Portland Autumn Trip ｜ Hiking at Multnomah Falls in the Rain 💦

The third stop of my Portland autumn tour brought me to the main destination of this trip—Multnomah Falls. That’s right! It was the stunning autumn scenery of Multnomah Falls that inspired me to plan this journey~ 😍 I set off early this morning and arrived by public transport around 9 a.m., hoping to spend plenty of time at the waterfall. Eager to challenge myself, I planned to hike a 5-mile loop from Multnomah Falls to Wahkeena. However, the weather had other plans—it was drizzling when I arrived, and the stone trails were slippery. At the time, I was too captivated by the majestic waterfall to realize the risks of hiking in the rain. 😅 Multnomah Falls in late autumn, adorned with sparse yellow leaves and shrouded in mist, felt like a fairy-tale wonderland. 🌫️🍂 The waterfall is divided into upper and lower sections by the iconic stone bridge. Walking across the bridge, I could feel the roar of the waterfall up close. Today, I also spotted a smaller waterfall nearby, similar in height but delicate and thin, reminiscent of the Bridalveil Fall in Yosemite. 🌊 These two waterfalls—one passionate and powerful, the other quiet and graceful—created a striking contrast. As I hiked upward, I admired the waterfall from various angles. Sometimes, I could see its full grandeur; other times, I could only hear its roar without seeing it. There were moments when the waterfall blended seamlessly with the surrounding trees and rocks, forming a picturesque scene. 🖼️ Along the trail, I also enjoyed views of the Columbia River and the mountains on the opposite shore, layered and veiled in mist. At one turn, the faint morning light gently lifted the mysterious veil over the opposite shore, as if another world was slowly awakening before my eyes. 🌄 As I continued upward, the trail narrowed. At a viewpoint, the slope steepened, and I began to feel nervous. My legs trembled uncontrollably, worried that while I might make it up, I might struggle to get back down. Suddenly, a storm swept in, the rain pelting against me with a relentless tap-tap-tap-tap. 💨🌧️ After a moment’s thought, I decided to turn back for safety, even though it meant not reaching the top of the upper falls. It was a wise decision—by the time I descended, I was frozen stiff, drenched despite my waterproof jacket. Walking back across the stone bridge, I could no longer tell whether it was rain or waterfall mist drifting toward me. 😰 In the end, after a short break, I decided to cut the trip short and took an earlier bus back to the hotel. This was a "small but fulfilling" journey. Although I didn’t complete the hike, I gave it my best effort. Leaving a little regret behind gives me a reason to return someday~ 😊🙏 #MultnomahFalls #RainyHike #PortlandAutumn #WaterfallViews #HikingAdventure #TravelDiary #NatureLover