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Multnomah Falls, Oregon

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Availability:	Open to the Public
Filed Under:	Movie Locations > The Twilight Series Mysterious Creatures > Bigfoot Mythology/Folklore Paranormal Hot Spots > Haunted Parks
Added By:	TheCabinet
Added On:	December 31, 2008 - 06:39 PM UTC
Last Modified:	January 07, 2009 - 04:21 AM UTC
Your Rating:	Sign in to add your rating
Average Rating:	5 (1 ratings)
Visited By:	2 Users

Address
Multnomah Falls, Oregon, USA (Bridal Veil, Oregon)

Information
Multnomah Falls, Oregon Though these falls are one of the more popular tourist stops alongside the Columbia River Gorge and were recently featured in the 2008 movie Twilight, they are also the source of legends, a reputed haunting, and even a Bigfoot sighting. The falls are actually two separate falls known as, simply enough, the Upper Falls and Lower Falls. The water comes from the spring melt run-off and underground springs at the top of Larch Mountain. The water drops down 542 feet for the upper portion and 69 feet for the lower, for a combined drop of 620 feet. The size makes it the fifth largest waterfall in the United States and the tallest waterfall in the state of Oregon. The two portions of the falls are separated by the 45-foot Benson Bridge (circa 1914), which is named after its builder, Simon Benson, who also donated land around the falls to the City of Portland around the same time. The Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company donated further property at the base of the falls to the city with the express stipulation that a lodge would be erected on the land. Portland-based architect, A.E. Doyle, was brought in to design the Multnomah Falls Lodge, which officially opened in 1925. While the lodge initially accommodated overnight travelers, it only serves as a restaurant, visitor center, and gift shop these days. In 1943, the ownership of the land and lodge were again transferred to the USDA Forest Service, who continues to maintain it to this day. The Legend There are reportedly various Native American legends that explain the creation of Multnomah Falls, but one in particular is the most often related. The story concerns the union of a beautiful, young maiden from the Multnomah tribe with a young chief of the nearby Clatsop tribe. After their marriage was complete, the two tribes were joined in harmony and celebration, but the Great Spirit suddenly became angry and decided to unleash a vicious disease that quickly spread throughout the population. As the tribe elders gathered to try and understand the Great Spirit's anger, an old medicine man stepped forward and spoke of a prophecy that he had been told as a young man. He had been told that the day would come when the people would become sick due to the anger of the Great Spirit. The only way to appease his anger was for a young maiden to climb to the high cliff and throw herself upon the rocks below as a sacrifice. The tribe was consulted and informed of the prophecy, but they decided to die honorably rather than sacrifice one of their own. The recently married maiden considered saving her people, but given her happiness over her recent marriage, she wanted to live. However, the young Clatsop chief too became ill and she realized that the only way for him to live was for her to offer herself in sacrifice to the Great Spirit. At night, she snuck away from the village and climbed to the high cliff that overlooked the rocks. Fearing her sacrifice would be in vain, she pleaded for a sign from the Great Spirit, which was quickly granted when the moon rose into the night sky. The young maiden then jumped and sacrificed her life for her people. When the village awoke the next day, they were stunned to find that the sickness had passed and those that had been ill were suddenly healthy again. They immediately suspected that a sacrifice had been made and discovered the young maiden missing. The people then traveled to the rocks below the high cliff where they found the young maiden's body. The grief stricken father quickly prayed to the Great Spirit for a sign that his daughter had been welcomed into the land of the spirits and just then, water began flowing off the high cliff in a spectacular waterfall. Today, the water continues to fall in honor of the young maiden's sacrifice. The Haunting Interestingly enough, the story of the young maiden's sacrifice is often cited to explain strange activity at Multnomah Falls to this day. Depending on the source, the accounts of a haunting at Multnomah Falls can vary. There are stories that under the right conditions, the face of the young maiden is visible in the water of the Upper Falls. Still other versions suggest that the presence of the beautiful, young maiden can be felt or seen on occasion. Reportedly, she returns in the wintertime and stands to one side of the falls, dressed completely in white, to look upon the place she made her sacrifice to save her people. Bigfoot Sighting Due to its isolated location on I-84 alongside the Columbia River Gorge, it is not unusual to find reported sightings of a Bigfoot (or Sasquatch)-like creature in this general vicinity. There are many reported sightings of the creature crossing or walking on the highway itself by drivers near or around the falls. However, the rest area that sits directly across from Multnomah Falls and divides the east and westbound lanes of I-84 was the site of a remarkable sighting in 1986. Though no exact date is given, a couple reported stopping at the then-empty rest area at night in the summertime to stretch their legs during their long drive back from the Oregon Coast to their home in Hood River. The couple parked at the west-end of the parking lot, facing the Columbia River, when they heard something moving from the tunnel that passes under the highway and leads to the falls. Much to their amazement, they watched as a "...huge and obviously dark and hairy creature" emerged from the tunnel and began walking their direction. According to their account, the animal was so large that it had to duck its head while walking through the tunnel. The account further describes that the creature walked like a human, but was far too large to be a gorilla, nor could it be a bear because its arms hung down around its knees while walking at a full stand. The creature continued to walk past the couple, only to have paused around 20-feet from them to give them a quick glance. It then brushed its right arm in the air with a slight grunt and moved towards the cement wall. Once there, it placed its hands on the wall and quickly swept its body over and into the forest beyond. Despite the presence of their 11-month-old child in the back of the car, the couple reported not being frightened by the presence of the creature, but only awestruck. Only after the alleged Bigfoot had disappeared from sight did the couple report feeling any fear. They reportedly wasted little time in getting into their car and driving away. Twilight (2008) Despite its relative popularity as a tourist stop alongside the Columbia Gorge, Multnomah Falls has been relatively absent from the silver screen. That would change in 2008 with the release of the vampire/fantasy, Twilight. The film was an adaptation of the first book in a series of bestselling novels by author Stephenie Meyer that has attracted a large following around the world. The falls, Benson Bridge, and the Multnomah Falls Lodge were used for a sequence in the film that was ultimately cut before release. According to the accounts of the production, the scene involved the character of Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) showing off some of his vampire skills to the main character of Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart). In the deleted scene, he was said to have quickly ascended from the lookout below the falls to the Benson Bridge at the midway point. For unknown reasons, the scene was ultimately cut and not included in the theatrical release version of Twilight. It is possible that the scene will reappear in the film's DVD release. Despite its shining moment on film getting the axe, Multnomah Falls still makes an appearance in another scene in Twilight. During the famous "baseball scene," the falls are visible in the background across the Columbia River. While the adaptation of one of the more popular scenes from the novel was filmed on the Washington-side of the Columbia, it was filmed deep in property that is not accessible to the general public. As such, fans of the series do not have access to the location used for the sequence and trespassing is strongly discouraged. The Location The scenic beauty of Multnomah Falls has made it one of the most popular tourist stops in the state of Oregon and it reportedly attracts millions of visitors each year. During the winter months, it is not uncommon for a portion of the falls to freeze over, providing an even more spectacular view. Hiking trails are available for tourists to hike to the top of the falls, as well as Larch Mountain, that give an excellent viewpoint overlooking the Columbia River Gorge.

