Mist Falls is a 520-foot tiered plunge waterfall on Mist Creek in the Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah County, Oregon. A thin ribbon of spring water, it drops down the gorge wall about 1 mile west of Multnomah Falls, and the whole height can be seen from Benson State Recreation Area below.
The falls
The stream drops in two plunges of 220 and 300 feet over a vertical cliff, with the flow only about 5 feet wide. Small springs feed Mist Creek, allowing the falls to run all year, but the volume is slight, and wind often scatters the stream into mist before it lands. The lower fall crosses layers of entablature and columnar basalt.
Getting there
The easiest view is from Benson State Recreation Area, reached from I-84 exit 30, which only eastbound traffic can use. Walking an old road between the interstate and the lake brings the entire waterfall into view. Parking requires a day-use permit sold on site by credit card only: $10 per vehicle for Oregon residents and $12 for nonresidents.
The base is reached by a scramble from a small pullout on the Historic Columbia River Highway, on the west side of Mist Creek about 1/4 mile west of Wahkeena Falls. The route is 0.5 mile round trip with 335 feet of gain and is rated moderate; it is an unmaintained path up scree rather than a built trail, and parking on the road itself is prohibited.
When to go
The falls flow year-round and look fullest in winter and spring. In winter ice builds up on the cliff, creating danger from falling ice. At Benson, water and restrooms are shut off from mid-November to mid-March.
On site
The talus slope below the falls is extremely unstable, with loose rock and a narrow mossy ledge on the way up. Benson has picnic grounds and an accessible fishing dock; dogs must stay on leash and out of the water.
History and name
The falls were likely first seen by westerners on the Lewis and Clark expedition and were named later for their misty spray. A lodge opened near the foot in 1916 as the Multnomah Lodge, later renamed Mist Falls Lodge; it burned in 1929, and its chimney still stands near the path.
Nearby
Wahkeena Falls and Little Necktie Falls are about 0.3 mile away, Fairy Falls about 0.5 mile and Multnomah Falls about 0.9 mile.
Distances are straight-line.