There’s not much that Washington state doesn’t do best. From coffee to volcanos, there’s just something about the Pacific Northwest that evokes a gratitude for nature. Nowhere is this better evoked, however, than in the state’s numerous waterfalls. But no list of PNW locations with stunning waterfalls would be complete without a nod to Washington’s neighboring states of Oregon and Idaho. So, where are the best waterfalls in the Pacific Northwest?
Snoqualmie Falls
Let’s begin this trek in the Cascade foothills, in a small town named after its tourist-drawing waterfall, Snoqualmie Falls. It’s one of the biggest draws in the state. In fact, if you’re a pop culture junkie, you’d know it the moment you lay eyes on its nearly 270-foot-high tumbling rapids. This waterfall has starred on television and on the big screen: in the campy drama Twin Peaks and as the scene-stealing backdrop for the Jeff Bridges film The Vanishing. It’s rushing waters are beautiful year-round, but if torrential rains hit, as often happens in this part of the PNW, or when spring’s warmth causes snowpack from the Cascades to melt into runoff, Snoqualmie Falls puts on quite the show of force. There are trails for hiking, an observation viewpoint, and Salish Lodge offers a unique vantage point to see the falls from above.
Multnomah Falls
To the south, Oregon’s Multnomah Falls is one of the top Instagrammed waterfalls in the world, and is the state’s top vote grabber. Additionally, it’s Oregon’s highest waterfall, falling over 600 feet into the pools below. Best of all? If you’re visiting Portland, Multnomah Falls in just a half-hour outside the city limits. These falls are strong year-round, with spring and winter seeing heightened flows due to rains and melting snow. In the dead of winter, these falls even sometimes freeze, which is a sight to behold.
Ready to go vacation and see these best waterfalls in the Pacific Northwest? What is your favorite waterfall? Where is it?
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