Waterfalls in Oregon: 11 falls worth the trip

Multnomah Falls

Oregon's tallest waterfall drops 620 feet in two tiers, with the Benson Bridge crossing between them a short paved walk from the parking area. From May 22 through September 7, 2026, parking at the main Exit 31 lot off I-84 between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. requires a $2 timed-use permit, sold on Recreation.gov starting two weeks before each date (Oregon Department of Transportation, Waterfall Corridor Permits). Arrive earlier or later, park at the historic highway lot, or come by bike or the Columbia Gorge Express bus, and no permit is needed.

Latourell Falls

A single 224-foot drop over a columnar basalt cliff, visible from the parking area a short walk down the historic highway. Oregon State Parks added a day-use parking fee here on March 30, 2026: $10 for Oregon plates, $12 out of state, separate from the Multnomah timed-entry permit (Oregon State Parks, parking fee announcement). A longer loop trail climbs above the falls for those who want more than the roadside view.

Wahkeena Falls

A tiered 242-foot falls a short, steep walk from a free roadside pullout a mile west of Multnomah. Wahkeena has stayed outside the permit system that covers the Multnomah lot, making it a no-reservation backup when Exit 31 permits are booked up.

Punch Bowl Falls (Eagle Creek Trail)

Reached via the Eagle Creek Trail, Punch Bowl Falls pours into a wide circular pool 2.1 miles from the trailhead, a popular turnaround point for a half-day hike. The trail crosses terrain burned in the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire and has been open again since 2021; a December 2025 storm closed it for the winter, and Forest Service and volunteer trail crews reopened it on May 1, 2026. The trailhead requires a Northwest Forest Pass ($5 day pass or $30 annual; America the Beautiful interagency passes accepted), displayed on the dash. The trailhead lot is small and fills early, so use only designated spaces.

South Falls (Trail of Ten Falls)

South Falls drops 177 feet and is the anchor of Silver Falls State Park's Trail of Ten Falls, a 7.2-mile loop that can also be hiked as a 1.1-mile there-and-back to South Falls alone. A paved path leads behind the falling water itself. Oregon State Parks charges a day-use fee ($10 in-state, $12 out of state) at pay stations near the South and North Falls lots. Stay behind the railings at the top of the falls: a fatal fall from this exact overlook made news in August 2026 after a visitor crossed a closed area for photos.

Abiqua Falls

A 92-foot waterfall on private timberland, reached by a steep 0.6-mile trail down into the canyon. The landowner, the Abbey Foundation of Oregon, has long allowed public access under Oregon's recreational use law, and in March 2026 state lawmakers approved $2.1 million to buy the falls and about 200 surrounding acres to keep that access permanent after the property went up for sale. Stay on the marked path through the private section, both out of respect for the landowner and because the route crosses loose, rocky terrain.

Toketee Falls

A distinctive 113-foot double-drop over columnar basalt, reached by a 0.4-mile trail with a viewing platform, no fee required. It's one of the most photographed falls in the Umpqua National Forest and still runs strong in late summer, when smaller falls fade.

Watson Falls

At 272 feet, Watson Falls is one of the tallest in southern Oregon and sits a short 0.4-mile walk from a free trailhead just off Highway 138 near Glide, close enough to Toketee Falls to pair the two in one stop.

Salt Creek Falls

Oregon's second-tallest single-drop waterfall at 286 feet, viewable from an accessible platform 50 yards from the parking lot. A Northwest Forest Pass or $5 day pass is required at the trailhead from May through October; the platform includes wheelchair-accessible railings.

Proxy Falls

A 226-foot falls split into upper and lower drops, reached by a 1.25-mile loop trail from the trailhead on Highway 242 in season (the lower viewpoint is closer, about half a mile in). The highway itself typically closes from November through June for snow, at which point reaching Proxy Falls means hiking or snowshoeing roughly 2.6 miles in from the winter gate rather than driving to the trailhead directly.

Sahalie and Koosah Falls

Two waterfalls on the McKenzie River connected by a 2.6-mile loop trail, each viewable from its own free parking area with a platform close enough for wheelchair access at Sahalie. Both drop through dense old-growth forest and stay fed well into summer by the McKenzie's spring-driven flow, unlike some of Oregon's smaller seasonal falls.

This guide was compiled from public land-manager sources (the U.S. Forest Service, Oregon State Parks, the Oregon Department of Transportation) and published trail reports. We haven't visited these sites ourselves. Fees, permits and access rules change, and Oregon in particular has adjusted its Gorge permit system more than once in recent years; verify current requirements with the land manager before you go. Last checked August 2026.