Visiting White River Falls State Park
A solid two hours from Portland, White River Falls State Park is a long drive to a fairly quick stop. It’s not close to major tourist destinations or particularly on the way to any. While not the most convenient, the remote location means that the magnificent waterfall stays peaceful and uncrowded. Visiting can be an easy viewpoint stop or a short but rugged hike. Bring water and snacks. Here’s everything you need to know about visiting White River Falls State Park.
White River Falls from the viewpoint
Hike options
White River Falls Viewpoint (no hiking)
Take the stairs down to the river and the old powerhouse. It’s short, about a quarter mile out and back, but on a steep, rough trail.
Hike past the powerhouse to Lower White River Falls, about 1 mile out and back.
Lower White River Falls
Know before you go
Cost: It’s free to visit White River Falls State Park. You don’t need a parking pass.
Season: White River Falls State Park is open all year. From November 1st through March 14th, the gate at the entrance is closed. You can park in front of the gate and walk in.
Amenities: Picnic tables are on the lawn by the parking lot. The restroom building is open from March 15th through October 31st. In the winter, there’s a porta-potty. In summer, you can get potable water from the spigot in front of the restroom building.
Dogs: Leashed dogs are allowed at White River Falls State Park. The viewpoint is a good dog-friendly stop, the hiking trail less so. Watch for poison ivy. Please don’t leave your dog in the car. The parking lot gets hot.
Kids: The viewpoint for White River Falls is fenced and family-friendly. The hiking trail gets close to drop-offs and has rough terrain. It’s not a great destination with kids, especially younger kids.
Hazards: Swimming isn’t recommended at White River Falls State Park due to unpredictable currents. Poison ivy grows along the hiking trail. Watch for rattlesnakes and ticks.
Accessibility: The parking lot for White River Falls State Park is gravel. To reach the viewpoint, you cross a small patch of grass to reach a paved walkway. Beyond the viewpoint, the trail is uneven, unpaved, and steep.
Head to the fence to see White River Falls
White River Falls Viewpoint
The White River Falls Viewpoint is one of Oregon’s best road trip stops. Only a few steps away from the parking lot, a short paved walkway overlooks the powerful, 90-foot White River Falls and the rugged White River Canyon. A fence along the canyon wall keeps it safe for families. Serviceberries bloom along the fence in spring, as does an unlikely patch of irises growing more or less on a cliff face. Nearby are benches and picnic tables where you can hear but not quite see the waterfall.
Picnic area
White River Falls looks most impressive in the spring, when water surges over a ledge of chunky basalt. Even in the drier months of late summer, the breadth of the falls and drama of the canyon keep it interesting. A second, lower tier is just out of view. On my last visit, a great blue heron flew overhead while I was at the viewpoint.
White River Falls
Besides the waterfall, the viewpoint overlooks the White River flowing at the base of a canyon. The crumbling building you see at the bottom is the remains of an old powerhouse from the days when a dam was here. A sign at the viewpoint describes the dam’s history. To the left of the sign is the start of the hiking trail.
White River Canyon
White River Falls hike
Distance: 0.9 miles out and back
Elevation gain: 150 feet
Difficulty: Easy/moderate
Most people who visit White River Falls State Park stop at the viewpoint, or just slightly past it. Don’t be fooled by the nice paved section at the beginning of the hiking trail. It soon turns steep and rocky. If you enjoy a rugged trail, the hike takes you through beautiful high desert scenery along the White River.
Start of the hiking trail
Just past where the paved section of the trail ends, you’ll be able to see White River Falls from straight on, including its lower tier. This 45-foot drop is named as a separate waterfall, Celestial Falls. Below it is a wide pool that flows out as rapids.
White River Falls
The main trail descends about 0.1 miles on a set of mostly intact stairs. On the way down, a branch off to the right leads to a ledge with a clear view of White River Falls. It’s next to drop-offs and isn’t kid-friendly. If you walk out onto the ledge, I’d return to the main trail after seeing the views. It’s a less sketchy descent.
Ledge overlooks White River Falls
At the bottom of the stairs, you’ll be at the old powerhouse and the banks of the White River. Desert parsley and balsamroot bloom around the trail in spring.
Stairs to White River
As fascinating as it is ugly, it’s hard to resist a closer look at the powerhouse. Through bars on the windows, you can see graffiti-covered equipment under the partially collapsed ceiling.
Power house equipment
At this point, you’ve seen the best views of White River Falls. You can turn around here or continue on the short but rocky trail to Lower White River Falls, about 0.3 miles ahead.
The trail continues past the powerhouse
Past the powerhouse, the trail is a narrow dirt path through sagebrush and ponderosa pines. Desert parsley blooms abundantly in April. Unfortunately, so does poison ivy. Watch your step. The trail follows the White River. Dramatic canyon walls rise steeply on either side.
White River Falls hike
The trail is faint at times, although between the river and cliffs, you can’t go too far astray. When you get close to Lower White River Falls, the trail crosses a basalt ledge next to the river.
Desert parsley blooms in spring
The 15-foot Lower White River Falls looks like a tall cascade. In spring, balsamroot blooms add yellow patches to the bright green of new grass. Most of the rest of the year, muted browns dominate the landscape.
Balsamroot at Lower White River Falls
The White River Falls hike doesn’t so much end as peter out. You can turn around at Lower White River Falls or continue a little farther. Past the waterfall, the trail climbs up to a ledge above the White River, which is as far as I’ve gone or would recommend going. After the ledge, it’s a rocky scramble back down to the riverbank. Before turning back, rocks next to the trail are lovely places to sit and have a snack as you look down at the river. While eating my peanuts, I watched a couple of common mergansers navigate the rapids.
End of the hike
Getting there
To reach White River Falls State Park from Portland, take I-84 E to The Dalles. At Exit 87, take a right at the end of the ramp onto US-197 S/US-30 W. In 0.2 miles, take a left onto US-197 S and continue for 28 miles. Turn left onto OR-216 E. Continue for 4 miles. White River Falls State Park will be on your right. The parking lot is gravel and is no problem for low-clearance vehicles.
The drive from Portland takes 2 hours. From Hood River, 1 hour.
Explore nearby
Check out the best things to do in The Dalles.
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