On my way over to the coast to take my kids to summer camp a couple of weeks ago, I decided to stop off at Multnomah Falls. The Falls has a special place in my heart and I think it has become a special place for our kids as well. (Maybe it is the fabulous ice cream they have at the snack shop at the Lodge that is the real ticket for them!). We were all so excited to stop and take in the sheer beauty that is Multnomah Falls. I did notice that we have become accustomed to the drier air over in the Tri Cities though. The first thing we all noticed was how humid the air seemed to be. On our hike up to the bridge my son, Thomas, declared that the air was "hot and sticky!".
We truly had a wonderful time taking in the view of the Falls, eating that delicious ice cream and learning about the local flora (if it has leaves of three, let it be!) and fauna from the park ranger, even if the place was crawling with tourists. In the past we have generally stayed away during this time of year due to that very reason. But in a way, it was a delight to hear people's observations of what they saw and felt as some of them were viewing this place for the very first time. It was also fascinating to learn some of the history of this area as I had never really taken the time to find out about that before.
Multnomah Falls is definitely a place that is worthy of a visit, even if it is during the height of the tourist season. It really is an amazing sight to see. It plummets 620 feet from its origins on Larch mountain, falling down the face of a basalt rock cliff, to make this the second highest year-round waterfall in the United States. Underground springs on Larch Mountain feed the falls with highest flow being during the winter and spring. Almost two million visitors come every year to behold this ancient waterfall. This makes Multnomah Falls, Oregon's number one public destination.
The Benson Bridge and the beautiful Multnomah Falls Lodge architecture only add beauty to the Falls. The Benson Bridge was built in 1914, by Italian stone masons, to replace an existing log bridge (if you can imagine!). This allowed visitors to cross the falls between the lower and upper sections of the falls. The Benson Bridge was named after Simon Benson, the owner of the falls at the time and a prominent businessman. The 300 acre site was given to the City of Portland by Benson but the final ownership was given to US Forest Service in 1943.
The Multnomah Falls Lodge was built in 1925 by A.E. Doyle. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Inside the lower level of the Lodge there is a USDA Forest Service Information Center, a gift shop and snack bar. The ice cream is delicious and there is a wonderful coffee bar located just outside the Lodge. The upper level of the lodge has a restaurant that serves delicious northwest cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner complete with a view of the Falls. The Lodge does not have overnight accommodations and is only a day lodge.
The Falls are located about twenty minutes east of Troutdale, OR in the scenic Columbia River Gorge National Scenic area. There are only two ways to get to the Falls by either using Interstate 84 or the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway. If you have the time to spare, I would highly recommend taking the Columbia River Gorge Scenic Highway if you are coming from Portland. The drive is simply breathtaking in the Fall as you wind your way through the trees in their full autumn glory. Along the way to the Falls you can stop at the Vista House at Crown Point as well as other viewpoints to take in the majestic views of the Columbia River Gorge.
A truly beautiful site to witness for yourself!
