Adventures with Holly & Bryan

As Bryan and I reached the Punch Bowl Falls trail junction, a middle-aged woman and a small group of teenagers approached us, all wearing heavy packs.

“Is it worth going to the waterfall?” the woman asked. “Punch Bowl Falls?”

I hesitated. “I’ve read conflicting reports on whether it’s blocked by a landslide, but we’re going to check it out. It’s probably about a half mile from here.”

There was some indistinct murmuring from the group of teenagers. A couple of them were looking dubiously at the downhill side trail.

“We’ve been hiking the Pacific Crest Trail,” the woman explained. “All the way from Mexico.”

I nodded. I’d probably also hesitate to add any extra distance if I’d been backpacking for weeks. But they were probably also hoping to cool off in the creek.

We were on the Eagle Creek trail, a popular alternate route on the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). It’s one of the top hikes in Oregon’s Columbia River Gorge, and one of my favorite hikes anywhere in the world.The Eagle Creek trail travels through a dramatic canyon along a cliff ledge. Uncountable dripping moss walls and waterfalls plunge down the canyon walls to Eagle Creek below.

By late summer, the upper reaches of the canyon along the main trail start to dry out, so that’s the time to head down the popular side trail to the creek below and the iconic Punch Bowl Falls. In the lush microenvironment at the bottom of the canyon, water perpetually drips down the canyon walls, creating a lush wallpaper of moss and ferns. And there’s a stunning, head-on view of Punch Bowl Falls from the creek level.

But had the landslide blocked the route to the falls?

In today’s post, I’ll share what we found out about the Punch Bowl Falls landslide damage, and everything you need to know to do the Punch Bowl Falls hike yourself.

Punch Bowl Falls Hike in a Nutshell

Assuming you’re not getting there via the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico, the Punch Bowl Falls hike is a moderate, 4.7-mile out-and-back hike. It starts at the Eagle Creek trailhead and follows the Eagle Creek trail for a couple miles before angling off to head down into the canyon at the junction where we ran into the PCT through-hikers.

At the bottom of the canyon, you’ll reach the end of the marked trail and find Lower Punch Bowl Falls. You can sometimes see a rainbow here in the mist from Lower Punch Bowl Falls. It’s a nice spot, but this waterfall is much smaller than the Punch Bowl Falls that gives the hike its name. Punch Bowl Falls itself is upstream, around a curve in the canyon.

How to Get to Punch Bowl Falls

A 2018 landslide sent huge logs and rocks the size of cars into Eagle Creek, blocking the old route to Punch Bowl Falls. The trail just ends at the creek, with no obvious indication of where to go and no waterfall in sight.

Getting to Punch Bowl Falls requires crossing the creek on an informal log-and-rock scramble. Check out our video tour of the hike to Punch Bowl Falls below to see the river crossing and the scramble through the landslide debris. Take care in crossing, and don’t proceed if you aren’t comfortable! This isn’t an official route.

Our video of the Punch Bowl Falls hike, including the “rock hop” river crossing

Once on the other side of Eagle Creek, you’ll need to climb over more logs and rocks to round the bend in the canyon and see Punch Bowl Falls.

This information is current as of summer 2022. For the latest trail conditions, check out recent reviews on the Punch Bowl Falls entry on AllTrails.

The lower view of Punch Bowl Falls that you’ll see from this vantage point is a good one, but I’d also recommend viewing Punch Bowl Falls from above. To get to the upper viewpoint: Once you’ve returned from the Punch Bowl Falls side trail to the Eagle Creek trail junction, take the main trail a bit further. You’ll soon arrive at the upper Punch Bowl Falls viewpoint. This is the turnaround point of the Punch Bowl Falls hike.

Safety at Punch Bowl Falls

Be very careful on any rock-and-log scrambling when crossing Eagle Creek. Wading in Eagle Creek is popular, but don’t jump from the cliffs into the pool—people have died doing that. Past deaths and injuries should be enough deterrent…but there’s also a $300 fine.

The Eagle Creek trail itself is a bit scary in places, since it follows the cliffs along a deep canyon. At some points where the trail is narrow, cables have been attached to the cliff face to provide a handrail for hikers. I wouldn’t recommend hiking with young kids or dogs due to the cliffs, though I have seen dogs on the trail.

The route to Punch Bowl Falls follows the first two miles of the trail, where the trail is generally lower and wider than later on. Hikers still need to use caution, but it’s more comfortable than some of the later sections.

You’ll notice burned tree trunks along the Eagle Creek trail from the 2017 Eagle Creek fire, which began from a firework on this trail. Since there’s less vegetation in burned areas, they’re more vulnerable to slides and erosion. The giant landslide that now blocks the route to Punch Bowl Falls is a striking example!

Punch Bowl Falls Trailhead and Parking

Parking for the Punch Bowl Falls hike is at the Eagle Creek trailhead. It’s a fee area. Northwest Forest Passes and America the Beautiful passes are accepted for parking, or you can pay for parking at the trailhead.

The parking setup is a little confusing. There are multiple parking lots along the road after you exit I-84. For the lot closest to the trailhead, keep going until the road ends. If that lot is full, you can also park further out and walk in.

Other Adventures in the Pacific Northwest

Thanks for joining us at Punch Bowl Falls! If you enjoy the Punch Bowl Falls hike, I’d recommend returning to hike further on the Eagle Creek trail. For maximum waterfall effect, hike Eagle Creek in the fall or spring. For more on this headliner hike, check out our Eagle Creek trail blog post.

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!