Editor’s Note: Due to construction in the area, there will be no access to Multnomah Falls via eastbound U.S. 30/Historic Columbia River Highway through Spring 2025. Please use transit or I-84, exit 31. Visit TripCheck.com for real-time traffic impacts and closures.
With more than 2 million visitors each year, Multnomah Falls Recreation Area is one of Oregon’s top visitor attractions and one of the most-visited natural areas in the Pacific Northwest. The 611-foot double cascade (Oregon’s tallest waterfall) is spectacular year-round, but if you want to visit by car between late May and early September you’ll need to book an advance timed-entry permit, one per vehicle.
The system is designed to reduce the crowding in the parking lot and the backlogged traffic on the short left turn-off ramp of Exit 31 on Interstate 84. The ticket system is designed for better accessibility and a more safe and enjoyable experience for all.
Here’s What You Need to Know
- If you ride a shuttle or go with a guided service to Multnomah Falls, no permit is required. Just show your shuttle pass at the entrance instead.
- If you arrive by bike, no permit is required. Just lock up your bike and walk in. Note: There is no e-bike parking at Multnomah Falls.
- If you arrive by car or motorcycle, you must purchase an advance permit between 9 a.m.-6 p.m., late May to late September.
Here’s How the System Works
- To purchase a permit, log on to Recreation.gov or the Recreation.gov mobile app and choose your date. Just one permit is required per vehicle. Permits must be purchased at least a day before your visit and may be canceled up to midnight a day before the reservation, but the small reservation fee is nonrefundable. Your permit reservation does not guarantee a parking space, but it will be easier to park since there will be fewer visitors. You may book up to two weeks in advance.
- If you are not able to reserve an advanced timed-entry permit online, a limited number of same-day permits are available until sold out each day at the Cascade Locks Historical Museum Visitor Center and the Gateway to the Gorge Visitor Center in Troutdale.
- Arrive at Multnomah Falls via the eastbound Interstate 84 parking lot at Exit 31. This parking lot is the best place to park to enter the falls. Stopping in front of the Lodge on the Historic Columbia River Highway and blocking traffic is prohibited.
- Your permit will be checked after you leave your vehicle along the walking path to Multnomah Falls. You will be asked to present either a printed or a digital copy. Your name must match the one on the permit. Please arrive as close to your reserved time as possible (no early entry is allowed).
The permit system is a partnership between the U.S. Forest Service, the Oregon Department of Transportation and Columbia Area Transit.
How to go by Shuttle Instead
If you’d rather skip the advance permit system and the hassle of parking, consider hopping on a shuttle to Multnomah Falls instead. Shuttle riders will receive a wristband, sticker or pass that serves as a permit to enter Multnomah Falls.
Three shuttle options are available:
- The Sasquatch Shuttle offers a Multnomah Falls Express Shuttle that departs from the Columbia Gorge Outlet Mall in Troutdale. The shuttle fee is $5 and dogs are welcome on board. Another option is a 2.5-hour Waterfall Loop narrated experience that takes riders to favorite sites along the Historic Columbia River Highway. Tours are $79/adults and $59/children, which includes a $20 gift card for use in The Fork food cart pod or the Sasquatch Shuttle gift shop.
- The Waterfall Shuttle offers pickup and dropoff with free parking at Migration Brewing in Gresham. Riders load into a 14-passenger shuttle with wheelchair ramp for a guided tour of six waterfalls plus the Crown Point Vista House and Oneonta Gorge with hikes at many of the falls. Alternative wheelchair-friendly options are offered at sites with less accessible hikes. The 3.5-hour tour is offered as a half-day tour or a sunset evening tour. The tour is $79 per person.
- The Gray Line Trolley offers a narrated hop on, hop off tour/shuttle full-day pass that stops at Multnomah Falls and nine other iconic sites in the Columbia River Gorge, letting you hike and adventure at your own pace. You can download a trail guide to help find your way. The trolley is wheelchair accessible. The tour departs from Corbett, with free parking. Riders also may join from Multnomah Falls or Portland via the express trolley. (Note: Sections of the Historic Highway may be impacted by 2025 highway closures, in which case coach shuttles will complete the trolley route to ensure attractions and waterfalls can be accessed. Check schedules for 2025 updates.) Tickets are $35 per rider ($18 for children).
How to take Public Transit Instead
Just looking for a budget-minded transportation option, without a narrated tour, parking or advanced-entry permit hassles? Hop on the Columbia Gorge Express, the city bus route that shuttles riders between Portland, Multnomah Falls, Cascade Locks, Hood River and The Dalles. Single trips to and from Portland’s Gateway Transit Center are $10.
The system includes bike racks as well as wheelchair lifts or ramps, with drivers trained to assist riders with disabilities. Travelers can enjoy new express routes — which means more coordination and less waiting.
Frequent fliers may purchase an annual GOrge Pass for $40 ($20 for children), which lets you hop on/hop off any of the buses around the Gorge (and helps protect the scenic area).
How to go by Bike or E-Bike Instead
Cyclists who arrive at Multnomah Falls do not need to book an advance permit during the summer season. (Note: There is limited bicycle parking at Multnomah Falls and E-bike parking is not allowed in the Multnomah Falls Plaza. Please plan to park your e-bike in another location off of the plaza.)
Or, consider renting an e-bike with one of the local e-bike tour outfitters. E-bike Multnomah Falls offers full-day, half-day, or 2-hour tours that include Multnomah Falls entry as well as additional waterfalls that intersperse easy-to-ride e-biking with short hikes. Bike the Gorge, based in Cascade Locks, offers a 4.5-hour adventure for four or more riders that includes an easy pedal along the paved, car-free Historic Highway State Trail along with stops at Multnomah Falls, Wahkeena Falls, Bridal Veil, Horsetail and Ponytail falls. It’s a stress-free way to tour, with your guides including a picnic lunch and taking the guesswork on where to hike and safely enjoy a splash in a swimming hole.
More Tips for Visiting
- Stay on trails and respect closures.
- Always have a Plan B and a Plan C in case your destination is too crowded or closed.
- Bookmark the Ready Set GOrge website and check before you go for the latest updates.
- Pets are allowed at Multnomah Falls but must be leashed at all times. Remember to pick up and pet waste and put it in the trash.
- Wear sturdy footwear and layers for the weather — the spray and mist cause a cooler microclimate that may be chilly in the cooler months.
- Visiting midweek is always a best bet for fewer crowds.
- Winter and springtime rain bring the fullest flows to the waterfall. You’ll also avoid the summertime permit system.
- Extinguish cigarette butts and put them in the trash.
- Be kind and patient to fellow visitors and staff.
Where to Find Less-Crowded Destinations
The Historic Columbia River Highway is known as the Waterfall Corridor for good reason: There are plenty more jaw-dropping cascades to explore. Less-crowded alternatives include the 2.4-mile round trip to Wahclella Falls, the 4.4-mile out-and-back at Dry Creek Falls and the 1.4-mile out-and-back to Bridal Veil Falls.
More alluring sites await east, including the Bonneville Lock and Dam and the car-free Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. Find tasty food, wine, U-picks and other farm-to-table treats along the Hood River Fruit Loop and further east along the East Gorge Food Trail.
