Top 15 Waterfall Canyoning and Abseiling in the USA

1.Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge Half-Day Hiking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,108 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $73Our pick

Leave Portland by air-conditioned minivan for a four-hour Columbia River Gorge outing with guides such as Ana, Carrie, James, and Edwin. You’ll visit Multnomah Falls, walk to Bridal Veil Falls, see Latourell Falls, and stop at gorge viewpoints. Expect short walks, one optional hike up to two miles, changing stops, and weather-ready conditions.

“Ana was the best, very informative and friendly. We went to see multiple waterfalls and great views and she explained the history of Oregon during the trip.”

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2.Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour from Portland, OR

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,278 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $89

Travel from downtown Portland to Crown Point, Latourell Falls, Horsetail Falls, and Multnomah Falls in a climate-controlled van capped at 12 people. Your local guide provides live commentary on Oregon’s geology, plants, Portland history, and the Columbia River Gorge. Guides may include Mel, Aaron, Daniel, Patrick, Chuck, or others.

“The scenery was beautiful. We stopped at several waterfalls and had ample time to enjoy the beauty and take photos. Daniel, our guide, was personable, informative, and amusing.”

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3.Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour Morning

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 913 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $85

Leave downtown Portland in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and follow the Historic Columbia River Highway to six scenic stops, including Wahkeena Falls, Vista House, Latourell Falls, Multnomah Falls, and Horsetail Falls. Guides such as John, Jay, Zach, Garrett, and Phoebe add local stories and keep the morning moving.

“Seeing beautiful countryside and amazing falls. Our guide was very informative and made sure we had a good day.”

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4.Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls & Mt Hood Tour from Portland, OR

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 585 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $149

Travel from downtown Portland in a premium van with up to 12 people, stopping at Vista House, Latourell Falls, Multnomah Falls, Hood River, and Timberline Lodge. Guides such as Nico, Dominique, Patrick, and Daniel are praised for lively local stories, photography help, and thoughtful pacing. Lunch is on your own in Hood River.

“A great trip that covered a lot of ground. Our guide, Dominque, was excellent. She has a wealth of knowledge of the places we traveled to.”

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5.Afternoon Half-Day Multnomah Falls and Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour from Portland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 473 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $85

Ride from downtown Portland in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van to Vista House, Latourell Falls, Multnomah Falls, and, if time allows, Horsetail Falls. Guides such as John, Garrett, Rob, and Phoebe share local history and help with photos. Expect a friendly small-group outing, steady timing, and some short walks.

“We were picked up on time by Gunnar who was very knowledgeable and informative and polite and fun. He was such a wealth of information, not only about all the falls we visited, but of Portland history, too.”

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6.Rappel Maui Waterfalls and Rainforest Cliffs

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 459 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $240

Meet guides such as Shauna, Alba, Deacon, Naomi, or Jackson near Haiku for a three-hour rainforest adventure. You will hike, learn rappelling technique, descend cliffs and waterfalls up to 30 feet, and swim in waterfall pools. Groups are limited to eight, with alternate routes used when water levels are unsafe.

“We had a great time with Deacon and Shauna. It was our first time rappelling and they made us feel at ease. We loved the adventure and the waterfalls were beautiful”

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7.Portland Sightseeing Tour Including Columbia Gorge Waterfalls

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 423 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $165

Spend about 8.5 hours exploring Portland and the Columbia River Gorge in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van with a guide such as Phil, Adam, Keira, or Gunnar. Expect downtown neighborhoods, Pioneer Courthouse Square, Washington Park, rose gardens, scenic overlooks, Latourell Falls, and Multnomah Falls, with lunch on your own.

“Oregon is beautiful and our tour guide Adam was the best tour guide we’ve ever had! He really knew his stuff and is a great storyteller.”

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8.Columbia Gorge Waterfalls and Mt. Hood Tour – Full Day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 339 reviews · 8 to 9 hours (approx.) · from $129

Ride from Portland in a small air-conditioned van with guides such as Adam, Jim, Riley, or Cameron. You’ll see four major waterfalls, enjoy free time for lunch in Hood River, pass through the Fruit Loop, and reach Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood. Snacks, water, hotel pickup at select hotels, and return transport are included.

