Four and a Half Mile Bridge
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Hikes including this location:
- Eagle Creek to Tunnel Falls Hike (TH | <— —> | LOG)
- Eagle Creek to Wahtum Lake Hike (TH | <— —> | LOG)
- Eagle-Benson Loop Hike (TH | <— —> | LOG)
- Tanner-Eagle Traverse Hike (TH | <— —> | LOG)
- Weather forecast: NWS/NOAA
- Maps: Oregon Hikers Maps Google Maps
- Latitude, Longitude: 45.60042, -121.87797
- Elevation: 695 feet
Description
4 1/2 Mile Bridge is the second crossing of the creek on the Eagle Creek Trail. Despite its name, it is closer to four miles from the trailhead to this point. The Eagle Creek Trailhead was originally at the current day use area, so in decades past, it was a longer hike. The bridge is a popular rest stop for hikers heading out to Tunnel Falls or points beyond. It crosses a particularly accessible and deep portion of the creek, making it an obvious spot to take a dip on a hot day or to refill your water supply. There are several campsites up and down trail from this location, meaning campers can frequent this spot as a day-use area. The bridge survived the Eagle Creek Fire undamaged.
In the Eagle Creek canyon there are waterfalls wherever you look and the area near 4 1/2 Mile Bridge is no exception. About 2/10 of a mile below the bridge, a side creek drops into Eagle Creek as Four Mile Falls. Just above the bridge another side creek forms Tenas Falls.
There used to be a campsite just beyond (south of) the bridge on the right hand side, with good water access and a great view of Tenas Falls. Since the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, the area has become overgrown.
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Contributors
- jeffstatt (creator)