Parking
Starvation Creek State Park and Rest Area is at eastbound I-84 Exit 55. Westbound drivers must continue to Exit 51/Wyeth and return east. Oregon State Parks lists a day-use parking permit for the lot.
Overview
About Hole-in-the-Wall Falls
Why go
- An easy, step-free paved path to the waterfall.
- Restrooms, water and picnic tables at the park.
Heads up
- I-84 traffic noise stays close along the route.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Columbia River Gorge map
Full mapElevation108–141 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
8 active Columbia River Gorge alerts
- ClosureEagle Creek Fire area closureDo not enter Oneonta Gorge or the specified trail sections because hazards remain following the Eagle Creek Fire.Official details
- CautionAircraft and drone restrictions at developed recreation sitesAircraft and drone landings, drop-offs, and pickups are prohibited at six high-use developed recreation sites to protect visitor safety.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Columbia River Gorge Tour Guide
Your drive to Hole-in-the-Wall Falls, narrated.
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 trailhead
Starvation Creek Falls0:00 / 0:33
“You're approaching Starvation Creek State Park, where a short paved path behind the rest area reaches a two-tier waterfall about 190 feet tall.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Columbia River Gorge Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Viento State Park
- What Mount Defiance Asks of You
- Dog Mountain Trailhead
- Dog Creek Falls
- 217 audio storiesacross Columbia River Gorge’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Bald Eagle, Black Bear, American Pika, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 111 trails, 78 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“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!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Hole-in-the-Wall Falls
A short way to see the fallsThe westbound out-and-back from Starvation Creek Trailhead is 1.
The westbound out-and-back from Starvation Creek Trailhead is 1.4 miles round trip on the paved Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. Allow about 45 minutes with a stop at the falls. The path is broad, even and step-free, making this an easy leg-stretch rather than a strenuous hike.
Follow the old highway westFrom the day-use lot, follow the paved trail west.
From the day-use lot, follow the paved trail west. Cabin Creek Falls appears along the way before the route reaches the Hole-in-the-Wall Falls viewpoint and picnic area. The falls were created in 1938, when crews tunneled Warren Creek through the cliff after it threatened the highway. This is a simple out-and-back; the State Trail continues beyond the falls toward Lancaster Falls, so turn around at the viewpoint for this shorter walk. I-84 stays close, so traffic noise accompanies the route; cyclists also share the path.
Make the stop workStart at Starvation Creek State Park and Rest Area, where flush restrooms, potable water and…
Start at Starvation Creek State Park and Rest Area, where flush restrooms, potable water and picnic tables make a quick stop easy. Eastbound drivers use I-84 Exit 55; westbound visitors must continue to Exit 51 at Wyeth and return east. Oregon State Parks lists a day-use parking permit for the lot. Dogs are allowed on leash no longer than six feet.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Columbia River Gorge
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.
