Eagle Creek Trail # 440

Oregon

NOTE: The following two books are highly recommended for anyone interested in hiking in the Columbia River Gorge: Hiking the Columbia River Gorge and 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon I personally own both and consider them indispensible for hiking the Columbia River Gorge.

Length: 13.2 miles (one way)
Trail Uses: Hiking
Facilities available: parking, Restrooms, Picnicing, Drinking Water, Camping
Season of Use: Year-round (lower portion of trail ) June to November (higher portion of trail).
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Elevation: 110 to 3360 feet
Visitor Use: X Heavy

Access: Eastbound I-84, take exit # 41. There is no Westbound exit at Eagle Creek – exit at Bonneville Dam and backtrack on I-84 to exit # 41.

Description: Eagle Creek Trail is the most popular trail in the Columbia Gorge. It traces the line of Eagle Creek through the forest and along paths carved into basalt cliffs. An easy hike, Eagle Creek Trail offers spectacular viewpoints and waterfalls. On parts of this trail, there are sheer cliffs with no guard rails, so this hike may not be suitable for children.

Features: Punch Bowl Falls , where water spills 25 feet into a blue-green pool set in a large grotto; High Bridge , which traverses the gorge 150 feet above the creek; and Tunnel Falls , where the trail passes through a tunnel behind the shower of falling water. Some sections of the trail are carved into basalt cliffs.