“Ok, when I first saw all 5 stars for this tour, I had my doubts. Not one complaint? Impossible, I thought to myself. I definitely had to test this out. To my suprise this was one of the best tours we have taken. Adam was an awesome tour guide with a wealth of knowledge. When you search Google for information about Portland and the surrounding area, Google asks Adam. He was so helpful, patient, curteous, and professional... absolutely the greatest. He gave us everything we wanted to know and more. I even loved his recommendation of salmon fish and chips at the Full Sail, which we never had before. It…”

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9.Columbia River Gorge Waterfall Tour from Portland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 319 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $66Best value

Leave downtown Portland at 1 p.m. with guide Peter or Pete for a four-hour drive through the Columbia River Gorge. Visit Multnomah, Horsetail, Latourell, and Shepperd’s Dell Falls, plus Vista House. Hotel pickup, small groups, and round-trip transport make this an easy afternoon outing.

“This trip was great! We saw beautiful waterfalls, and learned a lot about the area. Peter was a great driver and a great guide. He made it very clear when he would pick us up. He had information about everything from fungus to moss to zoning bylaws in Portland. 100% recommend the Oregon Tour Co.”

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10.Columbia Gorge Waterfalls Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 260 reviews · 4 hours · from $89

Ride from downtown Portland in a small, high-roofed van to Crown Point, Latourell Falls, Horsetail Falls, and Multnomah Falls. Your English-speaking guide, such as Aaron, Mel, Jake, or Dominique, adds local stories about geology, plants, history, and Portland. Expect short walks, photo stops, and a scenic return.

“David was an excellent tour guide. Enjoyed having conversations with him.”

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11.Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Morning Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 147 reviews · 3h 30m · from $85

Leave Portland by Mercedes-Benz Sprinter for a 210-minute guided trip along the Historic Columbia River Highway. You’ll stop at Portland Women’s Forum, Vista House, Latourell Falls, and Multnomah Falls. Guides such as Phoebe, Gunnar, Phil, and John have been praised for lively local stories, while hotel pickup, bottled water, and a morning return keep the outing easy.

“I enjoyed the overall tour! some things I wasn't able to see due to the season and hope to come back again.”

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12.Waterfall Rappelling at Kulaniapia Falls: 120 Foot Drop, 15 Minutes from Hilo

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $279

At Kulaniapia Falls, guides such as Eric, Sasha, Jeremy, and Ben teach you to rappel a 120-foot route beside Hawaii’s largest privately accessible waterfall. Plan on two to three hours, getting wet in any weather, and sharing the experience with no more than eight people. You also get access to the property and its trails.

“The place this activity is located at is incredibly beautiful and really unique - wish we would have stayed there longer! The activity itself was fun. You can tell the guides are very passionate about rappelling. There was a lot more standing around and waiting than we anticipated but the perspective of looking up at and being next to the waterfall was really unique and fun. We all had a good time and enjoyed it (adults and teenagers)!”

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13.Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Afternoon Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 69 reviews · 3h 30m · from $85

Leave Portland in a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter for a 3.5-hour afternoon tour along the Historic Columbia River Highway. Stop at Portland Women’s Forum, Crown Point, Latourell Falls, and Multnomah Falls while your English-speaking guide explains the gorge’s scenery and past. Hotel pickup, drop-off, and bottled water are included.

“Pickup was on time, but I had to go outside & find the tour vehicle. I’m not sure if the guide would have come into the lobby to find us. That is a minor point, because the guide was tremendous in every way. The tour was very nice and the relevant information imparted along the way was invaluable. We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and we were given adequate time at each stop to do all the necessary things.”

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14.Columbia Gorge Waterfalls and Mt. Hood Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 47 reviews · 8 hours · from $149

Leave downtown Portland in a premium van with a guide such as Patrick, Dave, Zeke, or Daniel. Visit Crown Point, Latourell Falls, Multnomah Falls, Hood River, orchard country, and Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. You get scenery, local context, and easy transport in a group of up to 12.

“It was a nice trip, the waterfalls and Mt. Hood were amazing. We loved Timberline lodge on Mt. Hood. Our driver delivered virtue-signaling and liberal talking-points throughout the tour, which I didn't appreciate.”

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15.Half-Day Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 4h 30m · from $69

Leave Portland with an English-speaking naturalist guide for a 270-minute Columbia River Gorge outing. Visit Multnomah Falls and four to five waterfalls, walk through temperate rainforest, and stop at Historic Vista House. Jim has guided some departures, earning praise for his humor, local knowledge, and careful driving. Snacks and drinks are included, but lunch is not.

“Jim, Our tour guide was phenomenal. He was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable. He was a very safe driver as well. We really enjoyed our trip today. Thank you Jim for making our tour one to remember!”

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