Eagle Creek to Wahtum Lake

Columbia River Gorge and Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness, Mt. Hood National Forest (near Cascade Locks)

Eagle Creek climbs from the Columbia River into the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness, passing a string of waterfalls on a trail partly blasted out of basalt cliffs. The Forest Service describes Trail #440 as running from Eagle Creek to the Pacific Crest Trail near Wahtum Lake; guides put the lake about 13 miles in, and most backpackers return the way they came.

The 2017 Eagle Creek Fire burned hot through this canyon, and recovery is still underway on some of the area’s loop trails, the Forest Service says.

The hike

From the trailhead near Cascade Locks, Friends of the Columbia Gorge puts Punch Bowl Falls about 1.5 miles in. Hiking Guy calls the area around it “the busiest rescue spot on the entire trail” and warns against jumping in or crossing the fence; the Forest Service prohibits jumping or diving off the falls.

Past Punch Bowl, Oregon Hikers lists Tish Creek and Fern Creek bridges and then High Bridge, about 3 miles in, which was replaced in October 2019 after the fire. Overnight camping begins above High Bridge, according to Oregon Hikers. The trail continues past Skoonichuck Falls, Tenas Camp, the Four and a Half Mile Bridge, Wy’East Camp, and Blue Grouse Camp to Tunnel Falls, about 6 miles in, followed by Twister Falls and Sevenmile Falls. Oregon Hikers warns of cable-railed cliff sections, narrow tread, and exposed drops along the way, including a stretch it calls the “Vertigo Mile.”

Above Tunnel Falls, the canyon quiets. Hiking Guy says the upper campsites are much quieter than the crowded first miles, and that miles 7 to 12 cross a large burn with more downed trees. Seven and a Half Mile Camp sits along the creek, then the trail passes the Eagle-Tanner and Indian Springs junctions and Upper Eagle Camp before reaching Wahtum Lake at about 3,780 feet, per Friends. The PCT circles the lake.

Oregon Hikers suggests one night at Seven and a Half Mile Camp, then two nights at Wahtum Lake. It says the old loop returns are limited: the Ruckel Creek Trail has been closed since 2017 (still closed under the 2026 order) and the Eagle-Benson Trail hasn’t been maintained since then. A roughly 30-mile PCT and Gorge Trail loop likely needs a night on Benson Plateau, so Oregon Hikers recommends returning the way you came.

For a high-country circuit on the same national forest, see the Timberline Trail around Mount Hood.

Tips

Keep dogs leashed, as the Forest Service requires, or leave them home; Friends doesn’t recommend bringing them.
Arrive early. Hiking Guy says the lot holds about 20 cars and fills fast; Oregon Hikers suggests parking at the Eagle Creek day-use lot for overnight trips.
Watch your footing on cable sections, which are often wet.
Expect devil’s club and poison oak in overgrown spots, Oregon Hikers notes.
Plan an out-and-back. Loop returns via Ruckel Creek remain closed.

Camping

Oregon Hikers says camping is allowed only above High Bridge, at Tenas Camp, Wy’East Camp, Blue Grouse Camp, Seven and a Half Mile Camp, Upper Eagle Camp, and Wahtum Lake. Many older sites are overgrown or blocked by downed trees. At Wahtum Lake, camp only in designated sites along the lakeshore, Friends says; some lakeshore sites are day use only. Hiking Guy says sites are first come, first served with a free self-issued permit.

Inside Intel: Hiking Guy calls Seven and a Half Mile Camp, with about 10 to 12 sites between the creek and the trail, “my favorite spot to camp,” and also lists Wahtum Lake among its favorites.

Trail facts

Distance: 25.5 to 26.6 miles round trip, depending on the source
Route type: Out and back
Difficulty: Strenuous
Campsites: Tenas (3.8 mi), Wy’East (4.7), Blue Grouse (5.3), Seven and a Half Mile (7), Wahtum Lake (about 13), mileages from Hiking Guy
Water: Eagle Creek and side streams; Wahtum Lake; treat all water
Permits: Free self-issued wilderness permit (Hiking Guy); recreation pass to park
Fires: Rules differ by source; see the notes above
Dogs: Leash required
Trailhead: Eagle Creek, Columbia River Gorge, west of Cascade Locks
Last verified: October 12, 2026

The Lowdown

Overgrown sites above High Bridge:

Oregon Hikers says many older Eagle Creek sites are overgrown or blocked by downed trees. Our side-sleeper tips cover choosing flat, soft ground and the pad that suits it.

Read the fixes →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.