After leaving the Newberry Monument (below), I aimed for the Columbia River and dined and car-camped at Memaloose State Park. The next morning, I cruised westward for Eagle Creek in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. I’d explored the first part of this trail many years ago and was determined to get up to a spectacular falls where the trail had been tunneled into the rock behind it. Tunnel Falls it was called, 175 feet high and six miles in.
The notion of putting a trail behind the falls must have started as one of those crazy ideas from some young ranger who most land managers today would probably scoff at. “You’re gonna what?” I’m happy there was a time in our history when trail planners and builders in our national parks and at places like Eagle Creek were willing to push the envelope a bit to create something truly special. I think of the trails at Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks, carved into vertical rock walls. Or at Yosemite, including the otherwise unthinkable cable route up Half Dome. These kinds of opportunities are unique, uncommon and highly valuable to the recreating public. Some of them are exciting enough to make you want to grow hair on your palms, or maybe hooves. Well, Eagle Creek isn’t exactly Zion, but it has a special flair not soon forgotten. The trail hardly needs any description for anyone headed that way (trail info is easy to come by). But do keep the younger kids close, since there are frequent drop-offs that you’ll want to be mindful of. Beyond the falls, the trail becomes downright spooky and a misstep could be disastrous. At least check out Tunnel Falls when you’re out that way.I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.
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| Tunnel Falls. |
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