This was our first day hike of the year. The parking lot is about 3 miles east of Bridal Veil Park. There is a picnic area in Latourell Park near the lot (but we went to Bridal Veil Park to eat). You can see the Lower falls from the parking lot, walk to the bridge, and continue up the trail to the Upper falls. There are many cute foot bridges that take you over small creeks that run into the main stream.

Jerry and I were able to walk mostly behind the second fall, and on our return trail, found a very small, very high overlook point. I don't recommend going there if you are afraid of heights, although the view was breathtaking. When you continue down the trail, you actually increase in elevation before finally dropping back down to the road. We actually wound up on the other side of the parking lot and had to walk down the road to get back to the XT.

When finished with the hike, we drove to Bridal Veil park and ate probably the best tasting sandwiches ever!

Named for Joseph Latourell, an early settler of the area and postmaster in the 1880's of the short-lived post office nearby. It was donated to the State of Oregon in 1929 by Guy W. Talbot.

Note the strange bright chartreuse color covering large areas of the cliff near the falls. This is actually a kind of lichen called "chrysothrix candelaris" which may also be seen on the cliffs near other falls including Multnomah Falls.

As you entered the gorge, you crossed the Sandy River, named by Lewis and Clark. Unknown to them, it was sandy because of an 1804 Mt. Hood eruption before they arrived.

(Taken from "Romance of Waterfalls" by Barbara L. Bloom and Garry W. Cohen)