Wahkeena Falls Trail to Lemmons Viewpoint

Wahkeena Falls Trail to Lemmons Viewpoint is a 1.5-mile round-trip out-and-back from the Historic Columbia River Highway. The mapped trail runs about three-quarters of a mile each way; you return on the same path. The lower waterfall is only about 0.2 mile from the trailhead, so you can make this a quick falls stop, but the climb to the viewpoint is the part that turns it into a hike. Allow about 1½ hours for the full outing.

Start on the highway’s south side, cross the wooden bridge over Wahkeena Creek, and take the right fork onto Trail #420; the left branch is the Return Trail toward Multnomah Falls. A long paved switchback climbs to the stone bridge at the foot of Wahkeena Falls, where water drops through two horsetail-shaped tiers. The barrel-arch bridge dates to 1914. Spray can drift across the path, especially when wind pushes it off the falls.

Above the bridge, steep paved switchbacks gain roughly 400 feet over the next half-mile. Views of the Columbia Gorge open a little more with each turn. At the ridge, take the short spur to Lemmons Viewpoint for broad views both upriver and downriver. The overlook is named for Keith L. Lemmons, an Oregonian who died fighting a Nevada wildfire in 1983. This route turns back here; the longer #420 trail continues toward Fairy Falls.

The trailhead is the Wahkeena Falls Day Use and Picnic Area, about half a mile west of Multnomah Falls; restrooms are there. A paved approach serves the lower-falls viewing platform, but the steep climb beyond it is not the accessible portion of the walk. Waterfall spray makes the pavement slick, and winter ice can be treacherous. The nearby Necktie scramble is a separate, hazardous side route with loose rock and an exposed edge; it is not part of this itinerary. Dogs are allowed, but published leash guidance conflicts, so follow the posted rule. There is no food service on this route; Multnomah Falls Lodge is a separate nearby stop.