Updated 1/23/2023
I moved to Portland the year after the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire. A firework on the Eagle Creek trail had sparked the wildfire, closing the strikingly scenic Columbia River Gorge’s most popular hike and many surrounding Columbia River Gorge trails for years. I had only read about this legendary hike of hikes, which was now broken.
Then in 2021, the Eagle Creek trail reopened. My mom and I were preparing to drive back to Portland from Idaho when I found out. We’d be driving right through the Columbia River Gorge.
“Oh my gosh,” I said. “Let’s hike Eagle Creek on the way back.”
Since the seven-hour drive from Idaho plus this sizable hike would be a bit much, we added an extra night to our trip. The next day, we eagerly set off to hike the 12 miles out-and-back on the Eagle Creek trail to Tunnel Falls.
In today’s post, I’ll share the highlights of our first hike on the Eagle Creek trail, an overview of the lingering Eagle Creek fire damage, and everything you need to know to do this unique hike yourself. Stay tuned for a video preview of the hike later in the post!
Eagle Creek Waterfalls
It was late November, and the fall rains had breathed new life into this world of waterfalls. As we took our first steps along the Eagle Creek trail, waterfalls began to materialize continually. I soon lost count. The larger waterfalls on the Eagle Creek trail are named and signposted, but there are small waterfalls everywhere.
Some of the Eagle Creek waterfalls drip water right at the trail’s edge. In a few cases, hikers walk right through them. Needless to say, rain jackets are recommended!
The Eagle Creek trail follows Eagle Creek itself through a deep canyon, with the waterfalls cascading down the cliffs to the creek below. The trail begins near the creek level and steadily rises, following a ledge along the cliff. This seemed totally fine at first, but we soon found ourselves walking along a narrow cliff ledge above an increasingly precipitous drop. Thankfully there are cables bolted into the cliff face as handrails, but it’s still a bit of a dizzying experience.
Two miles into the Eagle Creek hike, the iconic Punch Bowl Falls comes into view. Here the water in the creek funnels into a narrow chute before plunging into a pool below. Punch Bowl Falls is a popular turnaround spot on the Eagle Creek trail since it makes for a shorter day hike. Here you can take a side trail down into the canyon to get closer to Punch Bowl Falls itself. This is a particularly good option if you go in late summer, when the higher reaches of the Eagle Creek trail start to dry out. Check out our Punch Bowl Falls blog post for details on this popular hike variant.
At the next popular milestone, the Eagle Creek trail crosses to the other side of the canyon at a narrow point on the aptly named “High Bridge.” Peering over the High Bridge, you’ll find dramatic views of the creek below as it churns between the moss-covered rock faces. The High Bridge is 3.3 miles along the Eagle Creek trail, and it was originally our intended turnaround point. But, once we got there, we couldn’t turn back.
At 6 miles in, the Eagle Creek trail reaches its next major milestone: Tunnel Falls. Here the trail travels through a tunnel behind a dramatic waterfall, allowing hikers to see the waterfall from many angles and feel the waterfall spray.
As we peered out of the tunnel behind Tunnel Falls, we eyed the trail ahead critically. It traced a narrow indent along the high cliff, above a drop of hundreds of feet. Should we turn around?
But just visible at the curve in the cliff was the spray from yet another waterfall (Twister Falls). Intrigued, we decided to continue just to the other side of the bend.
This last section was both terrifying and beautiful. Around the bend, you’ll find yourself at near-eye level with the top of Twister Falls. We fought feelings of vertigo as we held onto the cables and looked out on the sheer canyon.
“Terrifying,” said my mom. And then, “It’s amazing.”
We turned around at that point, cognizant of the fading light of the November afternoon. There is one more large waterfall upstream: Sevenmile Falls. Perhaps another day we’ll get there. Let us know in the comments if you’ve been to those falls!
Is the Eagle Creek Trail Safe?
This question was top of mind as we gingerly stepped along the narrow trail ledge carved into the cliffside, a sheer drop of hundreds of feet just inches away.
