There is enough information written about the Eagle Creek trail, a lush canyon that runs deep into the wilderness of the Columbia River Gorge, to fill a guidebook. Several guidebooks. Its a smorgasbord of eye-candy for waterfall lovers. It's a CCC era treasure, one of the few left. It's The Trail that even purist PCT thru-hikers will jump ship for off the PCT, just because it's that pretty.
On summer weekends, the trail redefines the word "zoo." Which means now, having lived in Oregon for seventeen years, when I hike it, I leave Eagle Creek for midweek, late fall or winter hikes. This really isn't a problem, because I love the Gorge the most in blustery weather anyway.
That said, mobbed though it can be, Eagle Creek is still one of
the trails that I recommend for newcomers to the Portland area. It kinda simply has to be done. My buddy, Marut, hadn't seen it yet, so an impromptu midweek, late September hike saw us cruising the twelve mile round trip hike to Tunnel Falls. We only saw six people all day.
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| Marut meets the Eagle Creek trail |
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| Metlako Falls |
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| the lush, mini-gorge near Punchbowl Falls |
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| random rock art |
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| Tunnel Falls is aptly named |
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