A hike to Fairy Falls in Oregon’s Columbia Gorge to take photographs is an opportunity that no landscape photographer or outdoor enthusiast should pass on.  As the hike to Fairy Falls starts at the Wahkeena Falls Trailhead, Wahkeena Falls is a destination of its very own to take pictures and for the majority of visitors, Wahkeena is the main attraction and can be literally photographed just a few feet from the parking lot.   As Wahkeena Falls is certainly a spectacular waterfall in size and volume, I believe that Fairy Falls is the more photogenic of the two and so I had planned to hike the short 1 mile up to Fairy Falls.  Also, shouldn’t you work just a little harder to get a good shot?  

The hike is a fairly short 2 miles round trip.  However, the hike should be considered moderate as it does gain steeply 970 feet in just a mile.  The trail is well maintained with approximately 3/4 of the trail paved.  The last stretch is slightly rocky and steep.   The trail is certainly crowded with visitors passing every couple of minutes at least on this weekend I visited.   Once you reach Fairy Falls there is an optional loop hike you can take to reach Multnomah Falls which is 5.4 miles and takes you back to your car.  Accounting for probably many of the hikers on the trail is that you can also reach Larch Mountain, Devil’s Rest, and Angel’s Rest by connecting to various trails intertwined in the area.  So this trail leads to a popular waterfall and also many other hikes and destinations in the Gorge area.   

The hike to Fairy Falls starts towards the right of the trailhead (west) and after 0.4 miles you reach the top and main view of Wahkeena Falls.  Going further, and after approximately a dozen switchbacks, you reach a junction where if you turn right you can hike approximately 200 feet to Lemmon’s Viewpoint for a spectacular view of Columbia Gorge, or just turn left at the junction and head up to Fairy Falls.  Along the way, the trail parallels Wahkeena Creek and plenty of photo opportunities exist.  You can scramble just a few feet down to the creek and take pictures when you find something that captures your eye.

Fairy Falls is one of the most photographed waterfalls in Oregon as I see its unique image quite frequently online as well as it being noted for its beauty in many guide books.  Fairy Falls is fed by a small branch of Wahkeena Creek and is a rather short fall of 20 feet and just one drop.  However, what distinguishes Fairy Falls from others in the area is its spectacular fan shape.  Due to its low volume of water this falls creates beautiful whispers of water which, with a slow shutter speed enhanced by a polarizer and neutral density filter, offer the photographer a top spot to take shots.   Also what makes this falls a good one to photograph is that you can get close up to the falls without the risk of spray or mist fogging up your lens.

As usual, early morning and a cloudy or rainy day to photograph is mandatory.   At approximately 11:00 AM the sun did rise above the falls and curtailed the photo opportunities.

However, I did head back down the trail and took pictures of Wahkeena Creek as the dense tree cover kept down the light.

This was a highly pleasurable trip as the short yet moderate hike was good exercise, the scenery was spectacular and the photography opportunities were endless.

To Get There:

Wahkeena Trailhead from Portland can be reached by driving east on I-84 and taking the Bridal Veil exit (Exit 28).  Follow the Historic Highway 2.4 miles to the Wahkeena Trailhead.  There is also a small campground and picnic area at the trailhead with restrooms and picnic tables.  There is no fee to visit the area.