Eagle Creek

Drove down to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area on the Oregon side to hike the Eagle Creek Trail up to Tunnel and Twister Falls. With a side trip down to the Lower Punch Bowl Falls, it wa 12.7 miles round trip with 1,100 ft of gain. I started hiking at 8 AM and only met 2 other hikers who were doing a short portion of the trail on my way up the trail. It wasn't until I was hiking back below Grand Union Falls that I began seeing anyone else on the trail and saw a steady stream of happy hikers coming up the trail.

This trail follows Eagle Creek going upstream. It was a little cloudy in the morning.

A small unnamed side waterfall across Eagle Creek.

A few portions of the trail are carved out of the rocky cliffs.

Steps over Sorenson Creek

I took the short side trail down to Lower Punch Bowl Falls.

View of Punch Bowl Falls from the main trail.

Bridge over Tish Creek

It was sad to see all the burnt trees from the 2017 fire.

Bridge over Fern Creek

View along Eagle Creek

Lowitt Falls from downstream

Lowitt Falls looking straight across Eagle Creek

Lowitt Falls from upstream

High Bridge (3.3 miles from the trailhead)

view looking downstream from on High Bridge

view looking upstream from on High Bridge 

Looking back at High Bridge above Eagle Creek

Many trees are gone

zoom of Four Mile Falls

There was a little bit of fall color along the trail.

more views along Eagle Creek

Looking back at Four One Half Mile Bridge

I think this is Tenas Falls across Eagle Creek.  The trail enters the Mark O Hatfield Wilderness before reaching Wy'East Creek

Wy'East Creek and Wy'East Falls in the distance. Today, the water level was low and easy to cross. There is no bridge here.

Some more fall color along the trail

Eagle Creek

fungi growing on the trees

Another section of the trail carved out of the cliff

Grand Union Falls on Eagle Creek

Tunnel Falls from the east side

Tunnel entrance behind Tunnel Falls

Views from inside the tunnel

Trail on the west side of Tunnel Falls

View of the trail and Tunnel Falls on the west side

Brief view of the bottom of Twister Falls (only 0.25 mile beyond Tunnel Falls)

Trail to Twister Falls

Twister Falls

Coming back to Tunnel Falls, surprised that I have this all to myself this morning. You can see where the trail goes behind the falls into the tunnel.

Tunnel entrance from the west side.

Some lovely rock shapes on the carved out trail.

Another look at Wy'East Falls

some more fall color

another look at Punch Bowl Falls

Enjoying this interesting carved trail in the cliffs.