Triple Falls

Triple Falls is a three-channel waterfall on Oneonta Creek in the Columbia River Gorge. The water spills over a rocky ledge in three separate ribbons, with a hiker bridge crossing the creek just above it. You see the falls across the creek from a short path to a clifftop overlook, not from their base. If you want one waterfall hike with a clear payoff, this is a good choice: the whole cascade fits in one view, and the bridge gives you a sense of scale.

Oneonta Trail #424 reaches the falls about 1.7 miles from the Oneonta trailhead. Plan on roughly 3.2 to 3.6 miles round trip, depending on the route, and about 1,100 feet of climbing. The trail climbs above the Historic Columbia River Highway, then follows Oneonta Creek through the upper canyon. You get open views across the Columbia River and toward the mouth of Oneonta Gorge before a short side path drops to the falls. From that clifftop, frame all three channels with the bridge just above them; that's the signature view.

The trail is rocky, steep and exposed in places, with real drop-offs. Keep children and leashed dogs close at the viewpoint. This isn't a quick roadside waterfall stop; choose it if you're comfortable with a sustained climb on an exposed trail. The 2017 Eagle Creek Fire changed much of the upper corridor. The thinner canopy and scorched trunks are part of what you'll see on the approach.

The Oneonta trailhead is a small roadside pullout, and there are no restrooms there. Triple Falls is the waterfall on the upper Oneonta Trail, separate from the lower slot canyon and nearby Upper Oneonta Falls. Turn back at the overlook for the shorter visit, or continue farther on Trail #424 if you want more miles.