MULTNOMAH COUNTY, Ore. (Aug. 29, 2026) — A 70-year-old woman died Friday after falling an estimated 400 feet from a trail near Horsetail Falls in the Columbia River Gorge, authorities said.
The Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office responded Aug. 28 to a report of a hiker who had fallen approximately a half-mile up the trail near Horsetail Falls, located at 56600 E. Historic Columbia River Highway.
Cascade Locks Fire notified the sheriff’s office at about 1:45 p.m. after the woman’s friend reported the fall and called for help.
Emergency responders located the woman and determined she had died from injuries sustained in the fall, according to the sheriff’s office.
The woman’s identity was not immediately released pending notification of her next of kin.
Horsetail Falls is located along the Historic Columbia River Highway in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, about 2.75 miles east of Multnomah Falls. The waterfall and surrounding trails are part of the popular waterfall corridor along the historic highway.
The Horsetail Falls Trail, designated Trail No. 438, is described by the U.S. Forest Service as a short but steep hike that passes behind the base of Upper Horsetail Falls. The trailhead is also connected to a larger network of trails through the Columbia River Gorge, including routes toward Oneonta and the surrounding forest and wilderness areas.
Horsetail Falls is also accessible from the vicinity of Ainsworth State Park, which sits at the eastern end of the Historic Columbia River Highway’s popular Waterfall Corridor. The corridor includes several well-known waterfalls, including Multnomah, Latourell, Bridal Veil, Wahkeena and Horsetail Falls.
The Columbia River Gorge’s steep basalt cliffs, narrow trails and elevation changes make portions of the area challenging for hikers. The U.S. Forest Service describes the Horsetail Falls route as steep, underscoring the rugged nature of the terrain.
The sheriff’s office thanked Cascade Locks Fire and the Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office for their assistance with the response.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fall remains ongoing.
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