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Related Sites
Wikipedia: Multnomah Falls Wikipedia's entry on the Multnomah Falls in Oregon, which have a detailed Native American legend, an alleged haunting, and were the site of a recent Bigfoot sighting.
OregonBigfoot.com A collection of sightings and reports of the mysterious cryptid known as either Bigfoot or Sasquatch completely focused on the state of Oregon.
Stephenie Meyer.com The official Web site of the Twilight Saga author Stephanie Meyer.

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See Also on TheCabinet.com
Blog: Multnomah Falls (01/05/09)
Blog: The Twilight Movie Location Travel Guide (03/20/09)

Available from Amazon.com
Indian Legends of the Pacific Northwest
American Indian Myths and Legends (Pantheon Fairy Tale and Folklore Library)
Haunted Places: The National Directory: Ghostly Abodes, Sacred Sites, UFO Landings and Other Supernatural Locations
Twilight (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Twilight: The Complete Illustrated Movie Companion
Twilight Collector's Edition (The Twilight Saga)
The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide (Twilight Saga)
The Twilight Saga: Slipcased
Twilight Soundtrack
Twilight: The Score
Twilight People Poster Print, 24x36
Twilight Movie Poster Advance Group Artwork

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Images

Photo of the Benson Bridge at Multnomah Falls, Oregon - November 2008.
From: TheCabinet

Picture of the spectacular view offered at the top of Multnomah Falls, Oregon - November 2008.
From: TheCabinet

Photo looking across the Benson Bridge the separates the two falls of Multnomah Falls - 11/08.
From: TheCabinet

Photo of the Upper Falls of Multnomah Falls, OR from the Benson Bridge in November 2008.
From: TheCabinet

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The above content is for informational purposes only. Before making any travel arrangements, it is highly recommended that you contact those in charge of the property to check for updated availability and hours of operation. While we do our best to keep this information updated, we cannot guarantee that it is completely valid and up to date. Any destination marked "Closed to the Public" is marked that for a reason and we discourage any visits or attempts to gain access to that facility. Similarly, take note of any "Travel Advisory" that may be associated with a destination. Finally, treat any location and its local residents with respect. Any vandalism and/or unruly behavior is completely despicable and only ruins the experience for future visitors.

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