Tunnel Falls

Tunnel Falls is a 172-foot waterfall on the east fork of Eagle Creek, where the stream drops into a bowl of columnar basalt. The trail winds around the cliff behind the white curtain; early trail builders cut a passage there, which gives the falls its name. You can look up at the water from the lower rocks, then follow the exposed path around it for a close, unusual view. This is a waterfall you walk behind, not a roadside pullout or short spur.

The trip to Tunnel Falls on Eagle Creek Trail #440 is a serious day hike. Expect about 12 miles round trip and roughly 1,600 feet of gain; other route descriptions place the falls about seven miles up the trail, so treat distance as an estimate. Plan for many hours on rocky ground. Summer weekends can be busy, and the trailhead lot may fill; an alternate lot near the fish hatchery adds about a mile to the round trip. This suits hikers who want a long gorge route and have time and sure footing for it, not anyone after an easy waterfall view.

The walk is part of the appeal. Trail #440 starts in forest, then follows Eagle Creek beside basalt walls. It passes other waterfalls, including Punch Bowl Falls about two miles up and High Bridge around three miles in. Farther on, the route crosses two large talus slopes and a section called the Potholes before the final approach. Some ledges are narrow and exposed above the creek; the footing is rocky and can be slippery. A cable follows exposed sections, including near the falls. Keep dogs leashed; loose dogs have fallen from these cliffs or chased other dogs over them. The payoff is a full sequence of water and canyon scenery, not just one endpoint.

Eagle Creek Trail was blasted out of the gorge’s cliffs about a century ago, and it still threads through those basalt walls. At Tunnel Falls, look for a view that frames the falling water against the dark rock with the path curling behind it. Spray and slick tread come with being this close; step aside before stopping so other hikers can get through.

Reach the Eagle Creek Trailhead from Interstate 84 at Exit 41. Westbound drivers need Exit 40 and must turn around; there is no westbound Exit 41. A free self-issued wilderness permit is required at the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness boundary, roughly five miles into the trail. Accessible parking is available at the trailhead, but the waterfall route itself is uneven, rocky and exposed. Potable water is not available at the trailhead, so carry what you need for the long day. Restaurants and brewpubs in Cascade Locks, about three miles east, are an option after the hike.