Columbia River Gorge: Unique Sights and Waterfalls

947 Ratings

Portland

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Discover the Columbia River Gorge on a breathtaking tour featuring unique species, stunning waterfalls, and dramatic lava flows. Experience the grandeur of this iconic Natural Scenic Area!

Duration: 4 hours

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Director Park - Our central meeting location and pick up point! A beautiful, urban park in the middle of Downtown Portland.
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area - We will depart downtown Portland and drive east alongside the Columbia River to Troutdale, known as the Gateway to the Gorge! We will join the beautiful Historic Columbia River…

Director Park - Our central meeting location and pick up point! A beautiful, urban park in the middle of Downtown Portland.
Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area - We will depart downtown Portland and drive east alongside the Columbia River to Troutdale, known as the Gateway to the Gorge! We will join the beautiful Historic Columbia River Highway, the first planned scenic roadway in the United States.
Vista House - Typically, our first stop for the day is the Crown Point Vista House. This famous overlook sits 733 feet above the Columbia River, atop the remains of a lava flow that swept through the Gorge around 14 to 17 million years ago! Here, we will find amazing 180-degree views of the Columbia River Gorge and explore the Vista House. An intricately designed observatory and museum, the Vista House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Latourell Falls - From the Vista House, we will drive deeper into the Columbia River National Scenic Area. Our first waterfall for the day will be the dramatic Latourell Falls which plunges 249 feet over a massive wall of columnar basalt. Depending on the season, a short “/4-mile trail hike will be led to get a closer view of the falls.
Multnomah Falls - The next waterfall we will visit will be the famed Multnomah Falls. Plummeting 620 feet in two major steps, Multnomah Falls is the highest waterfall in Oregon and second highest in the nation! Here, we can explore the Multnomah Falls Historic Lodge (a Cascadian style stone and timber lodge built in 1925) as well as the beautiful Multnomah Falls itself. The easily accessible viewing platform offers a full view of the Benson Bridge and cascading falls beyond it.
Horsetail Falls- Columbia River Gorge - We will spend about 10 minutes enjoying this overlooked gem right off of the historic highway!
Director Park - We end our tour back at Director Park, our central drop off location in the heart of Downtown Portland.

What's Included

Transportation in a premium, high-roofed passenger van
In-vehicle air conditioning
Knowledgeable, local and friendly guide
Live commentary throughout the tour
Bottled water

What's Not Included

Gratuities- If you enjoy the tour and would like to tip your guide, a 20% gratuity is suggested

Additional Information

Encounter unique wildlife, explore deep lava flows of basalt, and marvel at some of the globe’s most captivating waterfalls on this journey. Discover the Columbia River Gorge’s majestic beauty, a highly-photographed region in America noted for its natural scenery. Enjoy a drive on America’s oldest picturesque highway, making stops at panoramic vistas,…

Location

900 SW Taylor St

Southwest Taylor Street

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.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings

4.9

(947 Ratings)

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Leslienak

Jan 12, 2025

Stunning waterfalls and great Guide Chuck - The best part of the trip was our guide Chuck! His knowledge of the area really enhanced our whole experience. We went in January so there were no crowds. We were the only ones at each waterfall. Everywhere we went was so beautiful. I got some great photos! It was a great value.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Samuel_m

Jan 12, 2025

26 year anniversary trip - This is a highly recommended trip if you have the time do it more importantly make time to do it. Don't let the weather change your mind dress for the elements. Our guide was very knowledgeable and well versed. Some of the most beautiful views on earth

Review provided by Viator

G6122wajustineb

Jan 9, 2025

Highlight of my trip - (Overdue Review) Made a last-minute decision to go on a solo trip to Portland. I've been to Portland before but have never made it out to see the falls. Figured a guided tour would be perfect. I stayed downtown, so the location of the pick up/drop off was convenient. Our group ended up being small. Just me, a mom and her son, and our tour guide, Aaron. From beginning to end, Aaron gave us non-stop information and you can tell he was very passionate about what he does and had lots of knowledge to share. I learned so much from this tour. Not just about the falls, but about the history of Portland, the different sights we would see on our drive, the many plants and foliage we passed on our hikes, and even tips about where to eat and other places to visit while in Portland. Aaron was very nice, patient, and his enthusiasm about everything was infectious. The van was comfortable, the drive was easy, and I finally got to see the falls which were beautiful. Really enjoyed this tour and would highly recommend it.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Sarah_l

Jan 6, 2025

Our tour guide, Mel, was... - Our tour guide, Mel, was very knowledgeable in the history of the Portland area. We had a great time

Review provided by Viator

Brianna_b

Dec 20, 2024

Phenomenal Tour! - This was a fantastic tour! We made plenty of unique stops and had time to see the sites and take photos. The bus was clean and roomy and since it was a cold day we had hot tea at one of the stops. I would definitely recommend this tour to others!

Review provided by Viator

Simo_b

Dec 16, 2024

Great fun experience - Amazing tour, our tour guide Dominique was fun and very knowledgeable, we had a pregnant lady with a toddler, she made sure to accommodate their needs and everyone's else, she is awesome! Totally recommend!

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Carmen

Dec 13, 2024

Portland Oregan Multnomah Falls - Dominique was a great driver. Did a great job at explaining the tour. It was so nice to just laid-back and let someone else drive and enjoy the scenery a bit of a wet day, but I still loved it! After having a hot tea, my jaw and my stomach started hurting. Unfortunately, I had to walk away as soon as I got off the van. The speaker on the back of the van was a little too loud other than that everything was awesome!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Naomi_m

Dec 9, 2024

If you want to get close... - If you want to get close to the waterfalls wear good griping shoes. Drive was beautiful. Don't be afraid to ask questions. The tour guide was fantastic.

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Kevin_n

Dec 7, 2024

Wow!!! - We were very impressed that our tour was conducted even when learning that no one else had made reservations. What a treat for my wife and I to have our own private tour. The highlight of the tour? Our guide Joe! Great personality, very accommodating and patient with this older couple from Hawaii, and extremely knowledgeable of the various sites and area. It was also fun that he had similar interests and was about the same age as our own kids. Thank you for a great day!!!

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James_d