Parking
Use the Starvation Creek State Park / trailhead day-use lot. The eastbound I-84 Exit 55 serves the park; westbound traffic must continue to Exit 51 at Wyeth and return east. A day-use parking permit is required and can be purchased on site.
Overview
About Lancaster Falls Trail
Why go
- Three waterfall viewpoints within a short walk of Starvation Creek
- Smooth paved trail with a picnic stop by Hole-in-the-Wall Falls
- Trailhead has flush restrooms, potable water and picnic tables
Heads up
- Lancaster Falls is only just visible from the endpoint
- I-84 stays close, and bicycles share the paved route
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Columbia River Gorge map
Full mapElevation72–190 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 Lancaster Falls Trail, 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
- What Mount Defiance Asks of You
- Dog Mountain Trailhead
- Viento State Park
- 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 Lancaster Falls Trail
The easy route to the fallsLancaster Falls Trail is a 1.
Lancaster Falls Trail is a 1.6-mile out-and-back from Starvation Creek Trailhead on the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail. This paved, well-graded walk or bike ride gains about 100 feet and passes three waterfall views on a universally accessible path. At the endpoint, Lancaster Falls is only just visible, so treat this as a short waterfall stroll rather than a close-up visit to a cascade. Allow roughly 45 to 60 minutes if you stop at the viewpoints.
Follow the trail westHead west beside I-84, crossing Warren Creek bridge. Cabin Creek Falls appears about 0.
Head west beside I-84, crossing Warren Creek bridge. Cabin Creek Falls appears about 0.3 mile from the trailhead; Hole-in-the-Wall Falls comes at about 0.6 mile, with an overlook and picnic spot. Continue to the State Trail viewpoint around 0.8 mile out for the distant look at Lancaster Falls, then return the same way. The path is smooth and gradually graded, so the walking is straightforward; the small waterfalls and bridge are the reasons to pause. The route ends at the viewpoint, not at a close waterfall pool.
Start at Starvation CreekThe day-use lot has flush restrooms, potable water and picnic tables, and a day-use permit is…
The day-use lot has flush restrooms, potable water and picnic tables, and a day-use permit is required; buy it on site. Eastbound I-84 drivers can use Exit 55, while westbound drivers must continue to Exit 51 at Wyeth and return east. Dogs are allowed on trails on a leash no longer than six feet. Bicycles and e-bikes also use the paved State Trail.
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.
