Gorton Creek Falls Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Wyeth Trailhead
- End point: Gorton Creek Falls
- Trail log: Trail Log
- Hike type: In and out
- Distance: 1.5 miles
- Elevation gain: 150 feet
- High point: 295 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: All year
- Family Friendly: Up to Emerald Falls (more info below)
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: No
|
Contents |
Hike Description
This is a pretty little hike in the Columbia River Gorge that leads to an amazing, secluded 115-foot waterfall via a very photogenic creek. Older children may enjoy the scramble up the creek using mossy boulders, but you should leave smaller children and small dogs at home nit you want to go all the way to Gorton Creek Falls. When creek levels are high, be prepared to get very wet on the final scramble section! This off trail excursion is a good adjunct to the Herman Creek-Wyeth Hike.
The hike begins at the Wyeth Trailhead. Follow the trail 100 feet to the Gorge-Wyeth Trail Junction near Gorton Creek under a canopy of Douglas-fir, hemlock, cedar, moss-covered big-leaf maple, cottonwood, and alder. The Wyeth Trail heads uphill to the left, and the Gorge Trail #400 leads across the creek to the right, but the route you want is straight ahead. Follow this wide path along the creek a nearly level half-mile, passing several small cascades and coming to a beautiful ten foot slide unofficially called Emerald Falls. This is a great place for hikers with young kids to turn around.... but the real adventure is just up ahead!
The official trail ends here, but a moderate route continues up the creek on the left side. It dips and twists about 100 yards, gaining most of the elevation of the hike as you scramble up boulders and climb on roots and logjams near the creek. (Make sure you keep next to the creek and avoid the unnecessary steep, slippery, dangerous scramble up the slope to the left.) The "trail" ends at spectacular, two-tiered Gorton Creek Falls. The lower tier is somewhere around 80 feet tall, and the upper tier is smaller, about 35 feet. There are many angles to take pictures of the falls, but the only angle that doesn't hide the upper tier is from straight on. Take a break, and then head back the way you came.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
- Maps show the creek, not the user route:
- Green Trails Maps: Columbia River Gorge - West #428S
- Geo-Graphics: Trails of the Columbia Gorge
- National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map: Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
- Discover Your Northwest: Mt. Hood National Forest North
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Hood River Ranger District
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Mt. Hood National Forest
Regulations or Restrictions, etc.
- Open May through September; alternate trailhead in the off-season is the Wyeth HCRH Trailhead
- Campground with restrooms, information kiosk
- Northwest Forest Pass (or America the Beautiful Pass) required
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Gorton Creek Falls
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Gorton Creek Falls
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- Curious Gorge by Scott Cook
- Waterfalls of the Columbia Gorge by Zach Forsyth
More Links
- Gorton Creek Falls: Hidden Treasures in the Eastern Gorge (The Mossy Log)
- My Favorite Oregon Waterfall (Inspired Traveler Adventures)
- Gorton Creek Falls Hike | Columbia River Gorge - Oregon (Traverse the PNW)
- Gorton Creek Falls (Cyclotram)
- Gorton Creek Falls (The Outbound)
- Gorton Creek Falls Loop Scramble (Curious Gorge Blog)
- Gorton Creek Falls, Punchbowl Falls Park, and Lost Lake (wanderingyuncks)
- Gorton Creek (Oregon Waterfalls)
- Gorton Creek Falls (Northwest Waterfall Survey)
- "Gorton Creek and Harphan Creek, Oregon" (The Columbia River: A Photographic Journey)
Contributors
- pyles_94 (creator)