Bridal Veil Falls is a 118-foot tiered horsetail waterfall on Bridal Veil Creek in the Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah County, Oregon. It sits in Bridal Veil Falls State Scenic Viewpoint, and a short, steep trail leads from the parking lot down to a viewing deck facing both tiers.
The falls
The creek drops in two steps over mossy basalt: first a broad, V-shaped horsetail, then a narrower drop squeezed between two large rock outcrops. Height measurements total 118 feet with a tallest drop of 78 feet, while park publications round the height to about 120. A small dam, built for mill water power in the early 20th century, still sits at the choke point between the tiers and shortened the upper drop. The creek drains about six square miles of Larch Mountain, and springs and seeps keep it flowing all year below the Historic Columbia River Highway, which crosses the creek on a 1914 concrete bridge just upstream.
Getting there
The viewpoint is near milepost 28 on the Historic Columbia River Highway: take I-84 exit 28 and drive west about three-quarters of a mile to the entrance. Since March 30, 2026 the lot requires an Oregon State Parks day-use parking permit, $10 for residents and $12 for nonresidents, sold on site; a current state park camping hangtag also counts, and entry is free on foot, by bike or by transit. The falls trail descends 0.3 mile one way, spanning 0.6 mile round trip with about 100 feet of gain.
When to go
The falls run year-round. The lot is popular, and visitors often arrive before 10 am or after 4 pm on weekends.
On site
The falls trail starts paved and turns to unpaved, uneven ground through Douglas fir and bigleaf maple. A large basalt boulder in the pool below partly hides the lower tier. Near the lot, a separate paved 0.5-mile loop overlooks the Columbia River rather than the falls and is the only wheelchair-accessible path; there are picnic tables and restrooms. The park warns against walking onto the highway bridge for a view: the road is narrow with no sidewalk. Leashed dogs are allowed.
History and name
The name comes from the veil-like look of the two cascades. The Bridal Veil Timber Company began work here in 1886, bringing rough-cut lumber down a flume to its sawmill; heavy logging once left the creek dry. Kraft later ran the mill, and Bridal Veil is now a ghost town whose post office still postmarks wedding invitations. The state bought the park land between 1970 and 1984.
Nearby
Middle Bridal Veil Falls is about 0.4 mile upstream and Upper Bridal Veil Falls about 0.7 mile. Coopey Falls is about 0.9 mile away and Shepperds Dell Falls about 1 mile.
Distances are straight-line.