Oregon is gorgeous when it comes to nature, and I knew one of the things we had to add some type of outdoorsy/hiking activity to the agenda, in addition to just hanging out in Portland.
One thing for sure is that we lucked out on the weather. Originally, it was potentially going to rain during the days we're there, so I started to look up hiking areas that are rain-friendly, but we also didn't want to go too far out of Portland. When the weather looked like it was going to hold up, we decided on Multnomah Falls near Corbett, OR — the second highest waterfall in the U.S., and just 35-40 minutes away from Portland.
This is a very popular spot — I wouldn't be surprised if it's just completely packed when the weather is super nice.
Once you get in there, you'll see the full view of the two-tier waterfall, which stands 600' tall. Normally, you'll see a lot of folks taking photos here, of course.
At Multonomah Falls, there are two viewpoints you can check out, depending on how much time you have and how active you want to be. You can take a short hike up to the bridge, which can be slippery, so watch out! The closer you get, and certainly on the bridge, it feels like it's raining there.
From there, you can either turn back or continue to hike up another 1.5-mile or so to go to the top of the fall. Note that this hike is manageable, but be forewarned that it's steep throughout the way. There are a couple of rest points, including one with benches.
For those who have hiked Mission Peak in Fremont, CA — it's not THAT steep and certainly tons of shade here instead.
There is some decline when you're really close to the top of the fall, which is nice, but that does mean you have to go up again on the way back. The rest is easy though because it's all decline from there. There isn't as much of a view at the top, but I've never been to the top of a fall before, so I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. However, it is a great way to exercise and motivate you to hike all 2.2 miles round trip.
Also, you get a pretty sweet view of Oregon on the way up to the top!
