Wahkeena Falls

The name means “most beautiful,” and this 242-foot series of cascades that descends in staircase fashion to the parking lot is certainly a contender. To the right of the small footbridge abutting the road is a trailhead for the 0.6-mile hike to upper Wahkeena Falls. Follow this largely paved trail to a bench just beyond the waterfall that affords views of both the upper and lower cascades.

Higher up are panoramic vistas of the Columbia River and Gorge and the ridgeline pathway connecting Wahkeena to Multnomah [1].

This trail is especially striking in October, when the cottonwoods and the bigleaf and vine maples sport colorful fall foliage. A picnic area is north of the Historic Highway [2] across from the waterfall.