Waterfall Trolley FAQs

Here are our FAQs for the 2025 Season. Feel free to contact us with any other questions.

Notice for the 2025 Season – Note regarding Historic Highway and Multnomah Falls Visitor Reservations: A permit system is in place for the 2025 season for visitors to the Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls and Multnomah Falls.

All visitors to Multnomah Falls and Lodge and viewing areas arriving by private vehicle via I-84 will need a timed use permit. This timed permit does not reserve or guarantee you a parking space in any parking lot. If you arrive on one of our tours or via the Waterfall Trolley you will not need a permit and your entry to the Falls and Lodge can be at any time during the day.

The permits at Multnomah Falls will not include a reservation for a parking spot so it will still be on a first come first serve basis (see FAQs #2).  The good news is that your ticket on the Waterfall Trolley includes parking in our lot at Corbett, traveling the highway in one of our trolleys and your ticket is your access to view Multnomah Falls. Thus you do not have to deal with getting a reservation or try to find a parking spot to view Multnomah Falls.   Avoid the hassle of a permit, the parking hassles and learn about the history and geography of the area and book on the Waterfall Trolley and your visit to the Falls viewing areas are assured.  No permits needed.

1. Q: We have Forest Service reservations, doesn’t that include a parking spot reservation?

A: No, it does not.  If you drive the Historic Highway you will find that parking will be difficult if not impossible to find.  See questions 2 and 3 for a better explanation.  At best you have a 20% chance of getting a parking spot.  During peak hours the probability is much lower.  An all-day pass on the Waterfall Trolley gets you a parking spot in Corbett and opportunity to view the Waterfall Corridor at your pace.

2. Q: Where am I going to park?

A: There are 186 parking spaces in the I-84 lot between the east and westbound lanes.  There are 54 parking spaces on the Historic Highway in front of Multnomah Falls Lodge. These 240 spaces fill up by 9am if not sooner.  At the freeway lot there are gates that are closed when the lot is full.  Traffic in front of Multnomah Falls Lodge can back up for 20 minutes as people try to turn into the lot with 54 spots.  The best way to avoid the parking hassles that are now part of a trip to Multnomah Falls and/or the waterfall corridor is to exit I-84 at Exit 22.  Turn south and proceed uphill to the town of Corbett, 1.5 miles away.  Bear left at the top of the hill and drive a quarter of a mile to our parking lot across from the Fire Station. At our parking lot you will find free parking with the purchase of Waterfall Trolley ticket(s).  The Waterfall Trolley provides you with an opportunity to see the sites, hike the trails and view the scenery without worrying about parking.  

3. Q: How bad is the parking situation?

A: For you statisticians out there, the Forest Service and the State are currently in the process of deciding how many visitors per hour they will allow. If the arrivals are spread evenly throughout the day (which they are not) that allows for XXX cars per day.  If the average car carries 2 guests and they spend an average of two hours at Multnomah and leave (which does not necessarily happen as many would be on an all-day hike) there are 240 parking places for xxx cars or ??% of what is needed, split between 2 lots that are separated by an 8+ mile drive but only a 5-minute walk.  In reality, because of the all-day users, you have a no greater than a 1 in 5 chance (or 20%) or less of securing a parking spot.

4. Q: Can I just get a ride to Multnomah Falls?

A: Yes, you can ride the trolley just to the Multnomah Falls from any of our stops and back with the purchase of an all-day hop-on hop-off pass on the trolley for $35 adult, $18 youth (6-12). 

5. Q: Can I just buy the trolley ticket when I get to Multnomah Falls?

A: Yes, you can, if you are one of the lucky ones to get a rare available parking space or if you arrive on public transit.  Make sure you have a cell connection and buy your ticket at www.waterfalltrolley.com. Show the Waterfall Trolley driver the voucher you get on your phone and they can issue tickets at any stop. They cannot process credit cards, the ticket purchase must be done online at our website.  If you do not have a cell connection, please visit our sales booth in Corbett.  The advantage of buying a Waterfall Trolley ticket online in advance is that you are assured a parking spot in Corbett, a seat on the trolley when it leaves Corbett and your ticket includes the reservation with the US Forest Service to see Multnomah Falls.

