Things to do nearHorsetail Falls

Horsetail Falls sits along the Historic Columbia River Highway in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area of Oregon. The gorge itself was carved by catastrophic Ice Age floods, and the basalt walls surrounding the falls preserve millions of years of volcanic history in their layered faces.

The falls drop 176 feet in a single narrow plunge, feeding a small pool before draining into the gorge below. A well-maintained trail departs from the pullout and climbs through fern-draped forest, looping behind the neighboring Ponytail Falls before returning through an open canyon with long views across the gorge toward Washington State.

Each February, when conditions align, the late afternoon sun angles through a gap in the ridgeline and briefly bathes Horsetail Falls in warm orange light, mimicking the famous firefall effect. The window lasts only minutes, drawing photographers from across the region.

Outside that seasonal spectacle, Horsetail Falls rewards visitors year-round with accessible scenery, the sound of rushing water, and a tangible sense of geological scale that makes it one of the most memorable short stops along the entire gorge corridor.