Multnomah Falls
Native American legend asserts that this 600+-foot-tall formation was created to win the heart of a princess who wanted somewhere to bathe in private. There are more than 70 waterfalls on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge, but Multnomah Falls, just outside Portland, is the most popular; in fact, it’s the most visited natural recreation site in the entire Pacific Northwest. Because the falls are fed by rainwater, melted snow and an underground spring year-round, they don’t dry up, so there's no bad time to visit.
You can actually see the top of the falls from the highway, but Benson Bridge offers the best outlook. A viewing area is located at a carved opening in the rock face, and a paved trail leads to Benson Bridge. The bridge was named after Portland businessman Simon Benson, who owned the falls in the early 1900s and later sold them to the City of Portland.
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