Waterfalls and Mount Hood

Why the gorge comes first

The direct road from Portland to Mount Hood runs along US-26. The tours instead leave on I-84 and the Historic Columbia River Highway through the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, where the USFS manages Multnomah Falls, then reach the mountain from the north through Hood River. The waterfalls fill the morning and the mountain the afternoon. The Multnomah Falls page covers the falls on their own.

Which product stops where

• Multnomah Falls: the day tour lists a photo stop and a 30-minute walk, with Benson Bridge mentioned in its description; the gorge tour lists 30 minutes, self-guided; the wine tour lists 30 minutes; the private tour lists 1 hour.
• Crown Point Vista House: the gorge tour lists 15 minutes and the private tour 30 minutes.
• Latourell Falls: the gorge tour lists a 20-minute walk.
• Bonneville Fish Hatchery: the wine tour lists 30 minutes, with a sturgeon pond.
• Rowena Crest Viewpoint: the day tour lists 20 minutes, further east.
• The Historic Columbia River Highway: named in the Fruit Loop tour’s highlights; the captured listing does not give individual waterfall stops.
• From the air: the flight’s route lists Cascade Locks, Horsetail Falls, Multnomah Falls and the Columbia River Gorge along with Mount Hood.

The Multnomah Falls timed-use permit

Multnomah Falls has a timed-use permit for private vehicles using the I-84 Exit 31 lot. The USFS states that reservations are required from late May through early September, daily from 9 am to 6 pm; in 2026 the season ran from 22 May to 7 September, per recreation.gov. Visitors arriving on the Historic Columbia River Highway, by transit or by bike are exempt. Recreation.gov notes that a reservation “does not guarantee parking”. The 2026 season has ended, and the ODOT permit page says information on 2027 permits will be posted.

For tour guests the permit is the operator’s concern. The day tour’s listing and the wine tour’s listing each include the Multnomah Falls permit and parking fees in permit season. The gorge, Fruit Loop and private listings do not mention the permit. The USFS Multnomah Falls page has current details.

How long the stops are

The listed Multnomah Falls stops run from 30 minutes to 1 hour. The USFS gives the trail to the top of the falls as 2.4 miles with about 600 ft of elevation, which is longer than the listed stops on the shared tours; the stops cover the lower viewing area and, on the day tour, Benson Bridge. The gorge tour’s listing describes walks on well-maintained trails that are not required, some slightly graded, with a “maximum typical walk distance: ½ mile round trip”.

Waterfall stops per product

From the waterfalls to the mountain

From the gorge the road tours continue to Hood River and then south through the national forest to Timberline Lodge, about 6,000 ft up the mountain. The listed time there runs from 30 minutes (day and wine tours) to 40 minutes (gorge tour) and 1.5 hours (private tour). None of the listings describes a hike beyond the day tour’s “free time, hiking” at the lodge. The Timberline Lodge page covers what is there, and the things to do page lists more stops along the way.

Check dates for the gorge tour

Eight hours from Director Park with Multnomah Falls, Vista House, Latourell Falls, Parkdale and 40 minutes at Timberline Lodge, per the listing.

Frequently asked questions