Scenic 2-Hour River Cruise to the Willamette Falls!

What's included

What you'll see and do

1. Portland

   Portland is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers, Portland is the county seat of Multnomah County, the most populous county in Oregon. As of 2020, Portland had a population of 652,503, making it the 26th-most populated city in the United States, the sixth-most populous on the West Coast, and the second-most populous in the Pacific Northwest, after Seattle. Approximately 2.5 million people live in the Portland metropolitan statistical area, making it the 25th most populous in the United States. About half of Oregon's population resides within the Portland metropolitan area.

   Pass by without stopping

2. Elk Rock Island

   Elk Rock Island is an island on the Willamette River in the U.S. state of Oregon. The 12- to 13-acre (4.9- to 5.3-ha) island, formed 40 million years ago by a volcano, was given to Portland by Peter Kerr in 1940. The city of Milwaukie took ownership of the park in April 2016. The island is accessible via Spring Park.

   Pass by without stopping

3. Willamette Falls

   The Willamette Falls is a horseshoe-shaped block waterfall caused by a basalt shelf in the river bottom. The 42-foot-high and 1,500-foot-wide falls occurs 26 river miles upstream from the Willamette's confluence with the Columbia River. It's the largest waterfall by water volume in the Northwest and the 18th largest by volume. Around the falls are the locks, which are the oldest continuously operating multi-lift lock and canal system in the United States.

   Pass by without stopping

4. Tilikum Crossing

   Tilikum Crossing, Bridge of the People is a cable-stayed bridge across the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States. It was designed by TriMet, the Portland metropolitan area's regional transit authority, for its MAX Orange Line light rail passenger trains. The bridge also serves city buses and the Portland Streetcar, as well as bicycles, pedestrians, and emergency vehicles. Private cars and trucks are not permitted on the bridge. It is the first major bridge in the U.S. that was designed to allow access to transit vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians but not cars.

   Pass by without stopping

5. Hawthorne Bridge

   The Hawthorne Bridge is a truss bridge with a vertical lift that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, joining Hawthorne Boulevard and Madison Street. It is the oldest vertical-lift bridge in operation in the United States and the oldest highway bridge in Portland. It is also the busiest bicycle and transit bridge in Oregon, with over 8,000 cyclists and 800 TriMet buses (carrying about 17,400 riders) daily. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in November 2012.

   Pass by without stopping

6. Oregon City

   Known in recent decades as the site of several large paper mills on the Willamette River, the city played a significant role in the early history of the Oregon Country. It was established by Hudson's Bay Company's Dr. John McLoughlin in 1829 near the confluence of the Clackamas River with the Willamette to take advantage of the power of Willamette Falls to run a lumber mill. During the 1840s and 1850s, it was the destination for those wanting to file land claims after traveling the Oregon Trail as the last stop on the trail. It was the capital of the Oregon Territory from its establishment in 1848 until 1851 and rivaled Portland for early supremacy in the area. In 1846, the city's newspaper, the Oregon Spectator, was the first American newspaper to be published west of the Rocky Mountains. Oregon City was the site of the Beaver Coins Mint, producing the short-lived independent Oregon Territory currency in 1849.

   Pass by without stopping

7. Willamette Park

   Willamette Park is a city park of about 26 acres (11 ha) in south Portland, in the U.S. state of Oregon. Located at Southwest Macadam Avenue and Nebraska Street, the park includes a boat dock and ramp, paved and unpaved paths, picnic areas, restrooms, a dog off-leash area, a playground, a soccer field, and tennis courts.

   Pass by without stopping

8. George Rogers Park

   George Rogers Park is Lake Oswego's first community park and one of its most diverse. Situated on the Willamette River, the park is the site of significant Native American activity over 10,000 years ago. In the early 19th century, the river landing at the mouth of Oswego Creek was a convenient camping place for explorers, fur traders, and pioneers. In the words of a Lake Oswego resident, it was "a stopping place, a sort of relay station for boats both large and small, plying up and down the river between Astoria and Champoeg."

   Pass by without stopping

9. Steel Bridge

   The Steel Bridge is a through truss, double-deck vertical-lift bridge across the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, United States, opened in 1912. Its lower deck carries railroad and bicycle/pedestrian traffic, while the upper deck carries road traffic (on the Pacific Highway West No. 1W, former Oregon Route 99W), and light rail (MAX), making the bridge one of the most multimodal in the world. It is the only double-deck bridge with independent lifts in the world and the second oldest vertical-lift bridge in North America, after the nearby Hawthorne Bridge. The bridge links the Rose Quarter and Lloyd District in the east to the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood in the west.