6. Q. How long does it take to get to Multnomah Falls?

A: If you begin at our parking lot in Corbett it takes 33 minutes for the trolley to take the scenic highway to Multnomah Falls, eastbound, seeing two waterfalls enroute.

7. Q: How long is the trolley ride?

A: If you do not get off the trolley it takes 1-1/2 hours to do the round trip, actually 94 minutes to be exact. The all-day pass entitles to get on and off the trolley to sightsee or hike.

8. Q: Do the trolleys stop in the same location every time?

A: Yes, if going in the same direction.   The eastbound stops are all on the south side of the road.  The Westbound stops are all on the north side of the road (river side) and sometimes as far as 200 feet away from the eastbound stops.   Look for the “Shuttle Loading” paint on the pavement and/or the green “Board Here “signs.

9. Q: Really, this sounds a little ridiculous, are the Falls and the Waterfall Corridor that busy?

A: Yes, Multnomah Falls is visited by 2.5 million guests per year.  That’s no typo; you read it right, 2,500,000 people visit the Falls each year.   That is part of the reason the Forest Service and the State are instituting a reservation system to travel the Highway and see the Falls.  Your reservation does not include a parking space at any of the Falls.  Save the hassle and book tickets on the Waterfall Trolley and your arrival and US Forest Service reservation is taken care of.  

10. Q: I am concerned that my ticket/sticker will fall off, what will happen?

A: If you are wearing outer clothes that the sticker will not adhere to well, you may get into Multnomah Falls and onboard the trolley by showing your sticker stuck to a phone or other hard surface.  In wet conditions you can show your ticket to the driver and the Multnomah Lodge entry booth on the paper backing it is given to you on.   This takes more time and causes more questions but if there is no alternative, holding it up works. 

11. Q: What are the restroom facilities at the various stops?

A: Here are the facilities at each of our stops

Stop 1 – Corbett: Porta Potty, no running water but hand sanitizer is available

Stop 2 – Crown Point: full bathroom facilities, volunteer staffed

Stop 3 – Latourell Falls:  enclosed toilets, no running water

Stop 4 – Bridal Veil Falls: full bathroom facilities

Stop 5 – Angels Rest:  no bathroom facilities

Stop 6 – Wahkeena Falls: enclosed toilets, running water

Stop 7 – Multnomah Falls: full bathroom facilities

Stop 8 – Triple Falls: no bathroom facilities

Stop 9 – Horsetail Falls: no bathroom facilities

Stop 10 – Anisworth State Park: no bathroom facilities unless you camping there

12. Q: What are the food facilities at the stops?

A: Here are the Waterfall Trolley stops with food facilities:

Stop 1 – Corbett: The Corbett Country Market, with a good selection of snack and lunch food items.  It is located 150 feet from our loading area.

Stop 2 – Crown Point: Vista House – In the basement there is a coffee bar with snacks.  It is open 10 to 3 on Thursdays through Saturdays.  Volunteer run so may not be open on a particular day.

Stop 7 – Multnomah Falls: Full restaurant and outdoor snack bar facilities.

13. Q: What waterfalls are visible without getting off the trolley?

A: Here are the waterfalls visible from the trolley:

Stop 3 – Latourell Falls

Stop 4 – Bridal Veil – westbound only

Stop 6 – Wahkeena Falls – partial view

Stop 7 – Multnomah Falls

Stop 9 – Horsetail Falls

Enroute – Sheppard’s Dell – westbound only

14. Q: How long is the hike to get a view or picture of each waterfall?

A: Here are the hike times to view each waterfall:

Stop 3 – Latourell Falls: 2 to 7 minutes from 2 different view points

Stop 4 – Bridal Veil Falls: 10 to 15 minutes

Stop 5 – Angels Rest: To Coopey Falls – 25 to 30 minutes

Stop 6 – Wahkeena Falls: 20 minutes to bridge at base of Upper Wahkeena Falls

Stop 7 – Multnomah Falls: 3 minutes to view base of lower and upper falls. 10 to 15 minutes to Benson Bridge to base of upper falls.

Stop 8 – Triple Falls:

Stop 9 – Horsetail Falls: 1 minute

Other falls require short to long hikes.  Please refer to our Trail Guide or US Forest Service trail maps at trail heads.

