Things to do nearBenson Bridge

Benson Bridge was constructed in 1914 and named for Simon Benson, a Portland timber baron and civic benefactor who donated the land surrounding Multnomah Falls to the city of Portland. The bridge was designed as part of the Historic Columbia River Highway, one of the earliest paved scenic roads in the United States, and it has served as the primary pedestrian crossing between the lower and upper trail systems ever since. Its simple arched stonework fits quietly into the basalt canyon walls, looking as though it grew from the gorge itself rather than being placed there by human hands.

From the center of Benson Bridge, visitors look directly up at the full two-tiered drop of Multnomah Falls, which descends a total of roughly 620 feet making it one of the tallest year-round waterfalls in the country. The lower falls pour directly beneath the bridge, and the sound and movement of the water create a sense of complete immersion in the landscape. Benson Bridge sits at an elevation where the microclimate is noticeably cooler and wetter than the surrounding plateau, lending it an almost otherworldly atmosphere on warm summer afternoons.

The trail network beyond the bridge extends through old-growth forest and past several smaller cascades, rewarding those who continue past the initial viewpoint with quieter surroundings and layered views of the gorge. The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail connects nearby, making it possible to explore a longer stretch of the gorge by foot or bicycle.

Few natural landmarks in Oregon combine accessibility, history, and raw scenic power as effectively as Benson Bridge, and its enduring popularity across more than a century speaks to how genuinely memorable the experience of standing above those falls can be.