Ponytail Falls

Cascade Locks, Oregon

4.6/5

based on 9 reviews

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Details

Distance

0.85 miles

Elevation Gain

463 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Talia Touboul

Ponytail Falls takes you along the trail in the Columbia River Gorge through a beautiful forest to a stunning waterfall.

Ponytail Falls is an easy 0.8 mile hike located in the gorge that begins at Horsetail Falls. After hiking up mild switchbacks, continue to your right at the first trailhead intersection. The path levels out before coming around the mountain and opening up to the waterfall.

This is the easiest waterfall hike in the Oregon Gorge and is accessible all year around. It is also a great spot to begin many of the other hikes in the area.

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Features

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Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Forest

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River

Romantic

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Ponytail Falls Reviews

Seth Whelden

Ponytail Falls

03/27/16

This spot is dope! So dope, in fact, that I proposed to my wife here a few years back. My suggestion, don't stop at Ponytail, keep going along the trail, all the way over the Oneonta Gorge and back down to the road. There is plenty more beauty to be seen along this trail, and by the time you've gotten up to Ponytail, the hard part is already over, so you might as well reward yourself with a couple more miles of awesome hiking!

5.0

Explorer

Jason Hatfield

Explorer

Ponytail Falls

12/22/15

Beautiful little falls that's easy to get to.

4.0

Explorer

Talia Touboul

Explorer

Ponytail Falls

10/07/15

If you don't have much time, this is the perfect waterfall to hike to. Simple, beautiful and easy access. Make sure to wear proper shoes, it's a little steep.

4.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Horsetail Falls Loop

Start off on this loop from Horsetail Falls Trailhead. It never hurts to start a hike with a view of Horsetail Falls. This 2.5 mile loop will start you off on Gorge trail #400 up Horsetail Falls Trail. You’ll encounter a few switchbacks before the trail flattens out and leads you into the valley toward Ponytail Falls. As you continue on this loop, you’ll get to hike behind the falls. After con...

Oneonta Gorge

*Currently closed (except a small portion of the upper trail between Multnomah Spur and Trail #444 on Larch Mountain)...here This hike is very short (1 mile roundtrip) but does take some time to do. The trail leads down from the road into a stream bed. You follow the stream bed upstream through a narrow gorge. At the entrance to the gorge there is a large log jam. This requires some balance to...

Triple Falls

Access to Triple Falls is currently closed. Learn more on the Forest Service Site. This hike, starting at the Oneonta Trailhead is a 3.2 mile roundtrip. You will gain approximately 600 feet in elevation as the trail often switches from moderate flat easy hiking to more difficult elevation gain and even a little bit of downhill. You will soon reach a junction point (#438) that leads to the Hors...

Multnomah Falls

See the beautiful Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge with just a few hundred foot walk. If you can, come early or late to avoid the crowds. Multnomah Falls is worth a quick stop anytime you're visiting the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in Oregon and is one of the closest waterfalls to Portland. This waterfall is the tallest in Oregon at 620 feet and the third largest in th...

Larch Mountain's Summit

Done as a loop or one way shuttle (in summer/fall), the full Larch Mountain experience starts at the large (but still always full) Multnomah Falls parking lot. There you'll have the chance to grab a final snack, use the restroom, and fill water bottles before joining all the "tourist" hikers on the paved walk up to the top of the falls, where they tend to stop and this adventure truly begins. ...

Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop

The Multnomah-Wahkeena loop is a classic hike in the Columbia Gorge. Few hikes take you by as many waterfalls, and the tree cover makes it a great hike in the rain. Starting at the Multnomah Falls Parking Area, head to the main viewing area of Multnomah Falls. If you get there early in the morning, you can avoid some crowds while you take in one of Oregon's iconic sights. Be sure to read the...

Ponytail Falls

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Ponytail Falls Reviews

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Nearby

Horsetail Falls Loop

Oneonta Gorge

Triple Falls

Multnomah Falls

Larch Mountain's Summit

Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop

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