Oregon waterfalls??

[sobo]

OK, so my soon-to-be 3-year-old has taken up a fascination with waterfalls. We were thinking about taking him down to the Gorge this wqeekend to see some, but wanted to stay away from the Mecca that is Multnomah.

 

Someone posted here a short time ago about a daytrip they took to a falls that you could walk behind on a trail. Couldn't dredge it up with a search, so if you remember that post or know the place, Nicholas's dad would appreciate hearing from you.

 

cross-posted to Climber's Board

[Camilo]

Horsetail Falls has the trail behind it in the gorge. If you want to drive a bit farther, you should go to Silver Falls State Park. Do the basic trail of 10 falls, at least a few of those have trails behind them. Easy 6-8 mile hike in a loop. If you wait until fall and go on a rainy day, you'll see about 6 other people there total.

[OldManRock]

Eagle Creek in the Gorge in the middle of the week

[sobo]

Thanks for the beta, Camillo and OMR.

 

Mebbe the wife will take him to Eagle Creek mid-week. We'll see how it goes.

[sweatinoutliquor]

Hey Sobo, can I also recommend the Oneota gorge (in the columbia river george, close to Multipersonnomah falls), which is one of my favorie little waterfall excursions... You hike over a logjam, and then up through a slot gorge (maybe 15 feet wide, 50 feet high?). At a couple of points you are actually wading through knee or waist deep cold water cause the gorge constricts. At the end there is a 40ish foot fall that drops into a really secluded pool. The logjam and lack of obvious features keeps the crowds away. Total hike is no more than 1/4 to 1/2 of a mile.

[MCash]

My favorite roadside one is Elowah Falls. It is a 1 or 2 mile hike in and hearing the waterfall as you enter the canyon and get your first view is cool. Also, it is not crowded.

[nolanr]

Many years ago I was at the pool at the back of Oneonta Gorge. It was a hot summer day, there was a number of people back there making noise and splashing around and what not. And there was a guy fishing. I was thinking "There's no way you're gonna catch a fish w/ all these people around and all this commotion, genius." Well damned if he didn't hook a fish in the next couple of seconds after I had that thought. Small trout. The fish probably committed suicide so it could get some peace and quiet. Anyway definitely agree, that place is very cool, haven't been there in a long time but worth a trip. Pretty much anything in that area is nice. That's where I got started hiking as a youngin long before I got into the alpine.

[rbw1966]

Sobo--

 

Eagle Creek is a great hike but to get back to tunnel falls its about 7 miles or so--maybe not the best hike for a 3-year-old.

 

Horsetail is a short hike, Oneonta will get the little guy gurgling with glee. Both are easily do-able on a casual day trip through the gorge. Taking the scenic highway (adjacent to I-84) puts you in close proximity to all the falls in the gorge and you can just pull over whenever you want.

[sobo]

Thanks again, all you folks responding here and in the Climber's Board forum. I appreciate your knowledge and willingness to share it with a gumby dad who will shortly join the masses at some of these locations.

[Couloir]

...The fish probably committed suicide so it could get some peace and quiet.