Catherine Creek Labyrinth

Start west on the abandoned Old Highway 8 below basalt cliffs. A rockslide and Lower Labyrinth Falls break up the road before Labyrinth Trail #4423 turns uphill. The waterfall drops over cuttings made for the old and later highway alignments, a bit of road history built into the walk. Keep right at the signed junction to enter the maze. The trail passes beneath a ponderosa pine, drops into a hollow beside Labyrinth Creek, and goes by Labyrinth Cave; a short side path gives a closer look at the falls. Two switchbacks reach the upper tier, then a single plank bridges the creek.

Beyond the bridge, the climb threads beneath oaks and across a meadow below the columnar basalt of Accordion Rock. Labyrinth Creek squeezes through another narrow gorge nearby. Open slopes and oak woodland give way to the Rowland Basin viewpoint, a grassy place to stop above the river. The view spans the Columbia Hills, Rowena Plateau and Memaloose Hills across the Columbia; turn west for Mount Hood and Mount Defiance. At the fence and telephone-wire junction, follow the signed trail to the left; the branch to the right is unofficial. Turn around at the viewpoint and retrace the same route. Spring brings wildflowers through the thin soils among the basalt.

Park at the pullout west of the WA-14 and Old Highway 8 intersection. There is no fee or pass requirement. A portable toilet is at Catherine Creek Trailhead, 1.5 miles east by road; it is a separate stop from this trailhead. Poison oak is common, and the creek crossing is a narrow plank. Dogs are allowed but must be leashed from December 1 through June 30; keeping them leashed year-round helps protect fragile plants. For photos, frame the falling water against the basalt at Labyrinth Falls, or keep the Columbia in the viewpoint shot to show how wide the Gorge is.