COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE – During the winter season, waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge sometimes present a spectacular ice display.

The conditions in the Gorge are perfect for ice to form around waterfalls, with the traditional blasting frigid east wind and the natural shading from the hillsides on the Oregon side.

Waterfalls with the greatest water flow and the highest plunge are by far the most spectacular because they can create the greatest amount of ice.

Multnomah Falls

No other waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge shows off more ice than Multnomah Falls, which has the largest amount of water plunging from a height of 620 feet, the highest in the Gorge, and the face of the falls is open to wind exposure.

The massive amount of ice accumulation at Multnomah Falls will also treat visitors to an entirely different kind of show: plunging ice chunks. 

When the ice no longer clings to the cliff, large chunks will break off and plunge several hundred feet down, resulting in a loud thundering crash echoing through the basin.  The best place to see this is from the Benson Bridge, a short hike up a paved trail near the Multnomah Falls Lodge, if the path is open and not icy.

One feature at Multnomah Falls that is visible from the Benson Bridge and not visible from the lower viewing area is the massive “ice dome” forming in the plunge pool.  This accumulation can form rapidly overnight, as I witnessed with a similar ice formation at Horsetail Falls. 

Access to Multnomah Falls is convenient off the Historic Columbia River Highway and off of Interstate 84 at milepost 31 east of Troutdale.

Other Falls

Both Horsetail and Latourell falls also have an “ice dome” forming in the plunge pool and are an alternate to Multnomah Falls if the pathway to the Benson Bridge is closed.

Other waterfalls along the Historic Columbia River Highway worth checking out are the 249-foot Latourell Falls and the 175-foot Horsetail Falls (previously mentioned), which both have a similar effect as Multnomah Falls. 

Onlookers can also see several ice formations from waterfalls on a cliff across the Columbia River near Cape Horn from Bridal Veil State Park.

Elsewhere in the Gorge, the much smaller and picturesque Starvation Creek is also worth seeing.  It is located along Interstate 84 at milepost 52 (accessible from eastbound only).

On the Washington side, Dog Creek Falls is also worth seeing. It is located along Washington State Route 14, 12 miles east of Stevenson.

Travel Note

If you go, you will want to bring a camera, dress warm, and prepare for traveling in wintry conditions. The roads in the Columbia River Gorge, including Interstate 84, may close if the weather or road conditions become unsafe for travel.

Bryan Dorr is the editor and photographer of B. Dorr's Blog.  He enjoys hiking mountain trails, bicycling around town, driving the back roads, and capturing the sights of the Pacific Northwest with his camera.