Directions:
From Portland, Drive East on I-84 to the Eagle Creek exit, number 41. Turn South and follow the road a short distance to the trailhead. From the east, drive to the Bonneville Dam exit, and re-enter the freeway eastbound, taking the Eagle Creek exit.
Trail Description:
In most American cities these days, a 40-minute drive
from downtown will place you smack-dab in the center of some beautiful
suburban sprawl. But for Portland, a city surrounded with a remarkable
amount of natural wonders, 40 minutes delivers you to the spectacular
Eagle Creek Trail. This accessibility does come with a price, mainly,
the population of a small suburb crammed onto a single trail. During the
spring and summer months, little can be done to avoid the crowds. Even
during weekdays the parking lots can be jammed full of cars. If you really
want to get away from the people but still experience this trail, try
it in winter when most people are afraid of getting rained on. Not only
is the trail lonelier, but also the many, many waterfalls are running
at full power and a great deal of seasonal waterfalls leap into the canyon.
The first few miles are relatively easy. The trail slowly works its
way up the eastern wall of the canyon, giving views of the creek far below.
The first major water is Metlako Falls, located two miles from the busy
trailhead. A short side trip leads to a viewpoint of this impressive waterfall,
although its true power and form is mostly hidden from the hiker by the
canyon (One of the advantages of hiking this trail during the winter months
is that many of the trees which block views of these waterfalls do not
have leaves). Shortly after Metlako, the Creek takes another plunge, Punchbowl
Falls, one of the most photographed waterfalls in Oregon (and probably
the world). A half-mile trail leads down to the valley-bottom for an eye-level
view of these falls.
The trail continues through the valley bottom, with many waterfalls
along the way. Soon, the creek is forced through a narrow slot canyon,
while the trail is impressively routed high on the cliff above. Note,
that this portion of the trail is not for the faint of heart, and hikers
with children should exercise extreme caution or turn back. A cable is
provided along this section for the hiker to hold on too, which definitely
doesn't take away from the feeling of danger! At the end of this impressive
ravine, the trail crosses to the western side of the creek where several
nice campsites are located (although the chances of these campsites being
open for the summer months are extremely thin).
The trail soon crosses back to the eastern bank of Eagle Creek, and
shortly comes to the junction with trail 434, which takes off up the canyon
wall. For those looking for a long, strenuous loop trip, take this trail
up to the summit of Benson Plateau, and then take trail 405 back down
to the Eagle Creek Trailhead. For those continuing on, some of the best
scenery of the trail is on the way. Directly past the trail junction,
an impressive waterfall on a side-creek pops into view, giving a taste
of the scenes to come. Shortly after this waterfall, three more impressive
waterfalls come into view, the most spectacular being Tunnel Falls where
you can actually walk behind the thundering wall of water. While I don't
necessarily agree with the practice of blasting tunnels behind waterfalls,
I do have to admit that it is pretty damn cool to be so close to so much
power. The trail around Tunnel Falls is once again blasted into a sheer
cliff, so extreme caution needs to be exercised. Because of the spray
of the falls, the trail is permanently wet, and therefore quite slick
(a cable is once again provided for the hiker, and really should be used)
After turning the corner from Tunnel Falls, yet another waterfall cuts
through the rock of eagle creek. Most of this waterfall remains hidden
between rock walls, but the hiker can definitely feel the presence of
these falls since the trail is routed directly adjacent to its self-created
chasm. Beyond these falls, the river calms down slightly, but the scenery
is still great.
Another large waterfall can be found another half mile up the trail,
but the remaining portion of the trail to Wahtum Lake remains more of
a nice, quiet forest walk. For those seeking solitude, the final miles
to the lake may be the best section of the trail, as most people turn
around at Tunnel Falls. Wahtum Lake is nice little lake, surrounded by
forested ridges, but because a nice road gives access to the lake I wouldn't
go in expecting a true wilderness experience.
