Sheppard's Dell Hike
From Portland Hikers Field Guide
- Start Point: Sheppard's Dell Trailhead
- End Point: Sheppard's Dell Waterfall
- Hike Type: Out and Back
- Distance: 0.2 miles
- Elevation gain: 50 feet
- Difficulty: Easy
- Seasons: All
- Family Friendly: Yes
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: No
- Elevation: 180 feet
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Hike Description
Sheppard's Dell isn't as much a hike, as a leg stretcher. There are honestly a half dozen more challenging spots within a couple of miles, but Sheppard's Dell deserves mention for it's stonework, if nothing else. The entire 3/10 of a mile is cut from the cliffs and protected by a stone wall created by the masons working on the nearby Columbia highway. Young Creek flows down a series of falls into a deep canyon. When looking at the historic bridge, consider that, despite being built in 1914, it can handle the droves of summertime RVs in the present day!
The trail is paved, although rough in spots. It's perfectly suitable for children and the infirm, but there is a bit of pesky poison oak on the trail, near the highway. A few stairs block the first few feet of the path, making it inaccessible to wheelchairs. There appears to be another falls below the bridge.
For more adventurous types, it's possible in the late summer to see the upper tier of the waterfall. Click here for more information.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
Trip Reports
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Fees, Regulations, etc.
- None
Related Discussions / Q&A
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Guidebooks that cover this hike
- Afoot and Afield Portland/Vancouver, by Douglas Lorain (grouped with Latourell Falls)
- Hiking the Columbia River Gorge - 1st Edition only, by Russ Schneider
More Links
- Lewis and Clark's Columbia River - A Photographic Journey (history of Shepperd's Dell)
Driving Instructions
From Portland, drive east on I-84 to Exit 28 (Bridal Veil). Turn Right on the Historic Columbia Highway and drive 0.8 miles to the Latourell Falls Parking lot on the left. From the east, take exit 35 (Ainsworth Park). Drive 8.8 miles west on the Historic Highway to the same lot. There is a small turn out with space for one or two cars right near the bridge, but this is not a recommended parking space.
Contributors
- Stevefromdodge (creator)