Overview

• Location: Hood River County, Columbia River Gorge (near Mosier)

• Waterfall Type: Horsetail

• Height: ~80 feet (24 m)

• Trail Distance: ~1–2 miles round-trip via trail near Mosier

• Difficulty: Easy

• Best Time to Visit: Spring through early summer

History & Background

Mosier Falls is an 80-foot horsetail waterfall in Hood River County, located near the community of Mosier in the eastern Columbia River Gorge. The eastern gorge around Mosier is famous for the Historic Mosier Twin Tunnels — two historic tunnels bored through the basalt cliffs of the gorge, now part of the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail and one of the most popular cycling and walking destinations in the region. The falls are accessible from the Mosier area’s trail network and represent one of the eastern gorge’s less-trafficked waterfall destinations, set in the transitional landscape where the lush western Gorge gives way to the drier, oak-studded slopes of the eastern Gorge near Hood River.

Geology

Mosier Falls horsetails 80 feet over the Columbia River Basalt cliff face at approximately 200 feet elevation in the eastern Columbia River Gorge. The eastern gorge receives significantly less annual precipitation than the western Gorge — often less than 20 inches per year — creating the drier, more open landscape of oak woodland and bunchgrass that characterizes this area. Mosier Creek descends steeply from the plateau above, fed primarily by winter and spring rains, and its flow diminishes substantially by midsummer.

Directions & Access

• Nearest City: Mosier, OR (~2 miles east); Hood River, OR (~5 miles west)

• Trail Information:

  • Access via trail network near Mosier in the eastern Columbia River Gorge; the route passes through dry oak woodland and ponderosa pine typical of the eastern gorge transition zone

  • The Historic Mosier Twin Tunnels State Trail is nearby and can be combined with a falls visit for a rewarding eastern gorge day trip

• Parking:

  • Limited trailhead or roadside parking near the access point; no formal facilities

• Accessibility:

  • Short, relatively easy trail; generally accessible for most visitors

Best Time to Visit

• Spring: Best flows; eastern gorge wildflowers peak in April–May with spectacular balsamroot blooms

• Summer: Flows diminish quickly in the dry eastern gorge climate; hot conditions

• Fall: Modest flows returning with October rains; golden oak foliage

• Winter: Some winter flow; accessible in mild conditions

Nearby Attractions

• Historic Mosier Twin Tunnels (cycling, walking)

• Hood River (windsurfing, fruit loop)

• Tom McCall Nature Preserve (Rowena Crest)

• Cushing Falls (nearby)

• Stacker Butte

References

• Links:

  • Oregon State Parks – Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail

  • Travel Oregon – Hood River and Eastern Gorge

• Books:

  • Oregon Waterfalls by Greg Plumb

  • Waterfall Lover's Guide: Pacific Northwest