Oregon's waterfalls and volcanoes

Route description

From Portland, follow I-84 east into the Columbia River Gorge to Multnomah Falls, Oregon’s tallest waterfall at 620 feet in two tiers, reached from its own exit on the interstate. In summer a timed permit may be required, so check before you go.

Continue east to Hood River, then take OR-35 south around the flank of Mount Hood and US-26 toward Warm Springs, joining US-97 at Madras. East of the Cascades the damp fir forest gives way to juniper and sagebrush, and the high desert opens up around Bend, a lively town on the Deschutes River with volcanic buttes and lava fields close by.

South of Bend, US-97 runs through pine forest before OR-138 turns west toward Crater Lake National Park, where the deepest lake in the US fills a collapsed volcano. Rim Drive is usually fully open only from July to October, and snow can linger along the rim into early summer. Stop at several overlooks, as the color of the water changes with the light.