Wahkeena Falls is a 242-foot waterfall in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge along the Historic Columbia River Highway, about 13 miles east of Troutdale. Easily seen from the highway, it is reached by a short walk to a stone bridge crossing the main section. Unlike the sheer plunge of nearby Multnomah Falls, Wahkeena descends in layered cascades through a rocky gorge, a quality that has made it a popular subject in travel guides and photography. Its name is an English transliteration of a Native American phrase, reportedly from Yakama, meaning “most beautiful.” The falls and its creek bridge are part of the historic highway landscape and connect by trail to Multnomah Falls.

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Orient, Oregon · USA