On the Trail
This is the ultimate Eagle Creek hike, a strenuous 25.5-mile backpack into the high country of the Columbia Gorge. Since it was blasted out of sheer cliffs in the 1910s, the Eagle Creek Trail (Trail 440) has been one of the most popular hikes in the Gorge. The hike up to Wahtum Lake, however, ranges far past the trail’s crowded lower miles, ending at a deep blue lake in a glacially carved cirque.The route is about 12.75 miles to the lake, which sits at the 3,780-foot elevation mark. Total elevation gain for the round-trip hike is 5,210 feet.
Permits & Pets
The site is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. A Northwest Forest Pass is required to park. Pay $5 cash at the trailhead kiosk, or, purchase one in advance. This hike enters the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. Wilderness restrictions apply. Dogs are required to be on a leash no longer than 6 feet at all times. However, we do not recommend taking dogs on this hike.
Trail Notes
- From the trailhead, hike Eagle Creek Trail to Punch Bowl Falls at the 1.5-mile mark. Continue on the trail to High Bridge at the 3-mile mark. Then continue on to Tunnel Falls at the 6-mile mark.
- From Tunnel Falls, hike about 1.5 miles along Trail 440 to a junction with the Eagle Tanner Trail (Trail 433). Here, keep left on Trail 440. In another 2.3 miles, the Indian Springs Trail (Trail 435) comes in on the right. Here, keep left on Trail 440. Continue on Trail 440 for 2.9 more miles to Wahtum Lake. Walk the loop around the lake and camp at designated sites along the shoreline.
- For the return, retrace the route to the trailhead.
- Please always stay on the trail and clean your boots before and after you hike. Hikers are a common vector for spreading invasive seeds.
- On the road to the trailhead, restrooms are to the left, adjacent to a parking area.
Friends of the Columbia Gorge does not track trail closures. If you are planning a hike in the Gorge, please check other sources in advance for the latest updates, including the U.S Forest Service, Ready Set GOrge, and AllTrails. Recreational activities in the Gorge can involve risk of injury, death, property damage, and other dangers. Friends does not assume responsibility for any such outcome resulting from the use of the information on our hiking web pages. Your use of these web pages is strictly at your own risk.
Post-Hike Explorations
After this long hike, find a bit of post-hike satisfaction in Cascade Locks. Brewpubs, restaurants, and ice cream await your appetite. From Eagle Creek, drive 3 miles east on I-84 and take exit 44. It leads to Cascade Locks’ main street, WaNaPa Street.
Other Eagle Creek Trail Hikes from This Trailhead
- To Punch Bowl Falls: 3.8 miles, out-and-back, 600 feet of gain
- To High Bridge: 6.2 miles, out-and-back, 970 feet of gain
- To Tunnel Falls: 12 miles, out-and-back, 1,640 feet of gain
Directions & Travel Tips
Eastbound I-84: Take exit 41/Eagle Creek. At the end of the ramp, turn right, and drive 0.6 mile along Eagle Creek to the parking area and trailhead at road’s end. Park only in designated spaces. If the parking area is full, turn around and park in the large lot near the restroom and fish hatchery. This will add about 1 mile (round trip) to the hike.
Westbound I-84: There is no exit, so take exit 40/Bonneville Dam; turn left to cross over I-84 and then left onto the eastbound ramp to I-84. In 1 mile, take exit 41/Eagle Creek, and follow directions above.
