the most. They stimulate my senses and properly arouse my curiosity. And then, I start seeing them for what they really are; the flaws get accentuated, I start wondering about things that would have made it better, and very soon, I completely lose interest.
However, there are those select few photos that are like old flames; after months, they still strike a chord. This picture of Wahclella falls is one such. While this nowhere compares in size to the other behemoths in Oregon such as Multnomah falls, what it lacks in size, it makes up in beauty. Located along the Columbia River Gorge near Portland, Oregon, it is a short one mile hike to this point. If you strain real hard to the right of the picture, you can actually see water seeping out of the walls – apparently due to the heavy rains during that season.
4. Ramona Falls
| Trailhead | Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty |
| Ramona Falls Trailhead | 7.1 miles | 980 feet | Moderate |
Ramona falls in the Mt. Hood wilderness area is a must see on a Portland trip! Located in an ancient growth forest on the Pacific Crest Trail, Ramona falls feels surprisingly private and is accessible via a 3.5 miles one-way easy hike. The water appears out of a narrow chasm, and fans out through layered volcanic basalt rock, creating a unique veil as it ricochets through the hexagonal shaped rock.
At the start of the hike, you will need to cross the Sandy river on a log footbridge. Do not attempt to cross the Sandy River if there are signs that the river is furious. At the end of the hike, Ramona falls is dramatic, and is always cool & shady, even in the peak of summer.
Caution: At around 1.5 miles, you will need to cross the Sandy River to continue on to the hike. You will find logs to cross that gets put in some time in July. If you do plan this hike early or late in the year, please check with the Zig Zag Ranger station for the latest conditions else you will have to wade across the river (the current is strong, and the waters will be ice cold).
5. Panther Creek Falls
| Trailhead | Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty |
| Panther Creek Falls Trail 137 | 0.3 miles | 120 feet | Easy |
The Panther Creek falls is a hidden gem in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest area in South Washington state, very close to the Columbia river that cuts the border between Washington & Oregon. Few people have ever even heard of this waterfall. I happened to see pictures of this milky white waterfalls in a blog, and ever since, I have had this in my bucket list. With the Pacific Northwest, you are always spoiled for choices, and for some reason, the Gifford Pinchot forest always felt a little far and away. With Pankaja in India & Memorial day long weekend looming, I decided to fly solo to Seattle on a photo escapade & decided to start my trip with a hike to this fall.
I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my journey than this 130 foot stunner. A super steep but short hike leads you to this surreal view. The best part – I had this entire amphitheater to myself for a while. Just be prepared to get dirty!
6. Punch Bowl Falls
Clockwise from top left: Metlako Falls mid-way to the Punch Bowl Falls; Lush stream en-route to Punch Bowl Falls; Upper Punch Bowl Falls; Pankaja photographing the Punch Bowl Falls
| Trailhead | Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty |
| Eagle Creek Trailhead | 3.8 miles | 500 feet | Easy |
Probably the most photographed waterfalls in Oregon, Punch Bowl falls is accessed via the highly popular Eagle Creek trail in the Columbia River Gorge area near Portland, Oregon. Replete with waterfalls, lush rainforests, the Eagle Creek trail is the quintessential Pacific Northwest hike, and should not be missed.
As you climb uphill, there is a section of the hike that goes through an exposed cliff. If you have children around, do be careful here. There is thankfully a cable rope to hang on to.Wear a pair of waterproof shoes or sandals to the hike – you will need to get into the water for the best view of the Punch Bowl Falls.
If you head on further from Punch Bowl falls, the Eagle Creek Trail continues on much further. At 6 miles one way, you will get to the beautiful Tunnel falls. The ECT also meets the Pacific Crest Trail eventually (yup, the famous 2663 miles Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada).
Note: Mid-way to the Punch Bowl falls, there used to be an overlook to see the Metlako falls. This overlook has now collapsed, and there is no safe place left now to see the Metlako falls. Additionally, the hike seems to have taken in quite a bit of damage from the fires in 2017. I have been told this hike is currently closed until further notice. Please check the latest conditions with Park Officials before doing a hike in the Columbia River Gorge.
7. Sahalie & Koosah Falls
Sahalie Falls
| Trailhead | Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty |
| Sahalie Falls Trailhead | 2.6 miles | 400 feet | Easy |
Sahalie falls & Koosah falls are two roadside falls right next to each other located along the McKenzie river near Sisters, OR. I feel the roaring 100 foot Sahalie is more majestic than the Koosah. Both the falls are connected through an easy family friendly 2.6 mile hike. They also located near the Willamette National Forest, and can be ideally combined with a trip to Proxy falls.
8. Elowah Falls
| Trailhead | Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty |
| John B Yeon Trailhead | 1.4 miles | 280 feet | Easy |
The Elowah falls amphitheater is a magical place – the trailhead is actually right beside Highway 84, yet you can hear the traffic only for the first 15 minutes of the hike through the forest (thankfully), and then it’s just silence – maybe just as silent as when Lewis & Clark did their Columbia River Gorge expedition. This waterfall is also less visited, making it a hidden gem. If you do plan to do the hike, and plan to take pictures, do get something to wipe your lens, it will mist up with all the spray from the waterfalls.
9. Multnomah Falls
| Trailhead | Distance | Elevation Gain | Difficulty |
| Multnomah Falls Trailhead | 2.4 miles | 870 feet | Moderate |
Were you straining your eyes to spot a wood elf on the bridge? You wouldn’t be faulted for doing so – it almost looks like a scene out of Lord of the Rings, doesn’t it?
This magnificent 611 feet roaring waterfalls is just a short 30 minute drive from Portland right on interstate 84. This dramatic two tiered waterfall is the tallest in Oregon state, and is fed by underground springs from larch Mountain.
While this place is typically swarming with tourists, most of them just venture up to the viewing platform 5 minutes walking distance from the road. However, the best is in store if you continue up the steep hike. The tourists thin out, and if you get to the knee wobbling bridge, you can see the sheer magnificence of this waterfall in its full force.
