Lower Latourell Falls is a 224-foot waterfall along the Historic Columbia River Highway, east of Vista House at Crown Point. Just after this photo was taken on March 9th, 2025 a section of the highway leading to Vista House was closed due to unstable conditions, leaving Latourell Falls only accessible from the Ainsworth State Park exit on Highway 84 near Cascade Locks, some twenty miles east of the falls. Though not nearly as popular as the 620-foot Multnomah Falls, which is much more easily accessible from Highway 84, both the Lower and Upper Latourell Falls are every bit as photogenic. The lower falls is the taller of the two, with its 224-foot plunge.
Tag: Waterfalls
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Upper Lewis River Falls
The Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge gets all the attention when it comes to waterfalls, and that is understandable because the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge has its 1,000-foot-tall sheer cliffs, while the Washington side is a long, gradual, slope from the Cascade Mountains to the Columbia River. The Lewis River begins at Mount Adams, one of the volcanic triads of Mount Hood, Mount Adams, and Mount Saint Helens that dominate the region. The river parallels the Columbia for many miles, turning south and joining big-brother Columbia near Saint Helens, Oregon. Near Mount Adams where the Lewis still runs wild, is sports three impressive falls within a three-mile segment, that may not challenge the Oregon falls for height but absolutely trounce them with their impressive width. I was fortunate to catch the upper falls on a cold February day with intermittent snow and graupel. The photography gods were smiling on me, as there was a pause in the weather for the hour that I spent photographing the falls. It was a fantastic time. I love hiking in the winter and usually I am the only one crazy enough to challenge the trails in adverse weather, but on my way back to the lower falls I did run into a family heading to the upper falls. I greeted them and wished them a good day, but silently I tipped my hat to my fellow crazy winter hikers.
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Multnomah Falls
With a total drop of 620-feet, Multnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon (documented waterfall, that is. There is a 700+ foot waterfall, based on aerial data, on a tributary of the west fork of the Wallowa River in remote northeast Oregon). Its close proximity to Portland, a 30-minute drive, means the falls are also one of the most visited waterfalls north of Yosemite, with some 2.5 million visitors per year, according to the Multnomah Falls Lodge. Yosemite Park receives 3.8 million visitors each year and interestingly its major year-round waterfall, Bridalveil Fall, is also 620-feet tall. Any photographer in the Pacific Northwest worth their salt, even an amateur like myself, has to photograph Multnomah Falls. And it is a bear to photograph! The light is muted and dark below the bridge, but bright (on a decent day) at the top, from the sky. This was my effort today, January 15th, 2025, and for my skill-level I am happy with it. I plan to return when the Gorge gets some snow, because the only thing better than a photograph of the falls is a snowy, icy photograph of the falls. Also of note, the Multnomah Falls Lodge is celebrating their 100th anniversary. Construction of the lodge was completed in 1925. The bridge bisecting the two tiers is even older, having been completed in 1914.
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Cauldron Linn
The Scottish word “linn” refers to a geographical feature, such as a waterfall, pool, ravine, or precipice – so Cauldron Linn – an admittedly odd name for a western U.S. waterfall – likely got its name from Scottish members of the Wilson Price Hunt expedition of 1811. Even before the current upstream Milner Dam, the Snake River was a calm lake-like body of water until it hit the 40-foot wide opening in the rocks, of Cauldron Linn. Cauldron Linn is a wild place, little changed over hundreds of years. Note the person standing on the rocks, in the top-left portion of the photograph. There are no handrails, here!