   Pass by without stopping

10. Clackamas River

    The Clackamas River is located to the west of the Cascade Range and to the south of the Columbia River Gorge in northern Oregon. Flowing northwest from its sources high in the Cascade Mountains, the designated portion of the river, which is 47 miles (75.6 km) in length, runs from Big Spring (headwaters area) to Big Cliff, just south of the town of Estacada. This most picturesque region is entirely within the Mt. Hood National Forest and encompasses forested lands, wetlands, riparian areas and rock cliffs.

    Pass by without stopping

11. Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge

    Portland Parks & Recreation's Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge is a 163-acre complex of meadows, woodlands, and wetlands in Portland on the east bank of the Willamette River, just north of the Sellwood Bridge.

    Pass by without stopping

12. Milwaukie

    Milwaukie was settled in 1847 and formally platted in 1849 as a rival to the upriver Oregon City by Lot Whitcomb, who named it for Milwaukee, Wisconsin. At the time, the Wisconsin city was also frequently spelled "Milwaukie" before the current spelling was adopted

    Pass by without stopping

13. Oregon Museum of Science and Industry

    The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI, /ˈɒmziː/ OM-zee) is a science and technology museum in Portland, Oregon, United States. It contains three auditoriums, including a large-screen theatre, planetarium, and exhibition halls with a variety of hands-on permanent exhibits focused on natural sciences, industry, and technology. Transient exhibits span a wider range of disciplines.

    Pass by without stopping

14. Clackamette Park

    Clackamette Park is a public park in Oregon City, in the U.S. state of Oregon. The park has a boat ramp,[1] and served as a film location for Grimm

    Pass by without stopping

15. USS Blueback (SS-581) is a Barbel-class submarine that served in the United States Navy from 1959 to 1990, and subsequently was made into an exhibit at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. She was the second Navy submarine to bear the name.

    Pass by without stopping

16. Tom McCall Waterfront Park

    Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park is a 36.59-acre (148,100 m2) park located in downtown Portland, Oregon, along the Willamette River. After the 1974 removal of Harbor Drive, a major milestone in the freeway removal movement, the park was opened to the public in 1978. The park covers 13 tax lots and is owned by the City of Portland (Portland Parks and Recreation). The park was renamed in 1984 to honor Tom McCall, the Oregon governor who pledged his support for the beautification of the west bank of the Willamette River—harkening back to the City Beautiful plans at the turn of the century which envisioned parks and greenways along the river. The park is bordered by RiverPlace to the south, the Steel Bridge to the north, Naito Parkway to the west, and Willamette River to the east. In October 2012, Waterfront Park was voted one of America's ten greatest public spaces by the American Planning Association.

    Pass by without stopping

17. St. Johns Bridge

    It is the tallest bridge in Portland, with two 400-foot-tall (120 m) towers and a 205-foot (62 m) navigational clearance

    Pass by without stopping

18. South Waterfront Park

    The Tram is a popular destination for tourists, locals and people just looking to try something fun.

    Pass by without stopping

19. Sellwood

    Neighborhood with a pleasant, small shopping area with dozens of antique shops.

    Pass by without stopping

20. Portland

    return to Meeting Point after river tour of 2 Hours

    5 minutes here

Where it starts and ends

Options you can book

• Private Group Up to 6 Visitors

  Duration: 2 hours Food Bring your own: All cruises are BYOB (Bring your own) . Food and drinks and alcohol are allowed Private Group Up to 6 person : Led by a US Coast Guard–licensed captain and certified guide, our private charters for up to six guests

• Shared seats

  Duration: 2 hours Food Bring your own: All cruises are BYOB (Bring your own) . Food and drinks and alcohol are allowed Description: Shared seating for up to 18 guests

• Private Group 7+

  Duration: 2 hours Description: Large Group Private Tours (for 7 or more passengers). Led by a US Coast Guard–licensed captain

Before you book

Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Languages

en

Ticket

Mobile Only

Runs on

Every day

Group size

Up to 15 travelers per booking

Operated by

Portland River Tours

Know before you go

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• Disclaimer: Our top priority is always your safety on the river. While we make every effort to operate tours as advertised, equipment, vessels, staffing, departure times, and schedules may change without prior notice due to mechanical issues, weather, river conditions, or other safety-related factors. To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience, substitutions or schedule adjustments may be necessary. In some cases, tours may not depart at the exact scheduled time due to changing river conditions. If any changes are required, we will notify you as early as reasonably practicable. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

Photos

Traveler reviews

130 verified traveler reviews for Scenic 2-Hour River Cruise to the Willamette Falls!. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.