Eagle Creek
Trailhead to Tunnel Falls
The Route
Eagle Creek Trail follows the canyon past Punch Bowl Falls and High Bridge to Tunnel Falls.
- Eagle Creek TrailheadRoad-end start
- Punch Bowl Falls BranchShorter destination
- High BridgeNarrow gorge crossing
- Tunnel FallsTurnaround behind waterfall
- Creekside ReturnSame approach
Creek & Cliffside Approach
The trail follows Eagle Creek through forest and along paths cut into basalt cliffs. Some sections have sheer unguarded drops. Punch Bowl Falls is an early landmark reached from a side trail. Farther upstream, High Bridge spans a narrow gorge, after which the main trail continues into the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness.
Tunnel Falls & Return
Farther upstream, Tunnel Falls is the turnaround for this outing, with a passage behind the waterfall. Return retraces the creekside approach. The trail network continues toward Wahtum Lake and other wilderness destinations; those extensions are not part of the Tunnel Falls return. The agency listing and older route summaries give different distances, so each figure needs its own endpoint scope.
Terrain Along the Route
Narrow cliff-side sections, rock ledges and bridges run above the creek; a tunnel passes behind the destination waterfall.
Approximate guide figures for the named route and endpoint, not a current measured track. Reference Set: 2026-10-23.
Weather
Current forecasts open at the providers below. NWS forecasts describe a terrain grid cell, not an exact summit.
Access
Eagle Creek Trailhead, Columbia River Gorge, OR
Trailhead & Approach
The road-end trailhead is reached from eastbound I-84 Exit 41. Overflow parking near the hatchery adds about a mile round trip.
Parking & Entry
The route guide lists Northwest Forest Pass or accepted federal pass. This is a reference listing, not a live parking or permit availability check.
Route Choice
The return to Tunnel Falls, not a turn at Punch Bowl Falls or the longer route to Wahtum Lake.
Road-End & Overflow Start
Eastbound I-84 Exit 41 reaches the Eagle Creek road-end trailhead. Parking at the hatchery overflow instead adds about one mile return to the selected Tunnel Falls outing.
Parking & Facilities
WTA lists a toilet and a Northwest Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass at the Gorge Eagle Creek trailhead. This is Trail 440, not the different Eagle Creek trail near Twisp.
Source information checked 2026-10-23. Road snapshots are dated separately.
Reports
Agency Route Reference
Agency description of the creek, High Bridge and Tunnel Falls. Its linked downloadable map is pre-fire and explicitly outdated; current closure notices and dated field reports are separate.
Recent Trip Reports
Open the route-specific WTA reports and compare the hiking date, endpoint and reported conditions.
Official Access & Updates
Open the official page for current access notices, permits and seasonal information for this destination.
Links open the publishers’ report pages. Reports are not automatically imported or filtered to a forecast date.