Campground · Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
A shady 1916 campground at the foot of the Eagle Creek Trail.
Overview
It's a handy base for an early start on the Eagle Creek Trail or the waterfall corridor. Buck Point Trail starts between sites 5 and 6 and climbs steeply to a view over the river. The catch is noise: I-84 and the trains run all night, worst at sites 7 to 14. In fall, walk down to the picnic area to watch salmon spawning in the creek.
Parkwolf’s verdictWho it suits, and the catchMap
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Columbia River Gorge Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this place
Eagle Creek Trailhead“You're approaching the access road for Eagle Creek's day-use area and trailhead; the waterfalls are farther in on foot.”
Plays as you drive up to Eagle Creek Campground in the Parkwolf Columbia River Gorge Tour Guide.
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“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Guide
Eagle Creek Campground is a small Forest Service campground, 17 sites on a wooded bluff above I-84, the railroad and the Columbia River, right by the Eagle Creek trailhead and fish hatchery. Sites are well spread out under tall Douglas firs and maples, each with a paved parking spot, picnic table and fire pit, and ospreys nest in the trees overhead. The Forest Service counts Eagle Creek as its first developed campground, opened in 1916. The stone Civilian Conservation Corps structures from the 1930s are down in the day-use area below.
It's open May through September and books up from Memorial Day to Labor Day, so reserve early. Only eastbound I-84 has an exit 41; coming from the east, take exit 40 and loop back. The road up starts behind the hatchery parking lot and has a tight switchback, so trailers are limited to 20 feet. There are vault toilets but no hookups, dump station or showers. Your camping fee doesn't cover trailhead parking, which needs its own recreation pass.
Wildlife
267 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
51 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
136 sightingsAmerican PikaMost seen around 8 AMSighting map
16 sightingsWapitiMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
195 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
74 sightingsChinook SalmonMost seen around 6 PMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Columbia River Gorge. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateBuck Point Trail1.1 mi · 1.5 hr · At the trailheadSteep steps lead to a Gorge river view beneath the powerlines.
ChallengingRuckel Creek Trail #4055.8 mi · 5.5 hr · 0.4 mi awayA steep creek climb reaches spring meadows and the Benson Plateau.
ChallengingEagle Creek Trail #440 to Tunnel Falls11.7 mi · 7 hr · 0.5 mi awayFollow Eagle Creek past cliffside falls to a tunnel behind the water.
ModerateEagle Creek to Punch Bowl Falls3.8 mi · 2.5 hr · 0.5 mi awayA narrow, cabled path above Eagle Creek leads to the falls.
ModerateEagle Creek to High Bridge6.6 mi · 4 hr · 0.5 mi awayCabled cliff passages lead to waterfalls and a bridge over the gorge.
ChallengingEagle Creek Trail #440 to Wahtum Lake25.5 mi · 15 hr · 0.5 mi awayFollow Eagle Creek’s cliffside trail to a high-country lake.
ModerateGillette Lake5.3 mi · 3 hr · 0.7 mi awayA forest climb to blue-green water and landslide ponds.
ChallengingTable Mountain from Bonneville Trailhead15.5 mi · 11 hr · 0.7 mi awayA hard climb to sheer cliffs above the Columbia Gorge.
Picnic area · 0.2 mi awayEagle Creek Day Use AreaA historic picnic site where salmon return to the creek each fall.
Campground · 0.3 mi awayEagle Creek Overlook Group CampgroundA CCC-built group campground with a bluff view of Bonneville Dam.
Visitor center · 0.7 mi awayWashington Shore Visitor CenterA fish ladder window and an 85-foot view into a powerhouse.
Visitor center · 0.9 mi awayBradford Island Visitor CenterFish ladder viewing and hydropower history under one roof.
Sight · 1.7 mi awayBonneville Fish HatcherySee Herman through an underwater viewing window.
Sight · 1.9 mi awayBridge of the GodsA steel crossing shared by drivers and Pacific Crest Trail hikers.
Sight · 2.1 mi awayPunch Bowl FallsA round rock amphitheater frames the waterfall and deep pool.
Sight · 2.1 mi awayWahclella FallsA short canyon walk ends at a two-tiered plunge pool.Parkwolf’s Columbia River Gorge ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