15. Q: Are strollers allowed on the trolley?

A: Yes, strollers are allowed. We generally fold them up and store them in the back near where ADA guests are accommodated.

16. Q: What are the picnic facilities at the various Stops?

A: There are picnic tables at Stop 3 Latourell Falls (upper and lower areas), Stop 4 Bridal Veil Falls, and Stop 6 Wahkeena Falls.

17. Q: What are the Waterfall Trolleys and its stops accessibility limitations?

A: Gray Line Oregon and its Waterfall Trolley service work to ensure our services in the Columbia River Gorge offer equal access to all individuals regardless of their abilities.  We treat all of our guests with the same dignity.  Each of our trolleys is wheelchair lift equipped and has the capacity for two wheelchairs.  Please give us 24 hours’ notice when requiring wheelchair space.  The historic highway was designed well before ADA accessibility guidelines were considered and thus many of the stops are not designed for wheelchair access.  The accessibility of our stops varies greatly on this US Forest land designated as a National Scenic Area.  For the best information as to the accessibility of the various stops see these websites:

18. Q: We want to ride the Waterfall Trolley but are in downtown Portland and have a car, how do we get there?

A: Find your way to I-84 Eastbound.  Stay to the left as the freeway splits several times leaving Portland, and follow the signs to Cascade Locks.  Get off at Exit 22, Corbett, approximately 22 miles east of downtown.  Turn right at the top of the off ramp and follow the first sign to Vista House.  At the top of the 1.5-mile hill continue to follow the signs to Vista House and bear left at the uphill Y.   We are a quarter of a mile east on the historic highway, two lots beyond the Corbett Country Market and across the street from the fire department.   Look for the green trolley sales booth just off the highway on the left.

19. Q: We want to ride the Waterfall Trolley but are in downtown Portland and do not have a car, how do we get there?

A: We offer the Waterfall Express service which uses our Multnomah Falls & Columbia River Gorge tour coach for the transportation out to Multnomah Falls.  From there you can board the Waterfall Trolley with your all-day pass for a great day of sightseeing.  At 3pm a coach leaves Corbett for your return transportation to Portland.  The fare is $60 adult, $30 youth and includes the all-day Waterfall Trolley pass.  See the Waterfall Express page on this site for further information.

20. Q. Is there another way to get to the Waterfall Trolley as we cannot take the Waterfall Express and we do not have access to a car. Does Uber and Lyft service your Corbett parking and loading site?

A: As of 2021 Uber will provide service to the Corbett location, Lyft will not. Our sales booth address, parking lot and guest loading address is 36901 E. Historic Columbia River Highway, Corbett, Oregon 97019. Take the Waterfall Express, its easier and costs the same or less when there are two guests.

21. Q. We do not have a car, can’t take the Gorge Explorer/Waterfall Express and don’t want to use Uber or Lyft, how do we get there?

A: If you are in downtown Portland, take the TriMet MAX train to the Gateway Transit Center. There board the Columbia Area Transit (CAT) Columbia Gorge Express bus to Multnomah Falls. Buy your GLO1M trolley ticket at www.waterfalltrolley.com and board the trolley with your all day pass at Multnomah Falls. The MAX train operates regularly every 15-20 minutes. In 2024 the CAT Columbia Gorge Express bus operates from the Gateway Transit Center nine times a day, but only 5 of the departures work with the Waterfall Trolley schedule. Those departures from the Transit Center are at 7:20, 8:30, 10:20, 11:50, and 1:20 and take approximately 35 minutes to reach the freeway parking lot at Multnomah Falls. See https://www.ridecatbus.org/columbia-gorge-express/, and make sure to click on the Portland to Hood River tab for the correct schedule.

22. Q. Are pets allowed on the trolleys?

A: As a courtesy to other guests only dogs up to 30 pounds are allowed on the trolleys and then only on a space available basis.

23. Q. Do you have parking for RV’s?

A: Yes.  As an addition to our main lot at 36901 E. Historic Columbia River Highway in Corbett, we rent part of the parking lot across the street at the Corbett Fire Station.  Please back in on the west side of the lot against the row of trees in the lot to the west.  There are 20+ spaces on that side of the lot.  We do not rent any of the spaces behind the Fire Station.  If you are pulling a car there may be room to pull in and turn without unhooking depending on our volume of business that day.