The Multnomah Falls Loop follows the Larch Mountain Trail to Dutchman, Weisendanger and Ecola Falls, then turns clockwise on the Wahkeena Trail to Fairy Falls and Wahkeena Falls. A .6 mile section of the Gorge Trail joins the two legs to complete the loop.

Fairy Falls tumbles along Wahkeena Creek in a veiled - horsetail structure that bears a strong resemblance to a fan structure

Weisendanger Falls is the second major fall above Multnomah; it drops 50' into a high-walled gorge that requires only a minor off-trail scramble to reach

Old growth Douglas Fir trunks can measure 3 - 6' in diameter, and reach heights of 150 -250' tall with massive, complex crowns

Benson Bridge was built in 1914 after the original bridge - built in the 1880s out of log poles - collapsed

Big Leaf Maple trees can reach 110' with leaves up to 24" long

Dutchman Falls drops in 4 tiered plunges between Multnomah Falls and Wiesendanger Falls; interestingly the falls have never been officially named, but 'Dutchman' is almost universally used

Cedar trees resistance to decay comes from naturally occurring fungicidal compounds in the wood (thujaplicins) and thujic acid, which helps make the wood resistant to insect attack

Multnomah Falls originates from underground springs on Larch Mountain, and is augmented by downstream tributaries, rainwater and snow melt

Wahkeena Creek drops through a steep, narrow canyon with cascading sections that can rival local waterfalls

The Columbia River Basin includes parts of 7 U.S. States and one Canadian Province

Wiesendanger Falls was named after Albert Wiesendanger, a respected Forest Service Ranger in the gorge

Western Sword Ferns leaves can grow up to 5' with 6" pinnae (or leaflets), which have serrated edges and two rows of spore-producing sori on the underside

More challenging hikes to Larch Mountain and Angels Rest split off the Multnomah - Wahkeena Falls Loop

Wahkeena Falls slips through a small crack in bulky basalt walls; though it's an open cliff face, perspective is somewhat limited by close proximity of the trail and falls

The trail passes under Dutchman Tunnel, which was carved by Multnomah Creek from an overhanging lava flow; trail workers reinforced this natural path with with a stone wall in 1915

The trail passes right by the base of Fairy Falls in Wahkeena Canyon

Wahkeena Canyon is distinguished by swift cascades and large cedar trees along the creek banks