The Pacific Northwest stretches across three states — Idaho, Oregon, and Washington — and into Canada’s British Columbia province. Bordered by the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains to the east, the region is home to some of the most stunning scenery in North America. That makes it nearly impossible to narrow down a list of the Pacific Northwest’s most beautiful sites, but here are seven of our favorite gems to visit.
Multnomah Falls – Oregon
This remarkable 611-foot cascade draws around 2 million tourists each year. Located about 30 minutes outside Portland in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, these spring-fed, forest-ensconced, and reliably flowing falls are the most-visited natural recreation site in the Pacific Northwest, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The name of the falls derives from the Multnomah peoples; according to local lore, they were created for a young princess in search of a secluded bathing spot.
To take in the full scale of Multnomah Falls, head to the viewing area carved out of the rock face, where both tiers of the falls are on view. For an even better perspective, walk up the trail to Benson Bridge — so named for the businessman who owned the site in the early 20th century — where you’ll get a surreal dual view of the top tier’s 542-foot height in one direction, paired with the bottom tier’s 69-foot drop opposite.
Orcas Island – Washington
Of the more than 170 islands that make up the lush San Juan archipelago between Washington state and British Columbia, the largest also happens to come with the most misleading name: Orcas.
Yes, the island is a whale-watching hotspot. And yes, you may well see orcas (also known as killer whales) in the waters off its coast. In this case, however, the name derives not from the beloved black-and-white cetacean, but rather from Horcasitas — or more accurately, Juan Vicente de Güemes Padilla Horcasitas y Aguayo, the Viceroy of New Spain who dispatched an expedition to the Pacific Northwest in 1791.
While traces of that voyage have mostly vanished from these parts, the Orca Island Historical Museums house many objects that predate it, thanks to the millennia of Indigenous settlements on the island. Besides exploring the island’s laid-back beauty (there are no traffic lights anywhere in the San Juans) and other abundant wildlife, you’ll want to do a tasting tour of Orcas: Many of its 57 square miles are dedicated to farming, to say nothing of the fantastic sea-to-fork feasting options.
Crater Lake – Oregon
Before Crater Lake plunged to depths of almost 2,000 feet in the Cascade Mountains of south-central Oregon, a 12,000-foot-tall volcano called Mount Mazama loomed in its place. When Mount Mazama burst approximately 7,700 years ago, its walls collapsed inward and left a cavernous basin that filled up with water — resulting in the deepest lake in the United States (and ninth-deepest in the world).
Without inlets or outlets that bring in sediment or mineral deposits, Crater Lake is fed only by precipitation, which gives it an incredibly clear blue hue — and the nickname “Lake Majesty.” It is the centerpiece of a namesake national park that welcomes around 700,000 revelers per year. In the summer, visitors can drive around the rim of Crater Lake, with its dozens of scenic lookouts, or take boat tours around the two small islands that punctuate the lake’s smooth surface.
Craters of the Moon National Monument – Idaho
Located in the Snake River Plain of Central Idaho, the volcanic landscape of Craters of the Moon is like few other places on Earth. In fact, it’s so suggestive of the lunar landscape that Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell, Joe Engle, and Eugene Cernan visited in 1969 on a geology training mission, and the area is still used for space science research.
Volcanic activity dating back about 20,000 years has left three major lava fields in the area, as well as 25 cinder cones, tree molds (which preserve the remains of living trees overcome by lava), craters, and more. Fascinating features among the more than 53,000 acres include lava tube caves and the Blue Dragon lava flow, named for its striking color and resemblance to a prehistoric reptile.
Three Fingers Lookout – Washington
Constructed in the 1930s to spot fires in Washington’s Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, this weather-beaten, one-room observation center sits atop Three Fingers mountain, Washington’s 12th-most-prominent peak. Abandoned for years, the outpost was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 and is now maintained by volunteers.
The 360-degree mountain views are the star of the show — particularly at dusk, as the sun sinks into Puget Sound. Getting these views, however, is not for the faint of heart. The lookout is the culmination of a strenuous 15-mile hike, and the final part requires mountaineering tools and expertise, including ice axes. (Ropes and crampons are also recommended for traversing the glacial snowfield.) Hikers then need to ascend ladders that are bolted into the rock.
Cannon Beach – Oregon
Fans of the 1985 film The Goonies will likely recognize Oregon’s Cannon Beach and its shimmering sand that beckons visitors toward a 235-foot-high sea stack, aptly named Haystack Rock. The towering basalt rock and its three smaller neighbors — nicknamed the Needles — are by-products of lava that settled in the Pacific Ocean approximately 17 million years ago, then surfaced due to plate tectonics and sea level changes.
During low tide, you can approach Haystack Rock’s tidepools on horseback to glimpse marine life such as orange and purple sea stars and furls of green anemone, all while eavesdropping on the coos of puffins, pelagic cormorants, and occasional bald eagles nesting in the sea stack’s crevices. If you book a trip in December or January, you can also witness the migration of up to 20,000 gray whales along the coast. As spectacular as the natural scenery is, Cannon Beach is located just 90 minutes northwest of Portland.
Shoshone Falls – Idaho
Despite playing second fiddle in its nickname — the “Niagara of the West” — Idaho’s Shoshone Falls actually stands taller than Niagara, reaching a height of 212 feet with a rim spanning 900 feet wide. The falls were an early “roadside” attraction as a popular detour for settlers along the Oregon Trail in the mid-19th century. And long before then, the falls provided sustenance for the Lemhi Shoshone peoples (for which it’s now named), who relied on the Snake River’s salmon population as their primary food source.
Though Shoshone is stunning any time of year, water flow varies depending on the season. The falls experience peak flow in the spring months as temperatures rise, caused by snowmelt in the nearby Rocky Mountains. Throughout the summer, however, water is diverted to irrigate nearby farmland, leaving Shoshone Falls a relatively dry — albeit still impressive — rock formation.
Featured Stories
More from our network
Daily Passport is part of Optimism, which publishes content that uplifts, informs, and inspires.
