Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls is a waterfall on the Oregon side of the Columbia River Gorge, located east of Troutdale, between Corbett and Dodson, along the Historic Columbia River Highway.FormationThe waterfall formed at the end of a hanging valley created by the Missoula Floods.DescriptionThe falls drops in two major steps, split into an upper falls of 542ft and a lower falls of 69ft, with a gradual 9 foot drop in elevation between the two, so the total height of the waterfall is conventionally given as 620ft. The two drops are due to a zone of more easily eroded basalt at the base of the upper falls.HeightMultnomah Falls is the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon. It is credited by a sign at the site of the falls, and by the United States Forest Service, as the second tallest year-round waterfall in the United States. However, there is some skepticism surrounding this distinction, as Multnomah Falls is listed as the 156th tallest waterfall in the United States by the World Waterfall Database (this site does not distinguish between seasonal and year-round waterfalls).Water sourceUnderground springs from Larch Mountain are the year-round source of water for the waterfall, augmented by spring runoff from the mountain's snowpack and rainwater during the other seasons.