Two of America's most famous collections of waterfalls just happen to be on the country's west coast. Yosemite National Park, with some of the grandest waterfalls in the country, is located in east-central California. Another marvelous cluster of waterfall sites are found in the Columbia River Gorge, a dividing line between the states of Washington and Oregon.
   An easy daytrip from Portland, waterfall fans will find 77 falls on the Oregon side alone. Hikes range from a few tenths of a mile up to 17 miles, with a few of the area's waterfalls found right alongside the historic Columbia Gorge Highway. While Multnomah Falls grabs the most attention with its 620 foot drop, a few other roadside stops include Shepperds Dell, Wahkeena, Horsetail and Latourell falls.
   Within a 20 mile radius, nearly three dozen waterfalls make up an incredible itinerary for a waterfall tour. Sounding extremely ambitious, you may want to start with a delightful hike at Horsetail Falls. A small parking lot along the Columbia Gorge Highway (Route 30) provides a shady parking area and a viewpoint to the Horsetail Falls across the two lane highway. A short hike up the cliffside leads up the Horsetail sister, Ponytail Falls. Easily recognized from your approach, this waterfall holds a special interest. Here’s one you can walk behind to get an altogether different viewpoint. A connecting trail leads on to Oneonta Gorge where another pair of waterfalls await. Within a mile, this nice little hike introduces gorge visitors to Oneonta Falls and Triple Falls, a great way to begin your Columbia Gorge waterfall tour.

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