The Eagle Creek trail has several stretches where metal cables are bolted into the cliff face to provide security for hikers along narrow trail sections. I held onto the cables and put extra care into watching my footing, taking photos only when stopped and with ample protection from the edge.
We did spot a few people tempting fate, but I don’t recommend this trail for people hiking with dogs or young children. I saw a man taking videos with both hands and eyes on his phone while walking the narrow ledge. Too scary for me!
In light of the narrow cliffside route, I wouldn’t recommend hiking the Eagle Creek trail in the winter, when there’s potential for snow and ice that can make the footing slippery. Check recent trip reports on AllTrails for the latest conditions.
Aside from the inherent cliff hazards, there are heightened risks on the Eagle Creek trail related to wildfire damage. Eagle Creek already experienced landslides and rockslides prior to the fire in light of the steep canyon walls. Per the Forest Service, burned areas are at even greater risk of slides. This is because the vegetation that normally holds rocks and steep hillsides in place has been burned away.
A post-fire landslide has indeed blocked the original route to Punch Bowl Falls, making access more technical. The slide isn’t visible from the Eagle Creek trail itself, but you can see it if you take the Punch Bowl Falls side trail.
How Difficult is the Eagle Creek Trail?
The Eagle Creek trail is very gradual. Although we hiked 12 miles, we still felt energetic at the end. On the way in, the trail slopes gradually uphill as it moves upstream through the canyon, so the way back is all downhill.
There are a few obstacles to cross along the way. One of them is a stream crossing at a log, which occurs in the section between the High Bridge and Tunnel Falls. The log is right at the water level, so it isn’t an issue of heights, but it can be slick.
Just before Tunnel Falls, a log has fallen across the trail that requires some clambering to get over. A notch has been cut into it to make scooting across it easier.
Obstacles like these will vary over time, so check those trip reports on AllTrails for the latest insights. All in all, the Eagle Creek trail is long and can be a bit scary in light of the heights, but it isn’t a difficult hike physically.
How was the Eagle Creek Trail Made?
While many beloved trails and park buildings across the region were built in the 1930s as part of Great Depression-era programs, the Eagle Creek trail is older.
According to the Oregon Hikers field guide, it’s more than a hundred years old, dating all the way back to 1915. The trail construction was done at the same time the Historic Columbia River Highway was built.
The narrow ledges where the Eagle Creek trail clings to the cliff face were originally made with dynamite. If it’s a bit scary to hike the trail now, I can’t imagine how it must have felt to build it with dynamite in 1915!
Eagle Creek Trail Fire Damage
The Eagle Creek fire burned nearly 50,000 acres. It affected a much broader area than the Eagle Creek trail itself, but this trail was the epicenter. The wildfire damage to the forest is very evident, but with so much water around, the moss and understory are coming back well. Though full recovery will take decades, bigleaf maples, moss, and ferns have quickly started to regrow in the few years since the fire.
It’s striking to see the juxtaposition of the burned tree trunks with huge waterfalls in the backdrop, the power of both water and fire in sharp relief.
The bridges and trail structures that were damaged have been replaced, so the trail itself is in great shape.
Eagle Creek Trailhead and Parking
The Eagle Creek trailhead is easily accessible from Portland (only about a 45-minute drive through the Columbia River Gorge). Parking requires an interagency pass (America the Beautiful pass) or a Northwest Forest pass, or you can pay for a day pass at the trailhead.
Video Preview of the Eagle Creek Trail
For a preview of hiking the Eagle Creek trail post wildfire, check out our Eagle Creek video below.
Other Adventures in the Pacific Northwest
Thanks for joining us on the Eagle Creek trail! For more adventure ideas in the Pacific Northwest, check out our PNW Trip Planner. You can find adventures near you and filter by season and difficulty level. There are weird and wonderful things to explore any time of year. The trip planner links to blog posts to help you plan your next adventure.
Happy exploring!