Wahclella Falls Trail

From Wahclella Falls Trailhead, the first stretch is a level, gated access road under cottonwood, alder, big-leaf maple and Douglas-fir. It ends at a small dam and fish ladder for the Bonneville Fish Hatchery; beyond that, the path narrows and enters the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. Around a blind bend, Munra Falls drops beside the first bridge. You cross close enough to catch its spray when the creek is running hard.

The trail then climbs the east side of the canyon on uneven ground, with a flight of stairs and steep drop-offs above Tanner Creek. At roughly seven-tenths of a mile, the route forks. Follow the full loop instead of turning back there. The upper path rises to a sturdy bridge and then descends toward Wahclella Falls; the return path follows the lower side of the loop back to the same junction.

Wahclella Falls opens into a boulder- and cedar-shaded amphitheater. The lower cascade is the obvious first view; a higher viewpoint reveals the partly hidden upper tier, and a seasonal side fall can appear farther back. The higher viewpoint is the best place to frame both tiers together. Look along the creek for water ouzels bobbing and diving; spawning salmon may be visible at the falls in late autumn.

To finish the loop, rough rock steps lead down to a lower level, where a footbridge crosses Tanner Creek. A short, steep basalt boulder and dripping overhang sit just beyond it. From there the trail works past mossy boulders in an old slide zone, crosses the lower bridge and climbs a couple of switchbacks back to the fork. This lower section is rockier and more awkward underfoot than the easy start.

Use the Wahclella Falls Trailhead just south of I-84 exit 40 for Bonneville Fish Hatchery. The lot is limited; overflow parking at Toothrock State Park is about a quarter-mile east and adds a walk. A day-use fee or valid recreation pass is required. A portable toilet is listed at the trailhead during summer, but there’s no potable water. Dogs are allowed on leash.

The loop gains about 340 feet cumulatively. Keep children close around the steep drop-offs, and take care on wet rock by the falls. The 2017 Eagle Creek Fire burned this watershed; the Forest Service’s current advice about heavy-rain and snow hazards is in the trail caution.