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Why it’s great: The popularity of Eagle Creek has
much to do with the wow-factor it packs into a relatively short
distance. Whether you decide to end your hike at Punch Bowl Falls,
continue to High Bridge or make it a slog by going all the way to
Tunnel Falls, the sound of Eagle Creek coursing down toward the
Columbia is a constant companion. Equally stirring are the sections of
trail that are little more than ledges, prompting the Forest Service
to bolt handrails into the rock as an extra precaution.
ROUTE: At Mile 1.4 or so, you can take a short trail to view
Metlako Falls from a distance, but the real treat awaits a half-mile
further, where a spur leads right to Punch Bowl Falls. Covered in
smooth river rocks, the creek bank makes a fine place for lunch.
Depending on the water’s height, you can wade up the creek to the base
of Punch Bowl itself, where a single downed tree forms a hypotenuse
between the high canyon wall and the creek (a2 + b2 = natural wonder).
Further on the main trail are Loowit Falls, which spills on the
opposite cliff like a stream of salt, and High Bridge, which (as the
name implies) connects two high cliffs. Those who can should make the
push to Tunnel Falls at about Mile 6, where you can walk behind the
veil through a dripping cavelike overhang—the ultimate waterfall rush.
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The Eagle Creek trail is well-known to Oregonians, and heavily visited
throughout the year. However,
few outside the state know about this wild canyon, though almost everyone
has seen at least one of the many waterfalls in a scenic calendar or
postcard. The string of waterfalls, deep, fern-lined gorges and towering
cliffs are typical of the Columbia River Gorge, but nowhere else in the
Gorge is there such a concentration of spectacular scenery.
The lower seven
miles of trail are literally carved into cliffs, often hundreds
of feet above the stream. The exposure is so great that cables
are installed in the rock to give hikers some sense of safety.
Dogs and children are discouraged on this trail, as a result.
This lower section of the trail is the focus of these pages.
Also note that
if you visit Eagle Creek, you must purchase a
Northwest Forest Pass ($5 for one day or $30 per year)
to park at the trailhead. Parking is plentiful, though late arrivals
will spend the first half-mile walking to the trailhead!
Though the Eagle
Creek trail is continually within earshot of running water, you
should plan on carrying your own supply, or bringing equipment
to purify stream water. The cliff sections are extremely exposed,
so anyone subject to vertigo should proceed carefully, and turn
back if the first set of cliffs are uncomfortable... they only
get higher, and more exposed! Also, camping is strictly limited
to designated campsites, which fill up early. This trail is subsequently
best done as a day hike.
The elevation
gain to the 7-mile mark is modest, with gradual climbs spread
throughout the hike. However, the trail surface is often rocky
and uneven, and anything less than a good pair of hiking shoes
or boots is not adequate. Also keep in mind that the Columbia
Gorge is home to poison
oak, and it grows
along some sections of the Eagle Creek trail. If you're susceptible
to it, keep an eye out in sunny, open cliff-tops and open oak
forests. Long pants are a good idea is you're particularly sensitive
- and this applies to any trail in the Columbia Gorge.
For up-to-date trail
information, check out the
Columbia Gorge National Scenic
Area website.
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